Recruitment of Family Day Care educator, selection, orientation

Purpose
To provide clear guidelines to the prospective educators to understand the process of recruitment to become a FDC educator under FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, SERVICES

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.

Objectives
To give clear understanding to the applicants or to be educator about our selection method

To give them a clear idea about the requirements to be an educator with FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES,

To attract suitably qualified FDC Educators from culturally diverse backgrounds that reflect the families of the local community

Guidelines to be followed
Recruitment
All applicants have an equal opportunity and participate in a consistent recruitment process after their application to register as a FDC educator with FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES,

Co-ordination unit staff will ascertain the areas where there is a need for more FDC Educators to meet families ‘demand

After we get the application we would organise for a presentation which outline all the necessary requirements both prior to the registration and for on-going registration. Application forms will be given to the interested candidates after the presentation only.

Applicants are advised that all stages of the registration process must be met at a satisfactory level before the applicant can be registered with FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, as a self-employed educator.

Selection

  • Prospective FDC Educators who have completed an application form and returned to the
  • FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, office by the due date will be invited to the group discussion based on the demand for FDC educators in that particular time and area.
  • After the group discussion, individual interviews will be conducted.
  • The reference checks will be done for the short-listed applicants.
  • Letters to the successful candidates will be sent outlining the next step orientation program and buddy program for the successful applicant with one of our existing educator.
  • Letters to the unsuccessful educators will be sent

Orientation

  • To successfully complete their orientation training, prospective FDC Educators must
  • Attend a two-day orientation
  • One play group session organised by FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, SERVICES
  • Hold a current first aid certificate, anaphylaxis certificate and asthma certificate
  • Hold a completed 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

Other requirements prior to registration

  • Successfully meeting all safety check standards
  • Signing that all policies have been received, read and understood
  • Doctor’s report states that applicant is fit to work with children.
  • Both the copies of the agreement between FDC Educator and FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES, is signed (1 copy is retained by FIRST IDEA FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICES,)
  • Commercial public liability insurance is arranged
  • Hold a satisfactory police check
  • Educator/Educator assistant/any one residing at FDC Educator’s home who is 18 years or above must have the Working with children check card. The original should be given for sighting purposes.
  • Once all requirements have been met, a registration certificate will then be issued to the new FDC Educator which will be valid until registration in August each year.

Introduction

Family day care differs from center-based care in that educators are alone for long periods without consistent role modelling and/or peer-to-peer conversations. Educators rely heavily on the approved provider for support, networking and professional role modelling including information provision and professional conversations.

Family day care educators require a targeted approach, including engagement strategies to ensure they are receptive to information, participate in training, and seek out assistance required to develop their professional practice.

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
  • 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

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

168, 169

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

  • 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
  • Family Assistance Act 1999
  • Family Law Act 1995Food Act 1984
  • Public Health and Well Being Act 2008
  • Health and Safety Act 2004
  • Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)
  • Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 2001
  • 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

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
  • DET Emergency Management Guidelines
  • Protecting the Safety and Wellbeing of Children and Young People


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
  • Providing materials and resources for National Quality Framework (NQF) in soft copy (email, Facebook etc) including, but not limited to:
    • Policies and procedures
    • National Quality Framework
    • Templates for menu
    • Templates for program
    • Template for attendance register
    • Template for visitors register
    • Template for incident, accident and illness record
    • Template for Nominated Supervisor (on duty)
    • Arranging for training to be offered to educators (minimum of 6 per annum)
    • Promoting the benefits of ongoing professional development through newsletters and other means of communication i.e. Email
  • Sharing information via newsletters in relation to:
  • child development
  • education and care services
  • families
  • issues relating to caring for children, including schooling child rearing practices and recommendation.

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

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