NQS

QUALITY AREA 2:  CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY

Education and Care Services National Regulations

Purpose

The Approved Provider/ Nominated Supervisor must ensure that children at the Education and Care Service are adequately supervised, having regard to their ages and ratio requirements set out in the National Regulations (National Regulation 122, 123, 271).

Educators have a duty of care to ensure children are actively supervised at all times, maintaining safe and secure environments whilst adhering to Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations. Supervision, together with thoughtful design and arrangement of children’s environments, assists in the prevention and severity of injury to children.

Educators will actively supervise children, identifying risks and taking all necessary steps to prevent or minimise injury. Effective supervision of children also provides educators with the opportunity to support and build on children’s play experiences. Our Service will ensure no child or children are left alone with a visitor, student or volunteer, or an educator under the age of 18 years.

Strategies

 Indoors

Supervising Educators/Staff should give their attention to the children and not to other duties.

When children are resting or sleeping they will be supervised at all times having regard to their age and ratio requirements. Educators/staff ensuring that sleeping infants are closely monitored and that all sleeping children are within hearing range. During hand washing and/or toilet times children will be supervised in the bathroom area. Toddlers and children undergoing toilet training will not be left unsupervised in the bathroom.

Rooms should be set up in a way that enables educators from all angles to effectively supervise children wherever they might stand or sit with children. Where there are areas to hide – educators must be nearby to have visual of all children in that area.

Outdoors

When supervising outdoors, Educators/staff will position themselves to maximise their view of as much play area as possible. One Educator/staff member should be positioned alongside the climbing equipment as often as possible. Where there is any water activity provided, one educator/staff member will supervise this area at all times. Except for brief discussions or concerns regarding children or matters relating to the service, Educators/staff will not congregate outside.

Ratio requirements to be met in NSW are as follows:

• Children under 2 years of age must have a 1:4 ratio

• Children 2-3 years of age must have a 1:5 ratio

• Children 3-5 years of age must have a 1:10 ratio

Mixed age groups are allowed in the service as long as the lower ratio is maintained. 

Responsibilities of the Approved Provider/ Nominated Supervisor

The Approved Provider must ensure that children at the Education and Care Service are adequately supervised. They must ensure that educators/staff are only counted in ratios if they are working directly with children and have or work towards an approved early childhood qualification (National Regulation 13, 122, 126 (b)).

Anyone who is supervising children should be:

• Sympathetic to the welfare of children

• Have adequate knowledge, understanding and experience of children so as to be capable of meeting their needs

• Able to adequately care for and understand where supervision is required

• Of suitable age, health and personality to care for children

• Of good character

• Have received suitable training in the proper care of children

Staffing arrangements should be adhered to with considering of Child Safe Standard 5 - People working with children are suitable and supported.

The Approved Provider/Nominated Supervisor must have regard to the size and composition of groups in which children are being educated and cared for by the service.

The Approved Provider must ensure that no member of staff who is supervising children both supervises children and performs other duties at the same time if those duties would adversely affect the quality of supervision.

• Minimum Educator qualification requirements are recognised and adhered to according to legislative requirements. 

• The Service maintains the required educator-to-child ratio working directly with children at all times, based on the ages and number of children being educated and cared for at the Service.

  • The design and layout of the Service, including the entrance, perimeter fence and gates, have been approved under the Building Code of Australia and meet all other regulatory requirements. They enable visual supervision of children at all times without compromising the children’s dignity and rights. 

The Service has systems which ensure that all children are accounted for at all times. However, in the unlikely event that a child cannot be accounted for, the Nominated Supervisor is notified immediately and the Regulatory Authority is notified within 24 hours of incident.

• At the end of each day, educators check all beds and the premises including outdoors and indoors to ensure that no child remains on the premises after the Service closes. In the unlikely event of a child being mistakenly locked in the Service, the Regulatory Authority would be notified within 24 hours. 

• The Nominated Supervisor will ensure that the Education and Care Services National Regulation, Children (Education and Care Services National Law Application) Act and the National Quality Standards in relation to the supervision of children are adhered to at all times.

• All Educators, permanent and relief staff, will be made aware of this policy regarding adequate and responsible supervision of children during their staff induction.

• Staff shifts and routines will at all times provide for enough staff to be available for the adequate supervision of children.

• In any situation where adequate supervision of children is compromised, any educator/staff member on lunch breaks must be prepared to be called on duty.

• Ensure that all Educators are aware of all children and their environment

• Ensure Educators are aware if they need to move away from the children, another Educator is to replace them. This is to ensure optimal supervision is upheld.

• Develop, maintain and regularly review a supervision plan and strategies for both the indoor and outdoor areas.

• Ensure that a Risk Assessment and Management Plan is carried out before an authorisation is requested for an excursion. The risk assessment will consider and identify the number of adults required to ensure continuous adequate supervision throughout the excursion.

• Ensure that parents are notified as soon as practicable but within 24 hours if their child is involved in a serious incident/situation at the Service. Details of the incident/situation are to be recorded on the Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record.

• Ensure that if the incident, situation or event presents imminent or severe risk to the health, safety, and/or wellbeing of the child or if an ambulance was called in response (not as a precaution) the regulatory authority will be notified within 24 hours.

• ensure educators under eighteen years of age are adequately supervised by a qualified educator over the age of 18 at all times and are not left alone with children at any time

• develop and maintain rosters that ensure continuity of care and adequate supervision at all times when children are being cared for and educated in the Service

Responsibilities of the Educators

• All educators will follow and implement the supervision plans that the Nominated Supervisor or other responsible person has created.

• Monitor and maintain educator to child ratios at all times.

• If there are any concerns raised amongst educators regarding supervision or areas of concern, please share with the Nominated Supervisor.

• Have a sound understanding of their duty of care and responsibilities in ensuring children are within a safe environment.

• Ensure any educators under the age of 18 years old are never left alone with children.

• Ensure that no child is left alone while eating or at nappy change and toileting times.

• Supervise children during rest time in accordance with the Sleep and Rest Time Policy.

• Ensure that hazardous equipment and chemicals are inaccessible to children.

• Continuously scan and look around the area to observe all the children in the vicinity.

• Educators should be mindful to only use the Ipad, for documentation purposes, when not counted as ratio within the room.

• Ensure students, volunteers and/or visitors are never left alone with children

• Monitor and maintain staff to child ratios to ensure adequate supervision of children

• Have a sound understanding of their duty of care and responsibilities in ensuring children are within a child-safe environment at all times

• Communicate and collaborate with others to ensure the effective supervision of children within the Service

• Alert other colleagues if they need to leave an area for a particular reason to ensure continuous supervision of children (e.g., to obtain resources, visit the bathroom)

• Adhere to a supervision plan and strategies for both the indoor and outdoor environment, assisting colleagues to position themselves in order to supervise children’s play effectively. The supervision plan will include the floor plan of the Service and include the location of activities, bathroom, and nappy change facilities.

Responsibilities of the Families

• Families are encouraged to share any concerns they may have in regards to the supervision of their child or other children in the service. Additionally, to share any concerns they might have about ratios not being upheld at all times.

Related Statutory Obligations & Considerations

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

• Children (Education and Care Services) National Law (NSW) 104a

• Department of Education

• Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)

• Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011

• National Quality Framework (NQF)

• United Nations Convention on the rights of the child

Related Telephone Numbers

• Early Childhood Directorate - 1800 619 113

• ACECQA - 1300 422 327

• Kidsafe - 9845 0890

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:

April 2025

Version:

6

Last amended by:

Laura Clarke  

Next Review:

April 2026

Position:

Nominated Supervisor