Assessment of FDC Educators, Assistants and persons:

Purpose:
Family day care education and care services differ from centre-based services in that they are operating from a residence or home where people other than the family day care educator may be residing. In order to ensure children’s safety, the approved provider has a responsibility to ensure family members are deemed fit to be in the company of children.

Policy
At FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, we are committed to ensuring the health and safety of children. We make all attempts to ensure educators, assistants, employees and people residing at educator’s homes are fit and proper to be in the company of children. We achieve this by, screening and ensuring those who are working or residing with children obtain the required clearances prior to the commencement of care and education to children. We also require educators to alert us to any changes within the residence and undertake regular checks of each educator’s home.

Approved provider or Nominated Supervisor is responsible for the assessment of Family Day Care educators, Family Day Care educator assistants and persons residing at Family Day Care residences. And the assessment will take place annually and /or in case of an incident or accident, any new person begins residing at the family day care residence or venue

PROCEDURES
Approved providers or nominated supervisors are responsible for:

• Assessing the suitability of educators, educator assistants and persons residing at the family day care residence upon commencement and annually (within 4 weeks of anniversary date) to determine fit and proper in accordance with Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 r.163
• Ensuring the educator has or is actively working toward a minimum Certificate III level in Early Childhood Education and Care recognised qualification
• Checking qualifications and certifications meet the ACECQA approved qualifications list
• Ensuring the educator, educator assistants, residents over 18 years hold a current Working with Children Check (WWC) or Victorian Institute Teachers (VIT) registration and sign in agreement to ‘Code of conduct policy and procedures
• Ensuring the educator is at least 18 years of age
• Ensuring the educator assistants are at least 18 years of age
• In accordance with ‘Maintaining a register of family day care and assistants all educators, educator assistants and residents over 18 years will be included in the register in accordance with Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 r.153
• Assistants not meeting the Fit and Proper Assessment will NOT be approved for engagement to carry out the care and education of children in accordance ’Providing a child safe environment policy and procedures
• Coordinating educational leader/family day care coordinator as delegate, to visit to each educator’s home within one month of commencement for support and suitability – (check for new or changed residents at each visit)
• Implementing the grievance procedure or taking disciplinary action in the event of a breach to the ‘Code of conduct policy and procedures or policies related to children’s safety
• Ensuring the educator and educator assistant hold a current first aid certificate, anaphylaxis and asthma training
• Requiring residents over 18 years attend one information session per annum – a database of residents over 18 years will be maintained by the approved provider – for access to delegates
• Ensuring that educators are informed of their obligation to notify the approved provider if any person aged over 18 years (includes those turning 18 years) is residing in the family day care home are determined ‘Fit and Proper’ Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 r.163
• Re-allocating children if a person or persons residing at the family day care residence, over 18 years of age does NOT meet the fit and proper (initial assessment or re-assessment) after which time a full
• safety check will be conducted in accordance with ‘Providing a child safe environment policy and procedures – children may be allocated elsewhere and the educator’s contractual arrangement may be terminated whilst the unfit person remains a resident

Educators, educator assistants and persons residing at the family day care residence are responsible for:

• Holding appropriate qualifications (educators) – Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care – or actively working towards
• Holding current accreditations and certifications including Asthma, Anaphylaxis
• Holding a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) or Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registration
• Ensuring residents over 18 years of age to hold a current Working with Children Check (WWC) or Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registration
• Residents aged over 18 years are required to attend an information session ‘Residing In A Home That is a Licensed Education and Care Service’ annually
• Advising the approved provider of any persons aged over 18 years that are currently (or commenced-including turning 18 years) residing at the family day care residence
• Ensuring residents or house guests over 18 years are determined ‘Fit and Proper’
• Holding current insurance of Public Liability – minimum $10 million
• Providing proof of insurance upon request of the authorised officer or the approved provider
• A record of all visitors to the family day care residence or venue is kept, the record must include the signature of the visitor ,time in and out of the visit.
• Ensure that the children are not left alone with the visitors at any time.

NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK

Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011	National Quality Area	National Quality Standard
169(2)e	4	4.1.1
	7	7.1.5, 7.3.1, 7.3.5

RELATED LEGISLATION

• Children’s Health and Wellbeing Act 2009
• Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005
• Children, Youth and Families Act 2005
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992
• Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)
• Fair Work Act 2009
• Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986 (Cwlth)
• Information Privacy Act 2000
• Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
• Privacy Act 2000 (Vic.)
• Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cwlth)
• Working with Children Act 2005

RELATED POLICIES

• Code of conduct Policy and Procedures V3.2016
• Complaints and Grievances Policy and Procedures V3.2016
• Confidentiality Policy and Procedures V3.2016
• Engagement or Registration of Family day care Educators Policy and Procedures V3.2016
• Interactions with Children Policy and Procedures V3.2016
• Maintaining a Register of Family day care Educators and Assistants Policy and Procedures V3.2016
• Mentor, Support and Supervise Educators and Assistants Policy and Procedures V3.2016
• Participation of Volunteers and Students Policy and Procedures V3.2016
• Providing a child safe environment policy and procedures V3.2016
• Visitors to Family day care Residences Policy and Procedures V3.2016

References and resources

• Department of Education and Training
• Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)
• Belonging, Being & Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia
• My Time, Our Place – Framework for school age care in Australia
• Early Childhood Australia – Code of Ethics
• Early Childhood Australia
• Criminal History Requirements: Family day care
• Guide for Family Day Care Educators
• Delivering children’s programs in a family day care service
• DEECD Emergency Management Guidelines
• Protecting the Safety and Wellbeing of Children and Young People
• Children’s Wellbeing Act 2005.

REVIEW

POLICY REVIEWED	July 2018	NEXT REVIEW DATE	July 2019
MODIFICATIONS	Policy created for First Idea Family Day Care Services, inclusive of changes to the National Quality Standards and Education and Care National Regulations