Early Learning Centre Child-Safe Envirnment Plicy Natinal Quality Standard Related Standards/Regulatins Standard 2.2 Safety Element 2.2.1 Supervisin: At all times, reasnable precautins and adequate supervisin ensure children are prtected frm harm and hazard. Standard 3.1 Design Element 3.1.1 Fit fr purpse: Outdr and indr spaces, buildings, fixtures and fittings are suitable fr their purpse, including supprting the access f every child. Element 3.1.2 Upkeep: Premises furniture and equipment are safe, clean and well maintained. Regulatin 82 Tbacc, drug and alchl-free envirnment Regulatin 84 Awareness f child prtectin law Regulatin 103 Premises, furniture and equipment t be safe, clean and in gd repair Regulatin 123 Educatr t child ratis centre-based services Regulatin 136 First aid qualificatins Regulatin 137 Apprval f qualificatins Regulatin 168 Educatin and care services must have plicies and prcedures Aim: T ensure there are n envirnmental hazards in the ELC and prevent accident and injury t all children, staff and any thers wh may be n the grunds f the ELC. NOTE: This plicy is linked t and supprted by ther plicies listed at the end f this dcument. Explanatin: The health and safety f children is central t their verall grwth and develpment. As such, plicies and prcedures must be in place t ensure a high standard f safety and security in the ELC. Early identificatin f any ptential hazards will minimize accidents and injuries, cntributing t a child-safe envirnment. Practice: General Safety All areas f the ELC and its grunds will be cleaned and maintained in a timely manner. Where apprpriate, pathways, flr spaces and strerms will be kept clear and safe frm tripping hazards. Wrkplace, Health and Safety (WHS) is a standard item n bth staff and Management meetings. Educatrs will have regular discussins with children regarding dangerus situatins, dangerus substances and items, and safety practices. This will be incrprated int class prgramming. Educatrs will pst SDS r warning signs arund the ELC, where ptentially dangerus substances r items are stred. All ht water taps will be set t deliver water 43.5 degrees Celsius (r belw) t prevent scalding. Children will nt have access t water play activities unless under supervisin by educatrs. Water play resurces (i.e. buckets and water trugh) will be emptied after use and stred
undercver s as nt t be a catchment fr water. During the day, when children are nt using the water trugh, it will be cvered. Children will be supervised at all times, in accrdance with the licensing cnditins n educatrs/child ratis. Flating Teaching Assistant and Clerical Assistant are n hand t prvide additinal supervisin where necessary. Educatrs will be aware f the need t place themselves in psitins which allw gd supervisin f children, whilst als engaging with children in their activities where pssible. Children will nt be permitted t play n fences r gates, play with lcks n gates, r thrw sand r water. N child will be allwed t leave the premises r enter the ffice, indr stre rm, staff rm, art rms r piazza area withut an authrised adult. Children will nt be allwed in the fllwing areas: kitchen, laundry, utdr stre rm (shed), the utdr garbage area r washing line. Daily Outdr Safety checks are cmpleted by educatrs wh set up the envirnment. Detailed safety inspectins are cmpleted at least annually. N tbacc r nn-prescribed drugs will be allwed n the premises at any time. N alchl will be cnsumed befre r during schl hurs when children are n the premises. Any alchl n the premises will be stred in a secure lcatin, inaccessible t children. All staff are required t have current, apprved First Aid qualificatins, as well as up t date Asthma and Anaphylaxis training. There will always be at least ne educatr n site with current apprved First Aid qualificatins. All staff will underg training in Child Prtectin, t ensure they are apprpriately aware f their bligatins as Mandatry Reprters f child abuse and neglect in the ACT. Electrical Safety and Fire Hazards All electrical utlets/pwer pints will be cvered with safety caps when nt in use. Electrical appliances and crds will be kept ut f reach f children unless under direct supervisin by an educatr. Smke detectrs will be in place thrughut the premises and linked t the electrical system. There will be an apprved electrical cut ff switch installed at the premises, t break the electrical circuit instantly if a persn tuches any live electrical surce. Apprved fire extinguishers in gd wrking rder will be lcated in the Piazza fire cupbard. There will be an apprved fire blanket lcated in the kitchen. N smking will be allwed n the premises at any time. Water hses will be cnnected t the utdr taps each day. All educatrs will be infrmed f emergency exits, evacuatin prcedures and emergency meeting pints. There will be Evacuatin Plan psters displayed prminently thrughut the premises. Evacuatin drills will be practiced at least nce each term. All new electrical equipment will be tagged and tested by schl maintenance befre it is used in the ELC. All currently used electrical equipment will be checked regularly t see if it is in gd cnditin (i.e. extensin crds, pwer bards, cmpact disc players, cmputers, light bxes, phtcpier, phnes, vacuum, blw/vacuum, air-cnditining. If electrical equipment is fund t be damaged r faulty it will be repaired r replaced. Strage f dangerus substances and items
