Pets and other animal policy

Purpose
To provide clear procedures to successfully include animals in FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, managed family day care homes/venues, with no comprise to the children’s health and safety.

Scope
These guidelines will apply to the Approved provider, nominated supervisor, educational leader, supervisors, educators, staff, students on placement, volunteers, parents/guardian, children and others attending the service.

Policy
We at FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, acknowledge the importance of keeping children safe at all times. While pets and other animals can prove an effective inclusion into the child’s experiences in learning environment, they are also a risk to children, so we ensure the children are safe at all times.

Procedures
Approved provider will

• Monitor the compliance of the policy and help the educators to minimize the risk through risk minimization strategies
• Inform educators and parents on the health and safety practices for pets and other animals

Educators will:

• Ensure all animals and pets are isolated from the children at all times
• There has to be an area to isolate the animals from children with a fence 1.2 meters high and restrict penetration from children’s fingers
• Birds should be in an inaccessible enclosure, reptiles should be inaccessible in a locked enclosure
• Inform families of what animals are kept on the premises at the interview. Families are to be informed of what measures have been taken to keep the animals and pets inaccessible to children, and it should be documented on the parent/Educator agreement form
• Inform the approved provider and families immediately of any new animals on the premises
• Report to the approved provider and the family if any injuries caused by the animal or the pet
• Report of any animals or pets that have shown any forms of aggression towards any stakeholders must be permanently isolated and inaccessible to children
• Ensure children are educated about correct handling techniques and acceptable behaviour when handling animal /pet
• Ensure the animals or pets are kept clean, well-cared for and in a healthy condition and do not have any diseases that can be transmitted to children
• Ensure animals or pets are vaccinated as required
• Animal or pet that are sick must be treated by a VET
• A risk assessment should be done in order to let children handle the pets or animals
• Any belongings of the pets or animals must be kept inaccessible to children
• In case of fish tank, ensure it is cleaned regularly, and covered with safety glass

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