Extracurricular Activities Policy

1. Overview

1.1. Purpose

Access to Extracurricular Activities provides additional opportunities to learn and grow. Where applicable, the Service will work with families, local and wider community groups and schools to support the provision of such activities. Providing a safe and healthy environment is vital for children and their wellbeing. We will have procedures and policies in place to protect children from harm.

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.

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 ensuring appropriate measures are in place for maintaining children’s safety during the transition between school, the Service and extracurricular activities for children. It is essential to implement practices that support the needs of children and families without compromising the capacity to provide quality and safe care for all children attending the Service and meeting the legislative requirements.

3. Principles

3.1. Duty of Care

Team Members have a duty of care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children attending the Service. Appropriate measures must be in place and complied with by JAG people to ensure the transition between the Service and extracurricular activities is done safely and meets the needs of the child.

3.2. Evaluation of a Request for Extracurricular Activities

The Service Leader, in consultation with the Regional Manager (RM), will carefully evaluate requests for extracurricular activities using the risk assessment process.

The Service Leader, in consultation with the RM, shall maintain the right to make an appropriate decision regarding possible arrangements based on ratio and supervision implications for the Service.

Separate provisions for Western Australia sites apply, as detailed in the Extracurricular Activities Procedure.

The Service Leader and any Management representatives will liaise with parents/guardians throughout the risk assessment process.

3.3. Right to Refuse or Re-evaluate

Management maintains the right to refuse an extracurricular activity request. If the safety and wellbeing of children and Team Members are placed at an unacceptable level of risk during a transition to an extracurricular activity, families will be requested to make alternative plans. This decision will be based on a comprehensive risk assessment, completed in accordance with the Risk Assessment Procedures and communicated in writing.

Management reserves the right to reassess the arrangement and re-evaluate whether the safety of the child and Team Members is at risk by the activity.

Regular reviews will be undertaken to ensure currency of all risk assessments and to determine whether any circumstances change the assessment.

3.4. Family Responsibility

The parent or guardian is responsible for informing the Service Leader of any requests for their child to attend extracurricular activities. If the request is approved, the parent or guardian must complete and sign all required documentation prior to their child/ren attending any extracurricular activities. The associated forms must be reviewed regularly and issued each term or if there are any changes in circumstances.

The parent or guardian permission form will include:

● details of the extracurricular activity, including start and end time and location

● details of the key contact and phone number for the extracurricular activity

● the agreed transition method from the Service to the extracurricular activity and acknowledgement of risk assessment (including details about transitions if occurring directly from school)

● the agreed transition method from the extracurricular activity to the Service and acknowledgement of risk assessment

● details of the person that child can be released to or details of the extracurricular activity organisation (if no specific person can be identified).

Parents or guardians are responsible for advising the Service Leader of their arrangements regarding the transport to and/or collection of their children from the Service and their return to the Service in the case of external extracurricular activities.

Parents or guardians are responsible for ensuring that any extracurricular activity providers collecting their child/ren from the Service are Authorised Nominees for collection.

3.5. Delivery and Collection of a Child for Extracurricular Activities

Any child attending extracurricular activities must be signed in and out of the Service by a parent or guardian or extracurricular provider named on the Extracurricular Activity Authorisation Form or a team member, where applicable.

If any child fails to return from their extracurricular activity as per the specified time on the Extracurricular Activity Authorisation Form, the Service Leader will refer to the Absent and Missing Child Policy and Procedure.

In accordance with site-specific risk assessments, Team Members may be unable to deliver and collect children for the purpose of attending an extracurricular activity. Requests for specific delivery and collection arrangements will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and only approved through the State Manager. Factors considered to assess these requests will be:

● the location or mode of transport to the extracurricular activity

● the educator-to-child ratios at the Service

● the supervision needs of the Service.

3.6. Service Planning

We will ensure Team Members and children follow procedures in relation to attending extracurricular activities and that this activity does not detract from other children’s experience at the program.

3.7. Parents and Guardians

We will work with parents and guardians to communicate any concerns or changes that may need to occur, including notifying the parent that the arrangement must be ceased.

In the event of an incident, we will notify parents and guardians.

3.8. Record Keeping and Regulatory Compliance

Onsite safety audits, incidents and complaints will be documented to allow us to track issues. This will enable changes in practice to be considered and implemented to maximise safety.

3.9 Child Safety

We safeguard children through our procedures and practices, with particular attention to their safety and wellbeing and their opportunities to learn and grow. Policies and practices reflect the relevant legislation, including the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

JAG provides polices and procedures to equip JAG people with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children safe. Service Practice are continuously reviewed and improved to ensure current legislation is in effect throughout the business. JAG ensures that families and communities are informed and involved and that requests take into account equity and diverse needs.

4. Key Terms

JAG People:

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

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 Members:

• JAG People that work directly with Children

Authorised Nominee:

• A person 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

Extracurricular activity:

• A person 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

5. References

Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations

Guide to National Laws and Regulations

Children Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011

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

Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority Other Relevant Legislation Regulation 89 – First aid kits Regulation 98 – Telephone or other communication equipment Regulation 99 – Children leaving the education and care service premises Regulation 100 – Risk assessment must be conducted before excursions Regulation 101 – Conduct of risk assessment for excursion Regulation 102 – Authorisation for excursions Regulation 109 – Toilet and hygiene facilities Regulation 158 – Children’s attendance record to be kept by approved provider Regulation 146 – Nominated supervisor 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 176 – Time to notify certain information to Regulatory Authority Related Policies

Safeguarding Children and Young People Risk Management Incident reporting Related Procedures 02P011 Extracurricular Activities Procedures Other Quality Area 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7: Standards 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 OCG Guide to Child Safe Standards - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/child-safe-scheme CCYP Child safe Standards - https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards/ National Principles for Child Safe Organisations - https://childsafe.humanrights.gov.au/national-principles

Version 3.0 Change History

JAG Policy 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