Staff Supervision of Children

1. Overview

1.1. Purpose

All children and staff need to feel safe and secure in their environment. Supervision plays a key role in consistent and responsive interactions between educators and children. Legislated ratios must be maintained and procedures followed to ensure effective supervision that optimises children’s experience at the Service.

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 providing a safe and positive environment where children and young people can participate in a broad range of experiences and learning opportunities. Reasonable precautions and adequate supervision must be in place to protect children from harm and hazard. Effective and appropriate supervision supports children’s safety and wellbeing at the Service and on excursions.

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. As part of the group’s risk assessment process, the level of support varies for different areas to ensure the best environment for learning and exploring safely.

3.2. Supervision

Supervision is designed to support the learning and development of children attending the Service. At all times, reasonable precautions must be taken by staff to keep children free from harm and hazard. This includes identifying and pre-empting emerging hazards and acting to reduce risk while supervising children.

JAG people are required to provide active supervision of children, meaning they will engage in the program and work to ensure that children are engaged in available activities.

The staff-to-child ratio is not consistent across states and territories.

The following table presents the current ratios required:

3.3. Leading Safe Practices

Headcounts are completed every 30 minutes, and between transitions to ensure all children can be accounted for. Where it is identified that a child cannot be accounted for, Team Members will immediately notify the Responsible Person in day-to-day charge and follow relevant procedures.

Boundary mapping is completed daily and is adjusted according to group size and staffing levels.

Team Members are encouraged by the Service Leaders to adhere to policies in place to keep children safe, such as wearing hats outdoors to meet sun safety requirements and appropriate clothes during outdoor play. Assisting children to adapt to their environment is part of our supervision responsibility.

3.4. Staffing

Staffing is planned to ensure that adequate ratios are met at all times and that the team rostered on has the relevant qualifications within the ratio.

Services utilise two-way radios to ensure that team members are able to communicate within the team to ensure that safe staffing and supervision practices are maintained

3.5. Responsibilities

Team Members ensure that all play areas and transitions are always adequately supervised in a manner that is sufficient to support the safety and wellbeing of children appropriate to their stage of development, ensuring that reasonable precaution is taken to protect children from harm and hazard.

Team Members will ensure adequate supervision when children arrive at and depart the Service.

Team Members will endeavour to protect themselves and comply with the Child Protection Guidelines by avoiding being alone with children at any time in a supervisory capacity. As far as possible, Team Members will always be visible to each other (exceptions apply: refer to our Single Staff Model Policy). When Team Members are required to leave an area of supervision, they will make their intention to leave known to others and wait for approval or a replacement team member.

Team Members are aware of any visitors to the Service and are vigilant as to these persons’ access and interactions with children. All visitors will be recorded in the Visitors’ Register.

Team Members will actively engage with everyone who enters the Service and ensure that children are only released to an Authorised Nominee.

3.6. Supervision by One Staff Member

If required, team members supervising alone outside will limit children to one area of the Service environment where all children can be observed. Refer to risk management strategies as outlined in the Service Risk Management Plan.

3.7. Transitions and Movements

Team Members must ensure that adequate supervision is maintained throughout the service, especially throughout transitions and delivery and collection.

If an incident or concerning situation arises, Team Members must ensure that adequate supervision is maintained for all children. This is achieved by communicating their movements with other team members. Specific provisions will be made to cater to the unique needs and development of children below school age and children with Specific Needs.

During transitions, Team Members should optimise their positioning to ensure that they can see any nearby boundaries and children, to ensure they can respond to any incidents or concerning situations arising.

A process for the use of toilets will be established by the Service Leader and communicated to the children, staff and families. This transition will be adequately supervised by team members to ensure children’s comfort, security and safety within the transition.

3.8. Movement of Children between Multi-Level Service Facilities

All children will be supervised when moving between different levels of the Service. Children will be supervised at all times if there is an elevator used to move children between levels. Elevators will only be used to assist children who have mobility assistance needs.

3.9. Child Safety

Policies and practices reflect the relevant legislation, including the National Principles for Child Safe Organistions. JAG provides polices and procedures to support and equip JAG people with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children safe. These practices are continuously reviewed and improved to ensure up to date practices are in effect throughout the business.

4. Key Terms

Active supervision:

• Supervising while engaging the educational program, adjusting levels of supervision depending on the area in use and the skills, dynamics and size of the group of children being supervised

JAG People/JAG Person:

• 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

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

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

Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011

Children Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations

Regulation 99 – Children leaving the education and care service premises

Regulation 115 – Premises designed to facilitate supervision

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

Regulation 170 – Policies and procedures to be followed

Related Policies

Safeguarding Children and Young People

Governance, Management and Leadership

Delivery and Collection of Children

Transition and Transport

Child Safe Environments

Single Staff Model

Related Procedures

02P002 Delivery and Collection of Children Procedures

07P012 Risk Assessment Procedures

07T025 Service Risk Management Plan

Other

Quality Area 2: Elements 2.2.1, 2.23

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

4.1

Change History

Change Register

Date Approved

17/05/2024

Date Implemented

17/05/2025

Document Owner

Quality Service Development

Document Approvers

CEO / Approved Provider

Next Review

12 months