LCOOS policies
PHILOSOPHY
Lane Cove Out of School Hours Inc (LCOOS) is a community based non - profit organisation operating outside of Government School hours. LCOOS operates two Centre’s – Longueville Road and Lane Cove Public School (LCPS). We aim to meet the needs of school aged children within the local community.
We believe that the children of parents/guardians who have work, study or other commitments should be afforded every opportunity to be cared for in a relaxed, safe and secure environment with a friendly, fun and enjoyable atmosphere. LCOOS educators aim to work with children during their development and learning process.
We encourage variety and choice to foster individual and group interests, needs and wants to build on skills, talents and abilities in all children.
Educators collaborate with children to provide active play, structured activities, and spontaneous leisure opportunities that are meaningful to children and support their well-being, self-esteem, confidence, learning and development.
We aim to work with children while they construct their own identities and understanding of their world. We emphasis the importance of diversity and support each child’s values, family ideals, beliefs, religion, gender and cultural background in a non-judgmental environment
Furthermore we believe in creating strong relationships and promoting respect for all things and people. LCOOS support parents and families during their child’s development, in an environment aiming to promote a sense of belonging, being and becoming by following these policies and guidelines which we have set out in this document.
Happy educators = happy centre = happy children = happy parents
CHILDREN
We believe every child is an individual and the identity and independence of a child is crucial to his/her overall development. We believe in extending and enriching the well-being and development of children at LCOOS. We foster this by ensuring each child:
1: Has a strong sense of identity
2: Is connected with and contributes to their world
3: Has a strong sense of wellbeing
4: Is confident and is an involved learner
5: Is an effective communicator.
We believe every child is unique in his/her understanding of the environment and in this belief he/she deserves respect and consideration. We also believe that children can learn to value themselves and make healthy choices
Each child has the right to be cared for in a safe, secure, happy and relaxed environment. We offer this emotional freedom by providing warm, meaningful interactions and relationships with the children
We respect the diversity of our families and communities, whether it be cultural, religious or perspective. We encourage each child’s diversity by upholding each child’s right to have their culture, identity, abilities and strengths acknowledged and valued.
We believe that open communication among educators, families and children is the basis of establishing trusting relationships.
We encourage co-operation and collaboration in; expressions of feelings, negotiation, conflict resolution, problem solving and strategies as part of the program with the children.
FAMILIES
We believe that collaborative relationships with families are crucial to achieving quality outcomes for children. We base our partnerships with families on communication, consultation and collaboration.
We aim to provide a respectful and supportive environment where everyone feels welcomed and valued. We respect parents’ individual views, values and beliefs about childrearing. Parents are encouraged to be involved in issues that relate to them and their child’s learning and wellbeing, through participation and discussion about all issues relevant to the running of LCOOS.
Educators aim to develop positive relationships with parents based on mutual trust and open communication. We aim to provide clear channels of communication through regular newsletters, notices, suggestion box, word of mouth, and parent /management meetings.
MANAGEMENT
We focus on effective leadership and management of LCOOS in order to provide quality environments for children’s learning and development by ensuring we operate
according to the legal requirements of a managing body. The Parent Management Committee will ensure that decisions are made in a proper way, according to the LCOOS constitution and in the best interests of the service.
We believe that effective leadership promotes a positive organisational culture.
EDUCATORS
We believe that our Educators are the most valuable asset to the quality of LCOOS. Each educator aims to develop respectful and friendly relationships with each child in attendance. We also aim to create safe and educational environments and to encourage children’s active engagement in our program. Our educators are responsive to each child’s strengths, abilities and interests and look to build on their skills to ensure each child’s wellbeing, motivation and engagement in the program. Our educators work collaboratively, sharing our expertise in chosen areas of OOSH care and education.
We believe in continuous training to keep all our educators consistent, committed and educated in the out of school hour’s field.
COMMUNITY
We aim to uphold the values held by the various cultures within our community and to foster understanding amongst our children of their friends' beliefs.
LCOOS collaborates with other organisations to ensure we provide a service which enhances children’s learning and wellbeing.
We also believe that the children should feel part of the community in which they live in or go to school in. We aim to encourage their involvement in the wider community. As part of this, we aim to develop and maintain links, share information and work in collaboration with other relevant community organisations.
LCOOS is open during the day for parental visits in which we welcome parents to take the opportunity to be involved in the activities of LCOOS and to offer their individual skills to enhance our understanding of their families.
LCOOS will work to accommodate families with children with special needs to the best of our abilities and with the facilities we have. We encourage attendance at LCOOS of those from a non-English speaking background and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Descent. We endeavor to provide a supportive, stimulating and accepting environment.
