📒Supervision Policy (QA2) (video needed)

National Quality Standard (NQS) - Quality Area 2: Children's Health and Safety

Implementation

Management will ensure:

•  That the premises and facilities are designed and maintained to facilitate the supervision of children at all times while maintaining the rights and dignity of all children. 
• That the age and supervision requirements for Educators are maintained at all times. 
• Regulatory Authorities are notified of any serious incident, within 24hours of the incident or the time that the person becomes aware of the incident. 
• Educators under eighteen years of age may work at a Centre-based Service provided they are adequately supervised by an educator over the age of 18 at all times and are not left alone. 
• Minimum Educator qualification requirements are recognised under the National Quality Framework. 
•  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 above table contains educator to child ratio requirements for Centre-based services in VIC

 For ratio requirements in all states see the Information Sheet provided by ACECQA - http://www.acecqa.gov.au/Improved-educator-to-child-ratios

Management and/or the Nominated Supervisor will:

• Ensure that all Educators are aware of the children and their environment.
• Ensure Educators avoid activities or actions that will distract them from supervision, such as speaking to other Educators for long periods of time, taking personal phone calls, checking mobile phone or administrative tasks. 
• Ensure Educators are aware if they need to move away, another Educator is to replace them. 
• Educators are positioned allowing them to watch the maximum area possible. 
• Ensure Educators move around the environment to ensure the best view of the area and to avoid standing with their back to the children or talking with other Educators.
• 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 and on excursions.
• Develop, maintain and regularly review a supervision plan and strategies for both the indoor and outdoor areas, which will support Educators to position themselves effectively to allow them to observe the maximum area possible.  
• Assess and plan ongoing supervision taking into consideration the layout of the premises and grounds, any higher risk activities, the presence of any animals, the location of activities and the location of the bathroom and nappy change facilities. The supervision plan and strategies will be displayed for families in all rooms and in the outdoor area.
• Adopt accepted best practice - ensuring no staff member is left alone with a child to support child protection protocols.
• Ensure that a Risk Assessment & 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. Also, details of the incident/situation are recorded on the Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record
• Ensure that if the incident, situation or event presents an imminent or severe risk to the health, safety and 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.

Educators will:

• Have a sound understanding of their duty of care and responsibilities in ensuring children are within a safe environment. 
• Collaborate a supervision plan and strategies for both the indoor and outdoor environment, assisting educators to position themselves effectively in order to effectively supervise children’s play. The supervision plan will include the floor plan of the Service And include the location of activities, bathroom, and nappy change facilities. 
• Inform new and relief educators about supervision arrangements, outlining their supervision responsibilities. 
• Regularly evaluate the efficiency of the supervision plan.
• Ensure any educators under the age of 18 years old are never left alone with children.
• Certify that at least two educators are within vision when working with children and when supporting children with toileting/hygiene routines. 
• Arrange the education and care environment to maximise the ability of educators to supervise all areas accessible to children. Precise emphasis will be on gates, the fence line and doors during arrival and departure times.
• Communicate with each other about their location within the environment.
• Maintain correct ratios adhering to the National Education Regulations throughout the education and care environment. 
• Ensure that all children are in sight or hearing of educators at all times. 
• Ensure that no child will be 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.
• Certify that interactions with children are meaningful and respectful. 
• Encourage children’s individuality whilst respecting their strengths and needs.
• Scan the environment during interacting with individuals or small groups. 
• Implement reliable supervision strategies and not perform other duties while responsible for the supervision of children.
• Listen closely to children whilst supervising areas that may not be in a direct line of sight.
• Scan and look around the area to observe all the children in the vicinity.
• There is a mixture of activities to allow for appropriate supervision. 

 Consideration will be given to the design and arrangement of children’s environments to support active supervision by:

• Using supervision skills to recognise areas of risk, therefore, reducing the potential for injury or incident to children and adults.
• Guiding Educators to make decisions about when children’s play needs to be interrupted and redirected.
• Supporting Educators with specific strategies.
• Providing consistent supervision strategies when the Service Requires relief Educators.
• Providing direct, constant and proximal monitoring to children undertaking activities that involve some risk and recognising when the ratio of educators to children needs to be increased.

ACECQA evidence. https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-04/QA2-ActiveSupervisionEnsuringSafetyAndPromotingLearning_1.pdf