Determining responsible person

• Under the National Law and Regulations, there must be a Responsible Person physically present at the service at all times while the service is in operation
• The Responsible Person can be the:
  - Approved Provider
  - Nominated Supervisor; or
  - Certified Supervisor
• The details of the Responsible Person will be documented and clearly displayed for all stakeholders

Participation of volunteers and students on practicum placement

• Provide a clear and understandable process to allow for volunteers and students who participate in the service, ensuring safety for them and for the children
• Visiting volunteers and students on practicum training shall abide by the policies and procedures of the service
• Maintain records relating to visitors and students
• Ensure no student or person under the age of 18 years old will be left alone, for any period, with a child or group of children
• Ensure no student or person under the age of 18 years old will be left alone, for any period, with a child or group of children
• For anyone who comes with direct contact to a group of children, he or she must hold a current Working with Children Check identification number (an exception to this will be the students who are still on training practicum). The service will verify via the website check, to ensure that the person is fit and proper to continue their contact with the children
• Ensure volunteers and students d not discuss the children's development or other issues with parents. All communications must be done by the service's educators or staff.
• For visitors, including incursion professional, as they are not teaching staff, they will be supervised by an educator or staff

Interactions and relationships with children

• Create a positive atmosphere and wellbeing for children within the service's setting and facilitate this through attentive care and quality interactions
• Emotional development and social relationships are enhanced through thoughtful and sophisticated approaches to conversations, discussion and the active promotion of children's language and communication skills
• Educators and staff will engage with the children in meaningful open interactions, facilitated through the day-to-day practices of the service's philosophy. In addition, educators will be guided by their professional knowledge, service's policies and practices and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)
• Interactions between educators and children are genuine, positive and responsive. They are based on respect, fairness, acceptance, co-operation and empathy. This is evident in conversations, communication, pedagogy and planning

Enrolment and orientation

• Offer childcare places in a fair and equitable manner to all eligible children within the stipulated age range
• Make the families' transition into the service's care as smooth and as positive as possible. The service takes the needs of the individual family and child/children into consideration, and encourages families to discuss their feelings and preferences on the transition process during their initial visit and throughout the orientation process
• Enrolment and orientation processes will be planned and implemented in consultation with families, in order to orient a child and family to the service. Due consideration will be given to culture and language
• Documentation, including authorisations, will be completed during the enrolment and orientation process
• Every effort will be made to work in partnership with families. However, the service recognises that there may be some extreme circumstances where the appropriate course of action is the cancellation of enrolment of a child's place
• In the event where the requested days for childcare are full, and the alternative days proposed are not viable for the parents, the child will be placed on a waiting list. As and when the required dates are available, educators and staff will contact the parents to confirm if they still keen to enroll the child. If they no longer require the childcare space, then they are removed from the waiting list, and educators and staff will contact the next parent in line to fill up the vacancies

Governance and management

• The service recognises the importance of having a framework of rules, relationships, systems and processes within and by which authority is exercised and controlled in the service
• All persons will comply with all policies and procedural requirements when engaging in activities relating to the operation of the service and will conduct themselves in an ethical manner and abide by the service's code of conduct
• There will be ongoing process of review and evaluation and all relevant information will be readily available to stakeholders
• Ensure working relationships are characterised by open and respectful communication, accountability and trust
• The service will hold a policy and procedure file, which is accessible by all stakeholders

Payment of fees and provision of a statement of fees charged

• The service will establish a clear Fees Schedule, which will include all fees payable related to care offered
• Parents or guardians are liable for the full cost of contracted childcare at the commencement of childcare, and are encouraged to keep payments weekly in advance
• The service will provide at least 14 days of advance notice of any increases to the cost of care
• Termination of care requires a minimum of 2 week's advance notice in writing
• The service will provide parents or guardians with a receipt for all fees paid for childcare
• The service has the right to charge a late payment penalty of AUD15.00 to accounts that are in arrears, and then AUD15.00 every week thereafter. If parents continue to be uncooperative or non-responsive, the service will engage the service of a debt collection company to recover the outstanding amount. A formal notification of such will be sent to the parent via post.
• A child may be asked to leave the service if the parents have incurred substantial arrears in fees
• In compliance with the educator:child ratio, 2 educators must remain on duty until all the children are collected. As we close promptly at 6.30pm each day, families are requested to notify the service as soon as possible if they are going to be late so appropriate staffing arrangements can be made. Any parents/guardians collecting their children after 6.30pm will be charged a late fee - calculated at $40 per 30 minutes period. Please note that Child Care Subsidies (CCS) will not apply to this late fee, and parents/guardians are required to pay the late collection fees in cash.

Withdrawal of child

• Parents or guardians are responsible to give at least 2 weeks' notice to the service if they intend to withdraw their child/children. Where notice of termination is given during the annual closure period, 4 weeks written notice is required.
• Parents or guardians are responsible to make payment for all fees due, and up to the 2 weeks' notice, before the last day the child leaves the service
• In the event where the parents or guardians fail to pay all dues in full before the last day of the child's care, the service will engage the service of a debt collection company to recover the outstanding amount. A formal notification of such will be sent to the parent via post
• Families are encouraged to provide reasons for the departure. This will assist the service to produce outcomes, which in turn will help with the continuing quality of care provided at the service

Diversity, inclusion and equity

• It is the service's philosophy that each educator and staff respects the diversity of families and cultures in the community, and embraces the varying practices and beliefs and traditions of different cultures including Indigenous Australians
• The service will endeavour to ensure that all practices abide by the National Regulations, and the curriculum implements the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), which supports children's connectedness with, and contributions within their world, providing experiences and promoting children's abilities to respond to diversity with respect
• The service will build inclusive, collaborative and respectful partnerships with children, families, educators, other children's services and child care professionals, regulatory authorities and the broader community
• Educators and staff will provide a programme, curriculum, activities, equipment and experiences relevant to both gender, to various cultures, beliefs and abilities through planning experiences and providing resources that broaden children's perspectives and encourage appreciation of diversity. These will be provided on an ongoing basis, as part of the daily planned and spontaneous experiences, materials and activities
• Educators and staff will gather information on children's abilities and any special or support needs, as indicated on the Enrolment Package. When there may be a difference between the service's policies and practices and a family's values or beliefs, educators and staff will be sensitive and include these into the programme where possible, reflecting on its value to the service, curriculum, other families and the children's development and wellbeing