Acton Early Childhood Centre

Transcription

1 Acton Early Childhood Centre WORK-BASED CHILD CARE POLICY AIMS To provide opportunities for work-based child care for the staff of Acton Early Childhood To provide equal access for all children to the high quality program at Acton Early Childhood Centre irrespective of their relationship to the staff at the To provide a flexible and supportive work environment for all staff, particularly those with children. EXPLANATION This policy was developed in recognition of the fact that staff working in long day care experience particular difficulties in finding child care to meet their needs. The provision of work-based child care aligns with Centres philosophy of homeliness and fosters deeper relationships between the staff, children and parents of Acton Early Childhood Work-based child care has been shown to be beneficial in maintaining high staff morale and in assisting in the retention of quality staff. Staff are more likely to return from maternity leave, knowing that their child will be with them in a loving and supportive environment. Staff continuity is an important principle of high quality care and has many cost benefits for the centre. The provision of work-based child care for staff is recognised as a significant above-award benefit. The provision of work-based child care can bring with it issues that have an impact on effective management within the These issues need to be monitored, discussed and resolved. At times it can be important to allow for placement of a child to ensure adequate staffing across the ACTIONS All staff are eligible to apply for their child/ren to be enrolled at Acton Early Childhood

2 Staff requests for childcare placements are via the standard waiting list and will be given priority above ANU staff and students and equal priority to siblings of families already in the It is strongly recommended that staff wishing to enrol their children should also have alternative childcare arrangements in case there is no place available at the time when care is required. If a place is not available within the Centre it is suggested that staff consider offers of placements at other childcare centres without delay. A reciprocal arrangement exists with ANU Preschool and Child Care Centre if staff wish to pursue this avenue. If a staff member (after known as a staff parent) has a child already attending the Centre and wishes to change their days of care, they will be placed on the Internal Waiting List, which is maintained on a first come-first served arrangement for all families within the Their needs will be accommodated as best as is possible and practical so that the staff member can fulfil their work duties. The Centre caps the maximum workable number of places for the children of staff in each room at two children per room per day. Staff should be aware that changes to days of care and staff work arrangements can only be accommodated with respect to the cap referred to above. Changes for extra days, credit days and staff casual work days, where these result in a room exceeding the cap, will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Director in consultation with the staff in the room affected. The Centre cap on places for children of staff will be maintained as best as possible when the need to move a child into the next room arises. Exceeding the cap in this circumstance will be considered following consultation with the Director, the staff parent, the staff in the room the child is moving into and the Management Committee Staff Liaison Person. Staff enrolling their child/ren in the Centre should be aware that guidelines apply and regular reviews will be undertaken. In the event of a parent making a complaint relating to the staff parents work-based care arrangements, the Director may initiate a review with the staff parent concerned. GUIDELINES The Director will be responsible for:- the overall implementation and co-ordination of the policy; the ongoing monitoring of the child s placement; ensuring that staff and parents have the opportunity to address any concerns regarding the policy; providing feedback on a timely basis to the staff parent, the other staff and the committee.

3 When enrolling the child/ren of staff members the following issues will be considered:- the available vacancy and probable vacancies as the child needs to progress through the Centre; the needs of the child and those of the children in the room where the child will be; the needs of the staff parent and the room where the staff parent currently works; the concerns of other staff members involved. In considering the issues listed above the following guidelines will be kept in place :- Although staffing arrangements within the Centre may be reviewed to accommodate the staff parent, no non-parent staff member will be moved unless they are agreeable. In the event of the Directors child being enrolled then the Management Committees Staff Liaison Person will be responsible for approving, monitoring and reviewing the child s placement in consultation with the Centres senior staff. Upon acceptance of a childcare place for their child/ren, the staff parent will be required to sign the form titled AGREEMENT REGARDING ENROLMENT OF CHILDREN OF STAFF MEMBERS, stating that they understand the two roles they will undertake, as a professional member of staff and as a parent. See copy of form attached. REVIEW The purpose of the review procedure is to ensure that the implementation of the policy is a positive experience for all concerned. The Centre engages in this active process because it recognises that work-based care can produce problems as well as benefits. Reviews become particularly important when staff work in the same room as that attended by their child. The review process entails the Director and staff parent undertaking an assessment (form attached) of the work-based childcare arrangement. The staff parent and Director will discuss any problems and insert any actions or areas to be aware of into the issues section of the review form. The staff parent and Director will then sign off together on this assessment, which will be kept as a written record of the review process. Reviews will be completed:- one month after the child s enrolment; after six months enrolment if felt to be necessary; before movement from one room to another, and one month after movement if necessary. In addition review procedures will be undertaken as required or requested. Issues which should be considered at review meetings include:- How the child has settled into the room and any ongoing difficulties; The impact that the presence of the child may or may not be having on the staff parent in terms of fulfilling their role in the Centre; Any concerns expressed by other staff or parents;

4 The level of contact between the staff parent and the child. Any grievances that the staff parent has are expected to be aired during the review process. If a staff member feels that urgent review is required the staff member is entitled to request an immediate review with the Director. Staff parent grievances can also be channelled through the Staff Liaison Officer. If required, the Staff Liaison Officer can undertake a written, independent assessment of the staff parents issues. The Staff Liaison Officer will then take this assessment to the Director for resolution. If necessary, the Staff Liaison Officer will attend an intervention process with the staff parent and Director. In the event of there being concerns arising from the review then strategies will be put in place to address these. A time frame will be given to review these strategies. Strategies which may be considered include movement of the staff parent within the RESOLUTION Complaints made by parents should be made to the Director. See the Complaints Policy. The Director may commence a review process. If the review process does not resolve the problem or issue, then the Director reserves the right to take the matter further. The Director may seek the assistance of the President, Vice- President and/or Staff Liaison Representative from the Parent Management Committee. The Director can request that the staff parent attends a second review, with a representative of the Parent Management Committee as noted above, in addition to the Director, in attendance. Should further monitoring and review find that no progress is being made in resolving difficulties then the Management Committee, in consultation with the Director, may advise the staff parent that alternative arrangements will need to be made. Assistance in making such arrangements will be offered and a reasonable time frame for making these arrangements will be given. The Management Committees decision is final. A reciprocal arrangement is in place to give staff at Acton Early Childhood Centre priority enrolment status at the ANU Preschool and Child Care Centre, should this avenue need to be pursued. Approved by the AECC Management Committee on 20/3/97 (source) Reviewed by Policy Review Committee 23rd November, Reviewed Policy Review Committee Changes to policy approved by Management Committee Reviewed

5 Acton Early Childhood Centre AGREEMENT REGARDING ENROLMENT OF CHILDREN OF STAFF MEMBERS As an employee of Acton Early Childhood Centre I acknowledge the dual responsibilities of my position as a professional member of staff and as a parent of a child at the I will aim to ensure that my role as a professional member of staff is not adversely affected by my child s enrolment at Acton Early Childhood I acknowledge the significant benefit involved in allowing my child to attend the Centre where I work and understand that this benefit will be subject to regular review. I agree to participate in all review meetings as outlined in the Work Based Childcare Policy and to follow the decisions and outcomes of these reviews. I agree to abide by the decisions of the Acton Early Childhood Centre Management Committee and their delegated representatives. Name: Signature: Date:

6 REVIEW OF ENROLMENT OF CHILDREN OF STAFF MEMBERS Date:.. Staff Member: Child: Members of the review panel: Issues: Recommendations: Date of next review: Signatures: Staff Member.