NQS

QUALITY AREA 2:  CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY

National Regulations

Purpose

Baulkham Hills Early Learning Centre’s purpose is to ensure that authorisations, signed by a parent or person named in the enrolment record as authorised to give consent for a child for the Approved Provider/ Nominated Supervisor are in accordance with the Education and Care Services National regulations 2011 Regulation 161. Our service also aims to provide clear and transparent policies and procedures for authorisations. This helps staff and parents understand exactly what they need to do.

Decisions around refusing an authorisation will be made on a case-by-case basis by the service in accordance with the nominated supervisor, Police, regulatory authority or other authorities.

Related Policies

• Administration of Medication Policy

• Enrolment Policy

• Excursion Policy

• Photography Policy

• Physical Safety (Workplace, Learning and Administration) Policy

Strategies

• Where activities require authorisation, either to comply with national regulations, or to comply with our service policies, our service requires that the authorisation is provided in writing and is dated. 

• Digital Enrolment form with signed authorised nominees able to provide authorisations for: (National Regulation 160(3), 161)
  

  • Collection of children.

  • Medication administration.

  • Emergencies.

    • Medical treatment from a registered practitioner, hospital or ambulance.

    • Transportation in an ambulance.

  • Excursion permission. (National Regulation 102)

  • Incursion attendance.

  • Taking of photographs by people other than educators

  • Posting photos on our Baulkham Hills Early Learning Centre Instagram account and website.

  • Enrolment of children, including providing details of persons nominated to authorise consent for medical treatment or trips outside the service premises.

  • Children leaving the premises in the care of someone other than a parent.
    

• Our service does not accept verbal authorisations in any circumstances except in situations requiring:

  • Emergency administration of medication, including emergencies involving anaphylaxis or asthma

  • Administration of Paracetamol for children who have a medical condition (With prior consultation and Doctors consent) –i. e convulsions

  • Administration of Paracetamol for children who have high fevers, above 38.5 degrees, and parents are on their way to collect their child.
    

• Management will ensure that the acceptance and refusal authorisation policy is always reviewed and maintained by Service management and adhered to by educators.

AUTHORISATION REQUIREMENTS

Authorisation documents are required for the following situations and must have details recorded as specified:

Administration of Medication

•        Name of the child

•        Administration of Medication Record is signed by a parent or a person named in the child's enrolment record as authorised to consent to administration of medication

•        Name of the medication to be administered

•        Clearly indicate time and date medication was last administered

•        Clearly indicate time and date the medication is to be administered

•        Dosage of the medication to be administered

•        Method of dosage (e.g.: oral or inhaled)

•        Period of authorisation (actual days and dates: from and to)

•        Parent/Carer name and signature

•        Date the authorisation is signed

•        Medication must be in its original container and bearing the correct child’s name

•        Medication is not past its expiry or use-by date

•        Medication is administered in accordance with any instructions attached to the medication or provided by a registered medical practitioner.

•        A second person checks the signed Administration of Medication Record, checks the dosage of the medication, and witnesses its administration

•        The educator administering medication and the witness must write their full name and sign the medication record

Details of the administration must be recorded in the medication record

Medical treatment of the child including transportation by an ambulance service

(Included and authorised initially as part of the child’s enrolment record)

 •        Name of the child

•        Authorisation to seek medical treatment for the child from a registered medical practitioner, hospital or ambulance service

•        Authorisation for the transportation of the child by an ambulance service

•        Name, address and telephone number of the child's registered medical practitioner or medical service

•        Child's Medicare number

Name of the parent or guardian providing authorisation

Emergency Medical Treatment

(included  initially as part of enrolment record)

• The Service is able to seek emergency medical assistance for a child as required (i.e., medical practitioner, ambulance or hospital) without seeking further authorisation from a parent or guardian in the case of an emergency, including for emergencies relating to medical conditions noted on the enrolment form.

Responsibilities of the Approved Provider

Ensure the service operates in accordance with the Children (Education and Care Services National Law) Act 2010 and Education and Care Services National regulations.

Responsibilities of the Nominated Supervisor

• Provide supervision, guidance and advice to staff to ensure adherence to the policy at all times.

• Ensure all authorisations will be retained within the Enrolment Record (National Regulation 161), original copy and will include:

  • The name of the child enrolled in the service.

  • The date.

  • The signature of the child’s parent/guardian or authorised nominee who is listed in the enrolment form.

  • The original form/letter/register provided by the service.

• Ensure an enrolment record is kept for each child that includes all authorisations signed by a parent/guardian or a person authorised.

• attendance records are maintained for all children attending the Service.

• Ensure that all parents/guardians have completed the authorised nominee section of their child’s enrolment form and that the form is signed and dated before the child is enrolled at the service (National Regulation 161(a)).

• Keep all authorisations relating to children in their enrolment record.

• Ensure a child is not taken outside the Service premises on an excursion except with the written authorisation of a parent/guardian or authorised person.

• Inform the Approved Provider when a written authorisation does not meet the requirements outlined in the service’s policies.

• Ensure educators/staff do not administer medication without the written authorisation of parent/guardian or authorised nominee named in the enrolment record as authorised to consent to the medical treatment of the child, except in the case of an emergency, including an asthma or anaphylaxis emergency.

• Where a child requires medication to be administered by educators/staff, that an Administration of Medication Record is completed, and authorisation provided by the parent/guardian or authorised nominee and included within the child's record.

• When a child requires emergency medical treatment for conditions such as anaphylaxis or asthma, compliance with authorisation is waived. In accordance with National Regulations (Reg. 93) the Service can administer medication in these circumstances without authorisation. If these situations occur the approved provider/management will be required to contact the parent/guardian as soon as practicable after the medication has been administered and emergency services. Notification to the regulatory authority is required within 24 hours of a serious incident.