Where apprpriate, the ELC will have secure and child-safe strage facilities fr: Medicatins First Aid equipment Cleaning and ther harmful chemicals Harmful instruments and implements e.g. gardening tls, wrk tls, knives, sharp bjects, adult scissrs, matches and lighters Outdr and indr resurces The strage facilities will be apprpriate fr the items e.g. stred ut f a child s reach and height, made secure by a lck and key mechanism, with the key stred away frm the lck in a place inaccessible t a child. Cleaning materials and ther chemicals will nt be stred with fd prducts. Chemicals and slvents will be used nly in well ventilated areas. The Directr f Junir Schl (ELC) will make available adequate infrmatin abut any substance used in the Centre, t ensure that the substance will be used withut risk t health when prperly used. The Directr f Junir Schl (ELC) will prvide infrmatin t parents abut prducts used within the ELC, n request. When using any chemical substance educatrs will: Read any Material Data Sheet and fllw the manufacturer s directins fr use and strage, as well as First Aid instructins n the label. Use the apprved persnal prtective clthing equipment such as glves, aprns, gggles, masks, etc when using chemicals. Chemicals and cleaning prducts will be stred in clearly labeled, apprpriate bttles. Chemicals will never be stred in sft drink bttles, r ther fd r drink cntainers. The different types f bulk chemicals will be stred with space between the cntainers in the large cupbard in the shed at the frnt f the ELC premises. This strage area allws the chemicals t have space t breathe, but als keeps them inaccessible t children. Building, Furniture, Fittings, Fencing and Gates The ELC building will be maintained in gd wrking rder by Canberra Girls Grammar Schl. Fencing, gates and drs at the Centre will be maintained in gd cnditin. They will be checked regularly fr splinters, sharp edges, prtruding r lse screws r blts. The gates will be fitted with apprved child safe self-clsing mechanisms. The Centre will be kept clean and tidy. Flrs will be kept smth and even with nn-slip surfaces. Paint n walls will be well maintained in clean and safe cnditin t ensure children have n access t ld paint. Furniture and fittings will be kept in gd cnditin, cleaned daily and will be suitable fr the age grup f the children using it e.g. the height and size f tables, chairs, shelving, tilets, basins. Shelving r cupbards will be secure r will have secure castrs. Chair legs will have secure legs. Table tps will have n sharp edges.
Furniture and equipment will be placed in safe psitins, nt blcking walkways r psing tripping hazards and nt placed near windws r glass. Furniture will be checked regularly fr pssible safety hazards. If hazards are fund, the item will be withdrawn frm use until repaired. Tys, Equipment and Play Areas Equipment purchased will be checked fr safety. Tys and equipment will be in gd cnditin and clean and will be apprpriate t the age and develpment f the children. Tys and equipment will be cleaned regularly with water and detergent, r disinfectant. Damaged r brken tys and equipment will be repaired r replaced when they are fund r will be withdrawn frm use until they are repaired. Tys and equipment will be tidied and put away where pssible, when nt in use. All art and craft materials purchased will be nn txic. Ptentially dangerus items (i.e. knives during cking activities) will nly be used with children under direct supervisin by a staff member. Items will be remved frm activity areas when nt in use and stred apprpriately. All utdr equipment will cmply with current Australian Standards and child care regulatins. Adequate shade areas will be prvided thrugh shade sails and large trees. The sand area will be cleaned regularly and will be cvered when nt in use. Pisnus r txic plants will be remved frm the Centre r made inaccessible t children when fund. Trees and shrubs fund t have lw r dangerus branches will be pruned t ensure safety. Insects, spiders and small animals which culd pse a hazard t educatrs and children will be remved frm the premises when fund. When setting up the playgrund envirnment educatrs members will be aware f: Sft fall surfaces under and arund equipment The height frm which a child can fall The size f the equipment The age and develpment f the children The need t check fr sharp r rugh edges Hles r areas that can trap bdy parts The need t maintain equipment in gd rder Safe psitining n even surfaces with secure anchring The ELC premises will be fumigated annually by a prfessinal pest cntrller during a vacatin perid. Car Park Safety Parents will be encuraged t: Drive within the speed limit n the rads surrunding the ELC and t watch fr pedestrians. Drive at a very slw, safe speed within the car park, lking ut fr pedestrians ther reversing cars.
Nt duble park cars. Always use apprved child restraints when traveling in cars, with children in the back seat f vehicles. Be aware f ther cars in the carpark as they remve their child frm the car. Always hld their child s hand when mving thrugh the car park. Take yung children ut f the car when entering the building. Other Plicies Further infrmatin abut ur safety practices and prcedures can be fund within these related plicies: Cleaning and Hygiene Prcedures Medical Cnditins and Medicatin Plicy First Aid Plicy Emergency Evacuatin Plicy Emergency Cntainment Plicy Delivery and Cllectin f Children Plicy UV Prtectin Plicy (SunSmart) Fd and Nutritin Plicy References: Staying Healthy in Childcare Preventing Infectius Disease in Child Care 4 th editin Health and Safety in Children s Centres: Mdel Plicies and Practices, 2003 Educatin and Care Services Natinal Regulatins, 2011 Plicy reviewed and updated by ELC staff: 10/10/17