Information, Assistance and training to family day care educators

Purpose
To ensure that the FDC Educators are continually updating their skills and knowledge relating to early childhood development and the Family Day Care industry.

Statement
At FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, we are committed to providing educators with the support, training and information that will enable them to achieve sound professional practices, and a commitment to continual improvement.

We aim to achieve this by:

• committing each educator to a minimum of four training and/or professional development sessions per annum
• conducting regular site visits, monthly once at least.
• undertaking regular contact via telephone
• scheduling monthly compulsory educator meetings
• utilising electronic communication where possible to ensure educators feel connected to the scheme and their peers
• requiring educators to maintain a minimum of 4 subscriptions to early childhood or educational and learning agencies and/or peak bodies (i.e. Early Childhood Australia, ACECQA, FKA)
• Implement monthly topic s for discussion at educator meetings
• produce quarterly newsletters that address issues, provide information and recommendations Providing materials and resources for National Quality Framework (NQF) in soft copy (email, Facebook etc) including, but not limited to:
  1. Policies and procedures
  2. National Quality Framework
  3. Templates for menu
  4. Templates for program
  5. Template for attendance register
  6. Template for visitors register
  7. Template for incident, accident and illness record
  8. Template for Nominated Supervisor (on duty)
  9. Arranging for training to be offered to educators (minimum of 6 per annum)
  10. Promoting the benefits of ongoing professional development through newsletters and other means of communication i.e. Email

Guidelines to be followed

• The educators will be emailed related information to the industry, which they have to print, read, write their comprehension on a paper, date it, sign and file it. During the next home visit, it is the educator’s responsibility to discuss about it and get the supervisor to sign on it with the date.
• The educators must attend a professional development every term, 4 professional development sessions in total per financial year. And it is compulsory to attend the sessions, in addition to certain topics which are compulsory to attend such as child protection, manual handling, food handling.
• Attendance at other training venues will be credited towards their professional development at the Nominated supervisor’s approval.

Induction

• To successfully complete their orientation training, prospective FDC Educators must attend a two-day orientation program,
• The induction process will be carried out by the Approved Provider/Nominated supervisor
• One play group session organised by FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, SERVICES which the prospective FDC educator has to attend
• Hold a current first aid certificate, anaphylaxis certificate and asthma certificate
• Hold a completed ECEC qualification/working towards a ECEC qualification
• Hold WWCC, police check, medical reference form filled and signed by the GP.

The topics covered in the orientation program

• The policies and Procedures of FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES,
• National Quality Frameworks
• Public liability insurance
• home visits
• Safety
• Health and Hygiene
• Support available
• Placements of children
• Behaviour guidance
• Planning the day
• Nutrition and Physical activity
• Child protection
• Manual Handling
• Car restraint checks
• Toy list
• Professional development

Procedures
Approved providers and delegates are responsible for:

• Inducting new educators in conjunction with ‘Engagement or registration of family day care educator’s policy and procedures
• Maintaining a register of professional development of educators and educator assistants – accessible to approved provider and delegates
• Maintaining a register of expiry dates of certifications (First Aid, CPR, Anaphylaxis, Asthma and Food Safety) to ensure compliance – accessible to approved provider and delegates
• Communicating with educators utilising electronic methods, including emails, Skype and social media, to include and support educators – updates relating to child development and operating and education and care service will be circulated to educators
• Coordinating visits to educator’s home every 4 weeks – to be conducted by the approved provider or their delegate – (director/nominated supervisor/ coordinator/educational leader)
• Ensuring educators receive a telephone call every 4 weeks
• Planning, inviting and delivering monthly meetings for educators (remote educators will be included by implementing conference calling abilities such as Skype)
• Ensuring educators understand the requirement to attend a minimum of 4 educator meetings per annum
• Sharing information via newsletters in relation to:
  1. child development
  2. education and care services
  3. families
  4. issues relating to caring for children, including schooling child rearing practices and recommendation.
• Provide the soft copies of the current resources and NQF materials through emails

Links to legislation and policies
NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK

Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010	Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011	National Quality Area	National Quality Standard Element
161-175	169(2)(g)	4	4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3
		7	7.1.2, 7.1.4, 7.2.2, 7.2.3, 7.3.5

RELATED LEGISLATION

• Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)
• Fair Work Act 2009
• Working with Children Act 2005
• Education and Care national law and regulations.

References and resources

• Department of Education and Training
• Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)
• Early Childhood Australia – Code of Ethics
• Early Childhood Australia
• Criminal History Requirements: Family day care
• Guide for Family Day Care Educators
• DEECD Emergency Management Guidelines

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