Enrolment and Orientation Policy | Junior Adventures Group

1. Overview

1.1. Purpose

A smooth enrolment and orientation process will contribute to families and children having a positive experience at the Service. The provision of a safe and secure environment for the children attending the Service is vital.

1.2. Scope

All Junior Adventures Group (JAG) People are required to comply with the provisions set out in this policy, their contract of employment and all other relevant policies, procedures and legislation. Enrolment and orientation rely on a partnership between JAG and families/guardians of the children enrolled.

1.3. Legislative Requirements

Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, JAG is required to have policies and procedures in place to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of the children in care.

2. Policy Statement

JAG is committed to providing a positive and informative enrolment and orientation process to ensure a positive experience for children and their families and meet our legislative obligations. We work in partnership with families to achieve the best outcomes for children, families and team members. We are committed to collaboration and open communication with families. Families are encouraged to familiarise themselves with our codes of conduct, which provide guidelines that reflect the values and expectations of the Service.

3. Principles

3.1. Duty of Care

We have a duty of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children at the Service. A consistent and thorough approach to enrolment and orientation enables us to meet our obligations to children, families, team members and other stakeholders.

A collaborative partnership with children and families is paramount for all concerned to ensure that the Service meets the needs of all stakeholders. Enrolment and orientation are the beginning of our relationship with children and families.

3.2. Enrolment

JAG is Australian Government approved to offer funded places for children throughout the school year, including school holidays, providing family assistance through Child Care Subsidy (CCS). The Australian Government sets the priority for allocating places for children and families accessing services.

A key service information document, the Parent Family Handbook, and full terms and conditions are available on our website. Families are advised to register with the Department of Human Services for CCS if they have not done so already, in line with the previously mentioned resources.

In the case of shared care, CCS is the responsibility of the enrolling parent. Therefore, enrolment documentation will need to be provided by each parent for the care they require. Each parent requiring care will create and manage their own enrolment and account, including bookings.

Where the parent/guardian is of non-English-speaking background, materials can be translated into the parent’s/guardian’s home language. If necessary, an interpreter service will be contacted. The Service will access Services Australia Payment Information.

Enrolment of children from referral agencies and welfare authorities will be determined by Management, with reference to our Enrolment and Orientation Procedures.

3.3. Processing Enrolments

Enrolment is completed through an online registration, enrolment and booking system.

Completion and submission of an enrolment form will not guarantee placement where there are limited places available.

Families who do not have computer access or are challenged by language, literacy and numeracy concepts will be supported by the Service Leaders and/or the Custo to complete the enrolment process or access translation services.

3.4. Enrolment Information Provision and Age Requirements

Families will enrol children, manage booking enquiries, request changes to booked sessions and provide detailed information about their children, such as medical and dietary information, through the online system. The enrolment record will include:

1 All relevant information prescribed:

(a) the full name, date of birth and address of the child;

(b) the name, address and contact details of—

(i) each known parent of the child

(ii) any person who is to be notified of an emergency involving the child if any parent of the child cannot be immediately contacted

(iii) any person who is an Authorised Nominee

(iv) any person who is authorised to consent to medical treatment of or to authorise the administration of medication to the child

(v) any person who is authorised to approve an educator taking the child outside the education and care service premises;

(c) details of any court orders, parenting orders or parenting plans provided to the approved provider relating to powers, duties, responsibilities or authorities of any person in relation to the child or access to the child;

(d) details of any other court orders provided to the approved provider relating to the child’s residence or the child’s contact with a parent or other person;

(e) the gender of the child;

(f) the language used in the child’s home;

(g) the cultural background of the child and, if applicable, the child’s parents; and

(h) any special considerations for the child, such as cultural, religious or dietary requirements or additional needs.

2 Authorisations as prescribed by Regulation 161:

(a) an authorisation, signed by a parent or a person named in the enrolment record as authorised to consent to the medical treatment of the child, for the approved provider, a Service Leader or an educator to seek—

(i) medical treatment for the child from a registered medical practitioner, hospital or ambulance service

(ii) transportation of the child by an ambulance service; and

(b) if relevant, an authorisation given under Regulation 102 for the education and care service to take the child on regular outings.

3 Health/medical information as prescribed in Regulation 162:

(a) the name, address and telephone number of the child’s registered medical practitioner or medical service;

(b) if available, the child’s Medicare number;

(i) specific healthcare needs of the child, including any medical condition; and

(ii) allergies, including whether the child has been diagnosed as at risk of anaphylaxis; and

(d) any medical management plan, anaphylaxis medical management plan or risk minimisation plan to be followed with respect to a specific healthcare need, medical condition or allergy referred to in paragraph (c);

(e) details of any dietary restrictions for the child; and

(f) the immunisation status of the child.

4 Legal documents including but not limited to Family Court Orders, family violence-related orders, child protection orders and bail orders.

