ORIENTATION OF FAMILIES
Enrolment and orientation to any Early Education and Care Service is an exciting and sometimes, an emotional time for children and families. It is important to manage this time with sensitivity and support, building partnerships between families and the Service and importantly, trust with the child. Such partnerships enable the Service and families to work toward the common goal of promoting consistent quality outcomes for individual children and the Service.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
| QUALITY AREA 6: COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS | ||
| 6.1 | Supportive relationships with families | Respectful relationships with families are developed and maintained and families are supported in their parenting role. |
| 6.1.1 | Engagement with the service | Families are supported from enrolment to be involved in their service and contribute to service decisions. |
| 6.1.2 | Parent views are respected | The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing. |
| 6.1.3 | Families are supported | Current information is available to families about the service and relevant community services and resources to support parenting and family wellbeing. |
| 6.2 | Collaborative partnerships | Collaborative partnerships enhance children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing. |
| 6.2.3 | Community and engagement | The service builds relationships and engages with its community. |
| EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS | |
| 160 | Child enrolment records to be kept by approved provider and family day care educator |
| 161 | Authorisations to be kept in enrolment record |
| 162 | Health information to be kept in enrolment record |
| 177 | Prescribed enrolment and other documents to be kept by approved provider |
| 181 | Confidentiality of records kept by approved provider |
| 183 | Storage of records and other documents |
RELATED POLICIES
| Administration of Medication Policy Anaphylaxis Management Policy Asthma Management Policy Child Safe Environment Policy Code of Conduct Policy | Delivery of Children to, and Collection from EEC Service Premises Policy Enrolment Policy Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy Payment of Fees Policy Privacy and Confidentiality Policy Sick Children Policy |
PURPOSE
We aim to ensure children and families are provided with an orientation procedure that allows the family to transition into the Service positively and well-informed, meeting the children and families’ individual needs. We strive to establish respectful and supportive relationships between families and the Service to promote positive outcomes for children whilst adhering to legislative requirements.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Orientation is an important process for children, families and educators to gain vital information about the individual child’s needs, interests and strengths. To enable children to feel safe and secure, and to set the foundations for a trusting partnership, we feel that it is necessary for the family to attend an orientation visit. This visit, or visits,assist the child to adjust to a new setting and helps to make the transition from home to the Service a smooth and positive experience.
During orientation, educators will discuss the following in order to gain a better understanding in supporting the family:
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THE APPROVED PROVIDER/NOMINATED SUPERVISOR/MANAGEMENT WILL ENSURE:
EDUCATORS WILL:
DURING THE ORIENTATION OF THE SERVICE, FAMILIES WILL BE:
- provided with the Service enrolment form to be completed (assistance to complete this form is available if required)
- provided with an outline of the Service policies, which will include payment of fees, sun safety, incident, injury, trauma and illness and medical authorisation.
- provided with aFamily Handbook
- asked to provide their child’s immunisation history statement when enrolling their child- Australian Childhood Immunisation Register
- shown the signing in/out process
- provided with information about the software app our Service uses for CCS, communication with parents- StoryPark
ROOM TRANSITION- Moving up and moving on
When children transition to a new age group or room at the end of the year, our Service ensures we provide information to parents and families and opportunities for the child to become orientated to their new educators, environments and peers towards the end of the year.
We encourage parents and families to ask questions to support their child’s transition and overcome any potential anxiety.
- Children will only be transitioned when they are ready in all aspects of their development and in accordance with their age
- Room transitions will occur when there is a vacant position for the child
- Management will consult with families when a child is transitioning to the next room, discussing their expectations and requirement to ensure the child settles into their new environment.
- Management and educators aim to ensure the transition between rooms is positive and smooth, communicating with families about how the transition is progressing.
- Management will invite families to information evenings/sessions to discuss room transitions at key times in the year.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW UP
Once the child has attended the Service for a few days, educators will ensure they:
- speak directly with the family to ask how their child and the family has settled into the routine of childcare
- welcome any questions or concerns the family may have
- provide information to the family of how their child has settled in these early days (interests, friends, songs they like to sing, craft activities etc.)
- request families to offer suggestions of how the Service could improve the orientation process (provide families with an Orientation Survey to complete).
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT/REFLECTION
Our Orientation of Families Policy will be reviewed on an annual basis in consultation with children, families, staff, educators and management.
SOURCES
Australia Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2014).
Australian Government Department of Education. (2009). Belonging, Being & Becoming: The early years learning framework for Australia.
Education and Care Services National Regulations. (2018)
Guide to the National Quality Framework. (2017). (Amended 2020).
Revised National Quality Standard (2018).
The Australian parenting website Raising children
Western Australian Education and Care Services National Regulations
REVIEW
| POLICY REVIEWED | NOVEMBER 2022 | NEXT REVIEW DATE | NOVEMBER 2023 | |
| MODIFICATIONS | Annual policy maintenance minor formatting edits within texthyperlinks checked and repaired as requiredcontinuous improvement/reflection section addedlink to Western Australian Education and Care Services National Regulations added in ‘Sources’Removed Orientation Survey from Appendix | |||
| POLICY REVIEWED | PREVIOUS MODIFICATIONS | NEXT REVIEW DATE | ||
| NOVEMBER 2021 | Policy reviewed- no major changessources checked for currency | NOVEMBER 2022 | ||
| NOVEMBER 2020 | small edits within policyadditional information related to transitioning to a new room addedOrientation Survey added to policy as Appendix | NOVEMBER 2021 | ||