Maintaining Safe Buildings and Facilities Policy

1. Overview

1.1. Purpose

Maintaining safe buildings and facilities is vital to ensuring that team members and children are safe and secure in their environment. Systematic checks are required to ensure that maintenance and repair issues are responded to effectively and promptly. Safe practices and management of access to the building are vital.

1.2. Scope

All children attending Junior Adventures Group (JAG) and JAG People require an environment that enables them to be safe and secure.

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

The Service maintains buildings and facilities that are safe, secure, clean and in good repair at all times through proactive management, preventative and responsive identification of security, maintenance, and repair requirements.

3. Principles

3.1. Facility Design

Ideally the facility’s design will be fit for purpose in terms of security and safety, this however it not always possible on some school sites. The built environment should include a visible entrance space, appropriate fencing and secure entry and exit points. The facility must have secure indoor and outdoor environments.

3.2. Authorised Access to Facilities

Only team members and management have authorised access to the buildings and related areas. All keys and pin code holders are recorded, and people are accountable for their access to the building. A regular desktop audit of who has access occurs. The offboarding process includes a checklist to ensure that keys and pins are returned on the last day of employment. Accounts and access to any electronic system that allows a person to access information about the company, children or their families is ceased on the last day of employment as part of the HR offboarding process

3.3. Securing Facilities

All team members are responsible for ensuring that the building is left in a secure manner. This includes locking all doors, windows and other areas that must be secure. All lights and heating, cooking and other equipment must be checked to ensure they are switched off before the last person departs the Service for the day.

Private and confidential information is to be kept secure. Refer to our Maintenance and Confidentiality of Records

3.4. Entry to facilities and Security breaches

Security measures should be in place to ensure that only people authorised to drop off and pick up children enter the facilities. This includes monitoring those coming and going. Any unauthorised entry to facilities will be addressed immediately by the Service Leaders.

Any breaches to security must be immediately reported to management. When a break-in occurs, or a person who is not permitted is found on-site, the police are contacted. All breaches are reviewed and recorded on our incident reporting system.

3.5. Maintenance and Repair

Team Members are responsible for the day-to-day general cleaning and upkeep of the buildings and facilities. This includes identifying and reporting maintenance and repair issues to ensure they are resolved quickly. On-site Team Members are also responsible for monitoring and reviewing maintenance work to ensure problems are resolved quickly and appropriately.

Team Members will ensure any equipment and resources that could cause harm to children are either safely operated by Staff only, or removed from Service, where deemed necessary e.g. beanbags, metal sporting equipment and broken or damaged resources.

Faulty equipment is removed from children’s use and where required, Management is advised of the need for removal and/or replacement. Protection measures are placed around any potentially dangerous sites.

3.6. Building Checks

Building checklists must be completed as per schedule. All Team Members are responsible for identifying risks and issues, recording them on the maintenance log and escalating them with their line manager.

Where the repair is urgent, it must be reported to management and the school principal. In this instance, the maintenance issues are also recorded on the school maintenance log.

3.7. Resources and Equipment

The Service is stocked with equipment and resources to allow Team Members to plan a program that is relevant to the needs and interests of the children who attend the Service.

The resources and equipment purchased by the Service will meet Australian Standards for safety.

All resources and equipment are kept in a safe, clean, and hygienic condition and in good repair at all times and stored in a safe manner.

Children will be introduced to new equipment and taught how to use and care for them appropriately. Team Members will actively encourage children to take care of the Service’s resources and equipment as well as their own, and work in consultation with families to develop their sense of responsibility.

Recycled craft materials are used appropriately with children (i.e. Staff must check for sharp edges, cleanliness etc.).

3.8. Hazardous Substance

Hazardous substances are safely stored out of reach from children. Measures are in place to ensure protection for children, staff, and families from hazardous substances.

A hazardous substances and safety audit is conducted regularly as per the HR Safety Management System Policy and Procedure.

3.9. Heating and Cooling Systems

All heating and cooling systems used must meet the requirements of occupational and workplace safety laws. In addition, users must adhere to manufacturers’ instructions. Team members will ensure room is kept at a comfortable temperature

3.10. Electrical Equipment and Safety

All electrical equipment must be tested and tagged annually, or in partnership with the school as part of hire of facilities in addition to regular checks by staff.

Children must not access power points, wall and ceiling fans and other electrical equipment. In addition, power sockets must have childproof covers where deemed a risk.

3.11. Waste and Pest Management

Appropriate waste bins should be provided to support the recycling and management of food and general waste.

Pest control is managed on a regular cycle and recorded in the maintenance log.

3.12. Emergency protocol

Emergency protocols, including emergency drills, must be regularly reviewed to test the program processes and ensure that the Service meets with regulatory requirements. Team Members should take part in reviews, drills and actively participate in improving processes to uphold security and safety.

3.13. Notification of Safety Concerns

JAG people will monitor for security and safety of the environment. Parents are encouraged to notify Team Members of any safety concerns they may have identified.

Should a service be deemed unsafe, it will be closed, and all parties will be notified. The service will be reopened, with all parties notified once safety issues have been rectified.

3.14. Review of Procedures

Emergency management Procedures, security and maintenance procedures should be reviewed regularly to ensure they are up to date and consistent with current practice.

3.15. Supervision

Team Members must ensure supervision and safety of children in our service environment. Team Members will work together to ensure that clear communication and active supervision is maintained throughout the session, especially in transitions between areas of the service.

3.16. Child Safety

Team Members have easy access to a telephone or other communication equipment whenever children are being educated and cared for. We safeguard children through our procedures and practices, with particular attention to the physical environment that we provide for children during our service. Policies and practices reflect the relevant legislation, including the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. JAG provides policies 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.

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

Line Manager:

• The persons in the direct supervisory role overseeing the work of the JAG person. The JAG persons escalate matters toward the person in this role, in the event of incidents and breaches.

5. References

Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations

Guide to the National Law and National Regulations

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

National Quality Standards

Privacy Act 1988 Other Relevant Legislation

Regulation 73 - Educational Program

Regulation 103 – Premises, furniture and equipment to be safe, clean and in good repair

Regulation 104 – Fencing and security

Regulation 105 – Furniture, materials and equipment

Regulation 107 – Indoor Space Requirements

Regulation 108 – Outdoor Space Requirements

Regulation 111 – Administration space

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 181 – Confidentiality of records kept by approved provider

Regulation 183 – Storage of records and other documents Related Policies

Child Safe Standards 2022

Maintenance log

Information Management Policy OHS Policy Related Procedures

02P006 Health and Hygiene Procedures 03P001 Ordering Equipment and Supplies Procedures 03P002 Physical Environment Guidelines 07P002 Record Keeping and Archiving Procedures 07P010 Operating a Service Procedures Other Quality Area 3, 4 & 7: Standards 3.1, 3.2, 4.2, 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 24 months