The Nominated Supervisor will exercise the right of refusal for a child to leave the service with a person that is unauthorised to collect the child or is not able to transport the child safely.  i.e. if they appear to be under the influence of alcohol or substances, or if they do not have an appropriate car seat or transport arrangements. the right of refusal is exercised if written or verbal authorisations do not comply with National Regulations or Child Protection Legislation (see: Refusal of Authorisation below). If the Service refuses an authorisation, it is best practice to document:

• the details of the authorisation

• why the authorisation was refused, and

• actions taken by the service. For example: if the service refused an authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record to collect the child from the service as they were under the influence of alcohol, the action taken to ensure that the child was collected (Refer to Refusal of Authorisation Record)

Responsibilities of the Educators

• ensure that written authorisation is provided by the parent/guardian or other person named in the child’s enrolment record for a regular outing or regular transportation

• ensure that parents/guardians sign and date permission/authorisation forms for excursions prior to the excursion being implemented

• allow a child to participate in an excursion only with the written authorisation of a parent/guardian or authorised nominee

• check that parents/guardians or an authorised nominee sign in/out using service Electronic sign in (Esi) as child arrives and departs from the Service

• administer medication only with the written authorisation of a parent/guardian or authorised nominee as per the prescribed medication form except in the case of an emergency, including asthma or anaphylaxis

• allow a child to depart from the Service only:

  • with a person who is the parent/guardian or authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record; or

  • in accordance with the written authorisation of the parent; or authorised nominee; or

  • on an excursion; or

  • in the case of a medical emergency or another emergency

• follow procedures if an inappropriate person attempts to collect a child from the Service and poses a risk to the safety of the children and staff (for example, an intoxicated person) (Reg.99)

• inform the approved provider when a written authorisation does not meet the requirements outlined in Service’s policies.

Responsibilities of the Family/Guardian

• Ensure that you complete and sign the authorised nominee section of your child’s enrolment form before your child attends the service.

• Keep child enrolment details forms current by stating who the authorised nominees are as circumstances change.

  • advise nominated authorised persons that they will require photo identification (such as a driver’s licence) in order to collect their child from the Service. Share full name and D.O.B of authorised person with Educators/management of service.

• Inform service of current contact numbers to ensure you are contactable at all times.

• Communicate to the Responsible Person and staff any individual requests regarding authorisations.

• Ensure that where children require medication to be administered by educators or other staff, you authorise this in writing, sign and date it for inclusion in your child’s medical record.

• Update Educators in relation to any medical conditions, medical plans or ongoing medication requirements. This must include the names of medical practitioner, medications, dosage, signs, symptoms and contact information for any relevant medical professionals.

• Ensure that where children require medication to be administered by educators or other staff, you authorise this in writing, sign and date it on your child’s individual medication record.

Refusing a Written Authorisation

On receipt of a written authorisation from a parent/guardian that does not meet the requirements outlined in the related service policy, the Approved Provider or delegated authority will:

• Immediately explain to the parent/guardian that their written authorisation does not meet legislative and policy guidelines.

• Provide the parent/guardian with a copy of the relevant service policy and ensure that they understand the reasons for the refusal of the authorisation.

• Request that an appropriate alternative written authorisation is provided by the parent/guardian.

• In instances where the parent/guardian cannot be immediately contacted to provide an alternative written authorisation, follow related policy procedures pertaining to the authorisation type.

• Follow up with the parent/guardian, where required, to ensure that an appropriate written authorisation is obtained.

All authorisations which are incomplete or incorrectly recorded are to be returned to the parent or guardian for required adjustments. Written or verbal authorisation may be refused if the authorisation does not comply with National Regulations or Child Protection Legislation. The approved provider or nominated supervisor will inform the parent or guardian the reason why the written or verbal authorisation does not meet National Regulations or policy procedures. 

The parent or guardian will be provided a copy of this Acceptance and Refusal of Authorisation Policy and procedure. Management will discuss an alternative arrangement with the family following the refusal of authorisation. If an authorisation is refused by the Service, it is best practice to document details surrounding the refusal (See Refusal of Authorisation Record).

Examples when an authorisation may be refused include:

• requests relating to dietary restrictions that are not related to medical reasons

• an authorised person collecting the child appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol

• the authorisation breaches a parenting order

• the authorisation breaches a service policy (person under the age of 16 collecting a child)

• medication to be provided to a child that is not in original container or prescribed to the child or other breach of Administration of Medication Policy

• a breach of Excursion/Incursion Policy where the person providing consent for the excursion is not listed as a parent/guardian or authorised nominee on the enrolment form.

Note:

Our service is still using PAPER BASED medication records for prescribed medications – see below.

We are utilising our service app, Kinderloop, for incident reports and the administration of EMERGENCY medication (Panadol).

Related Statutory Obligations & Considerations

• Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)

• Children (Education and Care Services) National Law (NSW) No 104a

• Education and Care Services National Regulations

• Family Law Act 1975 (Cth)

• Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act

• Guide to the National Quality Framework- Section 4 Operational Requirements

Related Telephone Numbers

• Early Childhood Education and Care Directorate - 1800 619 113

• ACECQA - 1300 422 327

• Police Department - 000

Amendment History

This policy will be updated to ensure compliance with all relevant legal requirements every year. Appropriate consultation of all stakeholders (including staff and families) will be conducted on a timely basis. In accordance with Regulation 172 of the Education and Care Services National Regulation, families of children enrolled will be notified at least 14 days and their input will be considered prior to any amendment of policies and procedures that have any impact on their children or family

Date:

January 2025

Last amended by:

Laura Clarke  

Position:

Diploma