The CHILDREN’s PROGRAM
We aim to develop and implement a balanced program that is stimulating, interesting and exciting which allows for children to play, explore, develop new skills and is appropriate to the development and leisure needs of all children. One of the primary objectives of this program is to support the natural play that children initiate and engage in spontaneously. We aim through our program to enhance each child’s learning and development.
Our program nurtures the development of life skills and complements children’s experiences, opportunities and relationships at school, at home and in the community.
Contents
A-1: Hours of Operation.
A-2: Service Access.
A-3: Enrollment and Orientation
A-4: Fees.
A-5: Dropping off and Picking up.
A-6: Absent and Missing Children.
A-7: Maintenance of Records/ Confidentiality.
A-8: Policy Development and Review.
A-9: Participation and Access.
A-10: Complaints Procedures.
A-11: Roles of Management.
A-12: Financial Management.
A-13: Acceptance and Refusal of Authorisations
A-14: National Quality Framework
A-15: Child Safe
Endorsed Date:
Date for Review:
Signed:
Tim Dinning
President Parent Management Committee
A-1 Hours of Operation
POLICY STATEMENT
We aim to meet the needs of parents in our local community who either work, study or have other commitments, by operating for days and hours that allow them to reasonably get to and from work or pace of study.offering childcare outside of school hours.
CONSIDERATIONS
National Regulations, 157
NQFNational Quality Framework – Q.A6.1.3 Current Information about the service is available to families
Funding agreement.
Dropping Off and Picking Up Policy (A-5)
PROCEDURE
-LCOOS will operate and provide its program during Government School Terms.
The days of operation shall beare Monday through Friday.
The hours of operation shall beare 7.15am through to 9.00am for the Before School Care Program and 3.00pm through 6.00pm for the After School Care Program, or as agreed by the Parent Management Committee.
The Before School Care program is provided at the Longueville Road Centre.
The After School Care program is provided at both the Longueville Road (junior site) and LCPS (senior site)Centrescentres.
-LCOOS will operate and provide its program during Government School Holiday Periods.
The days of operation shall beare Monday through Friday.
The hours of operation shall beare 7.15am through 6.00pm or as agreed by the Parent Management Committee.
The Vacation Care program is provided at the Longueville Road Centre only.
The Parent Management Committee reserves the right to close LCOOS on days where enrolled numbers are deemed insufficient to offer care.
-LCOOS will also open on designated Government School Pupil Free Days, where Industrial Policy has necessitated strike action,where supervision at the school will not be provided. and will run on days where Industrial Policy has necessitated strike action with no supervision provided at school. The program will be run at the Longueville Road Centre. The hours of operation on these days shall will be 7.15am through 6.00pm, or as agreed by the Parent Management Committee. Again, should numbers be insufficient, the Committee reserves its the right to close the cCentre.
-Lane Cove Out of School Care only offers before & after school care to Lane Cove Public School students only to attend. During Vacation carecasual bookings may be accepted for non Lane Cove Public School studentsnot in advance, only once LCPS families have been given time to confirm their place.once Lane Cove Public school families have been given the opportunity to confirm their requests for care.
-Hours of operation will be sufficiently displayed on the door of both Care Facilitieat the sign in/out areas of the centre, on the centers website,s as well as distributed to parents via our family policy booklet.
-LCOOS will be closed on designated Public Holidays and from Christmas Eveto early New Year
-Families will be notified of centre closure through the website and signage. The centre will allow families ample time to allow for alternative arrangements by notifying of closure well in advance.Parents will be notified as to days of closure through our website and notice board. This notification shall fall within a time frame that allows for alternative arrangements to be made on the parent’s part.
-No children are to be left unattended at LCOOS outside of normal operating hours.
-Please refer to the Dropping Off and Picking Up Policy (A-5) for more information regarding LCOOS’s stance on these procedures.
SIGNED ______
DATE ENDORSED: March 2014
DATE FOR REVIEW AND EVALUATION: March 2015
A-2 Service Access
POLICY STATEMENT
We aim to provide placesa place at the centre for school aged children needing care during their time out of school hours. We will not discriminate against any families needing requesting care. However, To determine care, LCOOS uses a priority of access will bewhich is determined by the Government guidelines.and placement on the waiting list.The centre also uses a waiting list system when places are not readily available.
CONSIDERATIONS
‘Priority of access’ guidelines from Funding Bodies.
PROCEDURE
-LCOOS will be available for children who currently attend LCPS orLCPS or enrolled to commence school in the new school year. In this case children are able to attend the January Vacation Care Program before school commences.