A Privacy Statement which details:

(a) the name and contact details of the service

(b) the fact that enrolling parents/guardians are able to gain access to their information;

(d) the agencies to which the information may be disclosed;

(e) any law that requires the particular information to be collected; and

(f) the main consequences of not providing the required information.

Where parents/guardians have objections to any of the authorisations requested, these may be discussed with the Service Leader and/or the Customer Experience Team. Management may refuse access to the Service where parents refuse to provide required authorisations.

The Service has the responsibility to ensure all children attending are within the school-age requirements of their respective state or territory. These are listed below:

Minimum age at school commencement

Queensland and Western Australia

Four years old on/before 30 June the year before starting school

New South Wales

Four years old on/before 31 July the year before starting school

Australian Capital Territory and Victoria

Four years old on/before 30 April the year before starting school

Note: Services must not accept children commencing school into outside school hours care until January of their year of commencement. Prep/kindergarten children cannot attend during the December school holidays before their first school year.

Additionally:

services must only accept children under 13 years of age
families may be asked to review and update their enrolment records at the beginning of each year before making a booking
enrolment information will be kept in a confidential electronic file and maintained following the Maintenance and Confidentiality of Records Policy
access to this information is available only to relevant team members, the enrolling parent/guardian and authorised government/agency officers in accordance with our policy on the Maintenance of Confidentiality of Records. This information will also be shared with emergency services staff in the case of an emergency.

3.5. Families’ Responsibilities

All families are required to provide accurate information, including:

evidence that supports they meet eligibility requirements relevant to their state or territory
information about their child that will support continuity of care between home and the Service
up-to-date family data, including health, allergy, emergency contact, dietary, home address and phone contact details.

Enrolment records must be updated by the family when a family’s circumstances change.

If a place is not immediately available at the Service, the family may be placed on a waiting list. Placement from the waiting list will be determined by priority of access guidelines, siblings of children already in care and date of placement on the waiting list. When a place becomes available, the enrolling parents/guardians will be contacted by the Service Leader or Customer Experience team and bookings may proceed.

JAG People’s children will not be given special consideration when accessing a service. Placement is to be organised at the convenience of the Service through the normal enrolment process, according to the priority of access guidelines.

Effective, open communication fosters positive outcomes for children. It is best practice for Team Members to make efforts to maintain effective and open communication with families and stakeholders.

3.6. Authorised Nominees

Authorised Nominees must be over the age of 18. Changes to Authorised Nominees’ details must be provided to the Service. Authorised Nominees must carry photo ID and be willing to produce it when requested by JAG People.

Authorised Nominees may be contacted where the parent or guardian has been delayed and requested to collect children by the Service closing time.

3.7. Supporting Healthcare Needs

Additional to the above enrolment requirements, parents/guardians are required to provide all relevant health documentation to the Service. Copies will be kept in the enrolment record to ensure that the most appropriate care and support are provided to each child.

Documentation will include all Health and Wellbeing Plans, Medical Management Plans and a completed Risk Minimisation and Communication Plan relating to the specific healthcare need, medical condition or allergy. This includes details of dietary restrictions for the child or behaviour support plans.

In the circumstance that observed behaviours merit a Health and Wellbeing Plan, the Service Leaders will collaborate with parents/guardians in maintaining this live document.

3.8. Immunisation

Health information to be provided includes details of the child’s immunisation status. If required in accordance with state regulatory jurisdiction, evidence of immunisation status may be in the form of an immunisation history statement via the Australian Immunisation Register, which will be kept in the child’s enrolment record.

Upon enrolment, families are asked to provide information about their child’s immunisation status in connection to the Australian Immunisation Register.

Western Australia’s (WA) Public Health Act states that parents/guardians are legally obliged to provide their child’s immunisation history statement at enrolment and re-enrolment in a WA child care Service, kindergarten or school. This is required even if the child’s immunisation status is not up to date. If a child has not been immunised, they will be excluded if there are reports of infectious diseases at the Service as per the recommended minimum exclusion periods.

Under the approval for funding agreement with the Commonwealth Government, CCS can be offered only to families whose children meet Commonwealth Government immunisation requirements. It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to supply the Family Assistance Office with any required documentation relating to immunisation and any application for CCS.

If a child is under seven years of age, parents/guardians are responsible for having their child’s overseas immunisation record transcribed onto the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register.

In the event of a vaccine-preventable disease occurring in a childcare Service, the Service Leader is required to notify the Medical Officer of Health of the local Public Health Unit. Upon the direction of the Medical Officer of Health, unimmunised children must be excluded for the incubation period of the disease in line with the school exclusion periods or the duration of the outbreak.

3.9. Supporting Custody Arrangements

In addition to the above enrolment requirements, parents/guardians must provide all relevant legal documentation to the Service. Current copies are to be maintained in the enrolment record.

Enrolling parents/guardians are responsible for managing their account details in relation to the required enrolment documentation. Upon changes in family circumstances, the enrolling parent/guardian must update all necessary information, including shared care arrangements, specific authorisations and court orders, where applicable.

