Plicy Dcument Water Safety Plicy Purpse This plicy has been created t ensure the safety and welfare f all children during water play and swimming activities and t remind educatrs f the inherent dangers f these activities. Overview This plicy utlines the activities that are defined as water based activities, hw t supervise the children during these activities and reminders f the dangers f unsupervised access t pling water. Scpe This plicy applies t all educatrs and management f Plice Citizens Yuth Clubs NSW Ltd fr KidzCare activities run bth n site and ff site. Plicy Our service will plan experiences with apprpriate levels f challenge, where children will be encuraged t explre, experiment and take apprpriate risks (My Time, Our Place, Outcme 4), including the use f water as a medium fr play, craft and cking in bth the indr and utdr envirnment and n excursins. Water use will be supervised at all times t ensure the safety f children is a pririty. The hygienic state f water will be assessed befre it is used fr children s play. Drinking water will be accessible, hygienically stred and maintained. The safety and supervisin f children is paramunt when in r arund water. This relates t water play, excursins near r at bdies f water, ht water, drinking water and hygiene practices with water in the service envirnment. The service recgnises the fllwing lcatins as Bdies f Water: Swimming pls and /r water fun parks Wading pls Lakes Pnds
The sea/ocean Creeks Dams Rivers Equipment used by the service that culd cntain 5cm r mre f water and wuld allw a child t submerge bth nse and muth at the same time. Water Safety in Relatin t Excursins The service recgnises the risks psed by bdies f water and will ensure that precautin is taken s that children are able t enjy water based excursins safely. Risk Assessments will be carried ut fr all water based excursins. Authrisatins will be sught frm families prir t excursins including thse invlving water based activities. Whilst legislatin des nt specify a specific educatr rati fr water based activities, PCYC KidzCare has fllwed the Vluntary Natinal Standards specifying a minimum f 1 adult t every 5 children r part theref, fr water based activities. Higher rati s may be required as part f the Risk Assessment fr the individual activity and based f children s cmpetency and supervisin requirements. It must be nted that in sectins 165, 167 and 169 f the Natinal Law there are clear statements abut adequate supervisin. A range f factrs shall be used t determine adequate supervisin including: Numbers, ages and abilities f children Number and psitining f educatrs Each child s current activities Areas where children are playing, in particular the visibility and accessibility f thse areas Risks in the envirnment and experiences prvided t children Educatr s knwledge f each child and each grup f children The experience, knwledge and skill f each educatr All excursins t lcatins with a pl, water area, funtain, lake, river, dam r beach (r any ther bdy f water) are t be treated as a water based excursin if these areas are nt fenced ff frm the adjacent excursin area All excursins t/n bats, ferries r ther water craft are t be treated as water based activities fr the perid f time n the water/beside the water. All excursins invlving children ging in the water may nly be undertaken t Public Swimming pls. There is t be n swimming, paddling r ther in water experience, in any bdy f water beynd a Public Swimming Pl.
Risk Assessments must be cmpleted befre each water based activity, with specific detailing f educatr ratis f minimum 1 adult t 5 children r part theref. Where there is a swimming pl n yur premises: Children s whereabuts shuld be knwn at all times Pl safety must be discussed with all children Pls must be prperly gated t ensure children cannt access the water Excursin permissin frms must be cmpleted if taking the children swimming in the n premises pl N mre than 5 children in the pl at any ne time. A minimum f 2 supervisrs present in the pl/pl area If the pl is t deep fr children t stand cmfrtably they must be instructed t hld nt the side f the pl unless they have the supervisrs attentin Supervisrs must be aware f where each child is at all times. While invlved in swimming excursins the fllwing prcedures shuld be fllwed: Excursin permissin frms cmpleted by parents with acknwledgement that the children will be swimming Parents requested t prvide flaties and apprpriate swimwear Sunscreen must be applied as per the Sun Safety plicy Once at the pl, all children must cmmence activities in the shallw pl where educatrs can assess the child s water awareness, cnfidence and ability Once assessed, children will be allcated t a particular supervisr fr the remainder f the excursin Children may then be able t mve n t the bigger pl. At n time shuld children be allwed t an area f the pl where they cannt cmfrtably stand upright with their chin abve water level. Supervisrs shuld refrain frm playing with the children when in the water. They must be cncentrating n supervising the maximum f 5 children in their care. All these children must remain in their site at all times they are in the water. Where a child needs t leave the water they shuld ntify educatrs and return prmptly t the same grup. Educatrs shuld be aware f hw lng the child has been away frm their grup and if necessary remve their grup frm the water t seek ut the missing child. Children are nt allwed t dive in the pl, run n the pl deck, jump nt anther child, r engage in any ther activity that can endanger themselves r anther child. As with any excursin, names and faces shuld be matched at all times, supervisrs shuld nt rely n head cunts as this can cause cnfusin in the pl.
All educatrs n the excursin must be first aid trained, phnes and emergency cntact infrmatin must be taken t the pl On excursins t areas with unfenced bdies f water: Children shuld be reminded f dangers Bundaries must be marked ut Supervisrs shuld be psitined s that sme are between the children and the water At least ne supervisr shuld be able t see the water at all times. Water Safety in relatin t water based activities within the service. Water use within the service will be supervised t ensure the safety f children and educatrs is a pririty. The hygienic state f water will be assessed befre it is used fr children s play. At the cmpletin f the activity the water cntainers will be emptied and the cntainers turned upside dwn r packed away. Educatrs will ensure water trughs r cntainers fr water play are filled t a safe level. Children will be discuraged frm drinking frm these water vessels. Lawn sprinklers and hses may be used n PCYC premises taking water restrictin perids int accunt. Educatr t child ratis may be increased arund water play activities, r the numbers f children invlved limited arund any areas f pling water, buckets r trughs. Children will be instructed in the safe use f equipment used during water based activities, fr example, slip and slide, water pistls, bubble machines etc. Any buckets f water that may be used fr cleaning r hand washing will nt be left unsupervised near the children and will be emptied immediately after use. The children s play areas will be checked each mrning t ensure n cntainers r pls f water are accessible t children. If rain ccurs during the day, utdr play areas will be checked fr safety prir t the children entering the utdr envirnment. Puddles that have frmed in the utdr space, may encurage children t jump and play in them. Educatrs shuld statin themselves nearby t ensure the safety f this activity. Created By PCYC KidzCare Management, Netwrk f Cmmunity Activities, Educatrs and families in PCYC KidzCare Date Apprved May 2015 Date f Cmmencement Amendment Histry 18 th May 2015
Versin 2 Additinal infrmatin n water hygiene and water safety n premises added. Change frm staff t Educatrs and Supervisrs Date Fr Next Review May 2016 Related Dcuments Educatin and Care Services Natinal Law 2010 Educatin and Care Services Natinal Regulatins 2010 and 2014 Update (r99, 100, 101, 102,103, 165, 167, 168, 169) Natinal Quality Standard 2.3 My Time, Our Place A framewrk fr Schl Age Care in Australia (Outcme 4) Prviding a Child Safe Envirnment Plicy Excursin Plicy Wrk, Health and Safety Act 2011 Excursin Risk Management Plan Excursin Permissin Frm Plicies/Rules Superseded by this Plicy Search Key Wrds Water Safety Plicy Water, Swimming, Excursin, Pl,