-LCOOS will stop taking applications for new enrolments in November (date advised on waiting list form)for the following year. After this date, applications will only be considered once all the previous applications prior to the cutoff date have been allocated places.Note: Consideration to the priority of access does apply
-No one will be discriminated against on the basis of his or her cultural background, religion, sex, disability, marital status or income.
-LCOOS will try to meet any specific needs of the families in the local community. Priority will be given to students attending LCPS.
-LCOOS will ensure that access to children and families with special needs is met; to the extent we are able.
-A waiting list will be developed and updated regularly which identifies their priority status (see below), date placed on list and required days of care.
Our service accepts enrolments of children who attend primary school.
Enrolments will be accepted providing:
-The maximum daily attendance does not exceed the approved number of places of the service.
-A vacancy is available. (Please see Priority of Access Guidelines below.)
Priority of Access Guidelines:
The guidelines only apply to approved child care services..
Children who are enrolled at the service or whose families are seeking a place at the service will be given Priority of Access in accordance with the guidelines that have been established by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
Below are the Priority of Access levels which the Service must follow when filling vacancies:.
- A child at risk of serious abuse of neglect.
- 2. A child of a single parent/guardian who satisfies, or of parents/guardians who both satisfy the work/training/study test under Section 14 of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999.
- Any other child.
Within these three categories priority is also given to the following children:
- Children in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.
- Children in families which include a disabled person.
- Children in families on low income (refer for current income threshold).
- Children in families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- Children in socially isolated families.
- Children of single parents/guardian.
Upon enrolment, families will be notified of their priority and advised that if the service has no vacancies and their child’s position is a priority 3 under the Priority of Access Guidelines, it may be required that their child leave or reduce their days in order to make a place for a higher priority child.
Outside school hours care is primarily for school children. Our service may ask a child not yet in school to leave if a child who is in school applies for a place. – might want to check that this is correct. I don’t think we have ever done this but not sure if it is a requirnement for this to be in our policies.
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-Parents will be asked in their waiting list application to indicate whether their child/ren fall into any of the above categories.
If a child falls into a number of these categories and the Director feels that there is a strong case for them to move up the waiting list, he/she can make a case to the Parent Management Committee.
-Parents are able to access their status on the waiting list on upon request
A-3 Enrollment and Orientation
POLICY STATEMENT
We aim to provide an efficient enrollment procedure that is clear and understandable to all our families.in the local community. We will ensure the confidentiality of our familiesthrough provision of secure recording and storing procedures.
CONSIDERATIONS
Work Health and Safety Act 2011
Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011
Child and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
National Quality Standard
A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999
My Time, Our Place Framework for School Age Care
Service Access Policy (A-2)
Public Health Amendment (Vaccination of Children Attending Child Care Facilities) Bill 2013
Public Health Act 2010
Public Health Regulation 2012
PROCEDURE
-An enrollment form must be fully completed for each family before the child can attend LCOOS.
-LCOOS will be prohibited from enrolling a child unless they have documented from the childs parents showing that either:
*the child is fully vaccinated for the age (supply history statement); or
*the child is on a recognized vaccination catch up schedule (supply evidence); or
*the child has medical contraindication to vaccination (supply evidence); or
*the parent has a conscientious objection to vaccination (supply evidence)
-The Director is to go through the form with the parents prior to starting care to ensure all the details have been completed.
-When a parent is having difficulty in completing the form due to language barriers, an enrollment interview should be conducted and if necessary organised with an interpreter in thewho speaks the parent's first language.
-The enrollment form must contain all relevant details relating to personal, medical and custodial details for each child, parent or guardian and emergency contacts along with any special requirements relating to that child and all required authorisations.
-If a child is subject to an access order or agreement, the service must have a copy on record plus any subsequent alteration registered by the court.
-Evidence of court orders or agreements will be considered part of the enrollment in order to minimise the likelihood of distressing situations occurring in the future.
-All centre enrollment forms are to beeither kept in a locked file or online in a password secure file.and Forms are kept confidential from all but theand are only available to the approved persons who enrolled the child, relevant Educators, management and Commonwealth and /or State Department Officers.
-The Enrollment form is to be updated yearly or when there are changes to the family's circumstances.
-Parents will be advised that it is their responsibility to notify Educators of any changes to their current details on enrollment and through the family policy booklet.
-Depending on availability of care, children may be enrolled at any time throughout the year.
-Parents may also place their child on the waiting list for the current or upcoming year if they do not require care immediately. Booking for the upcoming year will only be taken from January in the current year. Care will be determined by according to our Service Access Policy (A-2).
-The Director will organise and conduct an orientation evening for new families prior to the start of the new school year.