All legal documentation relating to custody and access is held and maintained in accordance with the Maintenance and Confidentiality of Records Policy.

The Service Leader will inform Team Members of any custody arrangements concerning children in their care.

No child/ren will be permitted to leave the Service with anyone other than those authorised on the child’s enrolment record. Provisions can be made via written authorisation from the enrolling parent/guardian in accordance with the Delivery and Collection of Children Policy.

If an unauthorised person arrives at the Service to remove a child, educators or the Service Leader will inform the person that access to the child will be refused until written authorisation from the enrolling parent/guardian is obtained. The authorised person for the child will be notified of the refusal.

Overseas court orders are only enforceable if registered in Australia with the International Family Law Section of the Attorney-General’s Department.

3.10. Orientation

The Service will provide options for the orientation of children and families, which includes:

inviting new families to visit the Service with their child at times that suit them, together with the Service Leader, to familiarise families with the Service prior to the child’s attendance
upon request, providing new families with a conducted tour of the premises that includes introductions to other Team Members, children and families and highlights specific policies and procedures about the Service
giving family members the opportunity to stay for a period of time in the morning or arrive early in the afternoon to support their child during the settling-in process
ensuring new families are encouraged to share information about their child and any concerns, doubts or anxieties they may have regarding enrolling their child in the Service
encouraging Team Members to complete the New Orientation Checklist for Families as they cover each item of the orientation
providing parents/guardians with assistance in separating from their child and confirmation that their child has settled
allowing the parent/guardian to telephone the Service during the session for reassurance that their child has settled in if necessary
discussing the child’s day with the family member when they come to collect the child and making reasonable adjustments to support the transition into the Service.

3.11. Child Safety

JAG endevours to ensure that families and communities are involved within our service. We safeguard children through our procedures and practices, with particular attention to their access to our service. Policies and practices reflect the relevant legislation, including the Child Safe Standards. JAG provides polices and procedures to equip JAG people with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep stakeholders informed and ensure children are effectively enrolled and orientated into service. Service Practice are continuously reviewed and improved to ensure current legislation is in effect throughout the business.

4. Key Terms

Authorised Nominee:

A person, over the age of 18 years old, appointed by the enrolling parent/guardian or family member to collect the child from the care of the Service; this person must be fit for duty of care responsibility and identified upon arrival to the Service

Emergency contact:

A person who is authorised to:
●       remove the child from the Service
●       authorise the administration of medical treatments, including medication
●       collect the child
●       notify of an emergency

JAG People:

Any adult that governs, manages, conducts work for, or provides activities and/or services to, JAG in a paid or unpaid activity spanning all levels of the organisational structure

Overseas court order registration:

Australia has arrangements with some countries to register court orders made overseas so that they are enforceable in Australia.
For families that have a court order in one of those countries and want to register it in Australia, Regulation 23 of the Family Law Regulations 1984 sets out the process for doing so.
A court order can be registered in Australia only if there is reason to believe that the child, a parent of the child or another person who has rights relating to that child under a court order is in Australia.

Service Leader:

Anyone who oversees the Service in one of the following roles:
1. The Approved Provider; if the approved provider is an individual, in other cases, a person with management or control of the Service
2. The Nominated Supervisor of the Service
3. A Responsible Person who has been placed in day-to-day charge of the Service in the absence of the Nominated Supervisor.

Team Member:

JAG People who work directly with children.

5. References

Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations

Children Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

Educational and Care Services National Regulations

National Quality Standards for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Care

ACECQA – National Quality Framework

Other Relevant Legislation

Section 175 – Offence relating to requirement to keep enrolment and other documents

Regulation 90 – Medical conditions policy

Regulation 160 – Child enrolment records to be kept by approved provider and family day care educator

Regulation 161 – Authorisations to be kept in enrolment records

Regulation 162 – Health information to be kept in enrolment record

Regulation 168 – Education and care Service must have policies and procedures

Regulation 170 – Policies and procedures to be followed

Regulation 171 – Policies and procedures to be kept available

Regulation 172 – Notification of change to policies or procedures

Regulation 177 – Prescribed enrolment and other documents to be kept by approved provider

Regulation 181 – Confidentiality of records kept by approved provider

Regulation 183 – Storage of records and other documents

Related Policies

Safeguarding Children and Young People

Governance, Management and Leadership

Feedback and Complaints, Grievance Procedures

Maintenance and Confidentiality of Records

Delivery and Collection of Children

Medical Conditions

Related Procedures

06P001 Enrolment and Orientation Procedures

02P004 Medical and Health Management

07P002 Record Keeping and Archiving

Other

Quality Area 6 & 7: Standards 6.1, 6.2, 7.1

Guide to National Laws and Regulations

OCG Guide to the Child Safe Standards

Version

3.0

Change History

Change Register

Date Approved

01/07/2023

Date Implemented

01/07/2023

Document Owner

Quality Service Development

Document Approvers

CEO / Approved Provider

Next Review

12 Months