NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)

QUALITY AREA 7:  GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP

National Regulations

Purpose

Baulkham Hills Early Learning Centre supports participation of students (including work placement) and volunteers wanting to develop professional skills and knowledge in their effort to become Early Childhood Professionals. Our purpose is to value volunteer participation as a connection to our local community and exposure to a range of people and experiences. Any volunteers on premises must follow policy and procedure at all times and all educators/staff on premises will ensure that any volunteers who enter the service are fit and proper to be working with children before commencing.

Responsibilities for the Approved Provider

The Approved Provider of an education and care service must –

• Ensure that students and volunteers do not commence at the Service until they have provided all required documentation including: 

  • Full name, address and date of birth;

  • Current Working with Children Number; If under 18 not needed

• Ensuring that volunteers/students and parents/guardians are adequately supervised at all times and that the health, safety and wellbeing of children at the service is protected.

• Ensuring that volunteers/students and parents/guardians are not left with sole supervision of individual children or groups of children.

• Ensuring that parents/guardians of a child attending the service can enter the service premises at any time that the child is being educated and cared for, except where this may pose a risk to the safety of a children or staff, or conflict with any duty of the Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor or staff members under the law.

• Ensuring that the staff record contains information for all volunteers/students attending the service with details of name, date of birth, days and hours of participation and details of the Working with Children Check.

• Ensure Working with Children Check has been verified through accessing the website of Office of the Children’s Guardian.

• Conduct an orientation for the student or volunteer (before start date) including taking the student or volunteer on a tour of the Service, showing emergency exits, staffroom and bathroom facilities.

• Negotiate with the student or volunteer the hours to be worked, and dates of the placement.

• Discuss any relevant important information about specific children to the student or volunteer.

Responsibilities of the Nominated Supervisor

 The Nominated Supervisor of an education and care service must –

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

• Ensure all Volunteers, students and visitors are aware guidelines adopted by the service around the use of personal electronic devices. Devices will be kept in personal lockers (no photos/video of children on personal phones without consent

• Ensuring that volunteers/students and parents/guardians are adequately supervised at all times and that the health and safety and wellbeing of children at the service are protected.

• Ensuring that volunteers/students and parents/guardians are adequately supervised at all times, and that the health, safety and wellbeing of children at the service is protected.

• Ensuring that volunteers/students and parents/guardians are not left with sole supervision of individual children of group of children.

• Providing volunteers/students and parent/guardians with access to all service policies and procedures.

• Ensuring that volunteers/students and parents/guardians comply with the national Regulations and all service policies and procedures.

• Inform families, children, and Educators when work experience students and volunteers are present at the Service, including their role and hours they will be spending at the Service.  Where appropriate Nominated Supervisor will share photo of student/volunteer within the foyer or on service application – Kinderloop.

• Ensure students are aware that they must not discuss concerns, issues or complaints with parents, guardians and/or visitors.

• Introduce the student or volunteer to educators and their Room Leader.

Responsibilities of the Educators

• Have open communication with work experience student and volunteers along with their practicum teachers.

• Support students and volunteers with the needs of their placement wherever necessary. Share any knowledge or experience necessary for their placement. Offer feedback wherever necessary being respectful and honest at all times.

• Complying with the requirements that volunteers/students and parents/guardians are adequately supervised at all times, and that the health, safety and wellbeing of children at the service is protected.

• Never put volunteers or students in a compromising situation that could jeopardise their qualification or put the service in a breach.

• Complying with the requirements that volunteers/students and parents/guardians are not left with sole supervision of individual children or groups of children.

• Enabling parents/guardians of children attending the service premises at any time the child is being educated and cared for, except where this poses a risk to the safety of children and/or staff.

• Encouraging the participation and involvement of parents/guardians at the service.

• Ensure all educators are provided with relevant information about tasks the student is required to complete in the service as part of their practicum

• Guide the students throughout the day.

• Make the student or volunteer feel welcome and a valued member of the team.

Responsibilities of the Student/Volunteer

• Show enjoyment in engaging with the children

• Understanding and acknowledging the requirement for confidentiality of all information relating to staff and families within the service.

• Complying with the requirements of the education and care service national regulations 2011 and with all service policies and procedures, including the code of conduct policy, while at the service.

• Undertaking the induction process and completing the induction checklist prior to commencement at the service.

• Following the directions of staff at the service at all times to ensure that the health, safety and wellbeing of children is protected.

• All volunteers who come to work at the service must apply for a working with children check prior to commencing at the service.

• Learn about the children through interaction and practical experience.

• Develop the skills and knowledge needed to care for and educate children.  

• Learn strategies for working in a team environment.

• Discuss any problems the student may be experiencing with the Student Supervisor.  

• Adhere to all policies and procedures.

• Never remove a child from direct staff supervision. 

Responsibilities of the Family/Guardian

• Complying with the requirements of the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 and with all service policies and procedures, while attending the service.

• Following the directions of staff at the service, at all times, to ensure that the health, safety and wellbeing of children is protected.

Termination

Termination of student’s placement will occur if the student:

• Harms a child in their care.

• Is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

• Fails to notify the Service if they will not be attending the Service.

• Does not adhere to starting times or break times.

• Is observed using repeated inappropriate behaviour at the Service. 

• Does not comply with all policies and procedures addressed in the student package.

Procedure

• All students and volunteers will be required to undertake and provide a Working with Children check if over the age of 18. Volunteers and students do not make up part of the staff to child ratio and cannot be used to fill the place of an employee.

• Volunteers and students, must not be asked to perform tasks:

  • That they are untrained, unqualified or too inexperienced to undertake

  • That put the children or themselves in a vulnerable or potentially unsafe situation.

Visitors

• Visitors can only enter the Service with the permission of the Nominated Supervisor, and are accompanied by a staff member at all times they are in the Service.

• Visitors are required to sign in and sign out using the visitors register.

• Visitors are asked to contact the Service prior to their visit.  The Nominated Supervisor will arrange the day, date, time and duration of the visit. 

As part of maintaining a safe and secure environment for children, educators question anyone in the Service who is not known to them to ascertain who they are and why they are in the Service. The educator or another staff member stays with the visitor until that person leaves the Service.

Related Statutory Obligations & Considerations

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

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

• Child Protection (Working with Children) Act NSW

• Education and Care Services National Regulations

• NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian

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 considered prior to any amendment of policies and procedures that have any impact on their children or family.

Date:

17.03.2025

Version:

4

Last amended by:

Isabella McGovern

Next Review:

17.03.2025

Position:

Diploma Educator/Responsible Person