The A - Z Of Balmoral Family Day Care

Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee consists of parents, carers, coordination unit staff, sponsor and community representatives who discuss policy and regulatory matters and make recommendations to our management. Meetings are held at Rogoona Street in the evenings, every second month.

Your participation and input into this committee is welcomed.

Absences

Absences (including Public Holidays) must be recorded on the attendance records and initialed by parents. Please inform your carer if your child will not be attending family day care at anytime. CCB can be paid on 30 approved absences per year (July - June). Public Holidays and absences supported by a medical certificate will not be counted in the 30 day limit. Please see the fee schedule for guidelines regarding charging practices for absences.

Alternate Care

In the event that your carer is temporarily unavailable and you require care for your child please contact the Coordination Unit. We will make every effort to find an alternate carer for the time your usual carer is unavailable. You will need to fill out a consent form with your alternate carer before leaving your child with them. You will pay your alternate carer according to her fee schedule.

Attendance Records

Attendance Records must be initialed when you deliver and collect your child and the actual time must be recorded. Attendance records are to be signed by parent at the end of the week to verify that the recording is accurate. Parents are to enter how many children are using approved services within the applicable week. Attendance records are a legal document for funding and insurance purposes.

Auditing of Records

The scheme's financial audit is carried out by the Management's Auditors at the end of the financial year. Family Assistance Office conduct compliance visits to check that Child Care Benefit is paid and managed appropriately. Timesheets are checked for attendance, initialing and signatures.

Behaviour Management

The Family Day Care home will provide an environment in which your child will be helped to learn about his/her own rights and develop a respect for the rights of others. Encouragement and appreciation will be freely given as recognition of appropriate behaviour. Physical, verbal and emotional punishment is regarded as unacceptable and will not be permitted or justified as a child management technique.

Booked Hours

Upon enrolment, parents sign a contract with the carer agreeing to arrangements for care. A condition of our operational funding from the Commonwealth Government is that each day the scheme stays within its allocated number of child care hours. If parents need additional hours they must contact the Coordination Unit to check if there are sufficient hours to accommodate the extra hours you require.

If the care hours are reduced a week's notice is required otherwise the previously booked hours may apply.

Cancellation of Care

If a parent or carer wishes to cancel care, then two weeks notice is required or two weeks fees paid in full in lieu of notice (CCB will not be paid if care is not used unless a medical certificate is provided).

Parents choosing to pay in lieu of notice must sign appropriate absences on the attendance record.

Coordinators

Coordinators in this scheme all have Early Childhood qualifications and experience in a diverse range of early childhood settings. Their role is to monitor the care and to provide support to carers and parents.

Criminal History Checks/Suitability Card

All members of FDC staff and adult members of a carer's household are required to have a suitability card.

Clothing

Parents are asked to supply sufficient clothing (including a hat) for your child for the day bearing in mind that your child may participate in some messy activities. It is also a good idea to pack spare clothes for when accidents occur and a jumper for cooler weather.

Emergency and Evacuation Procedures

All carers have an emergency evacuation plan for their premises. This is on display at carers homes- ask your carer to show you their plan. In the event of an emergency, a carer may need to leave the children with an emergency person. An emergency person is the nearest responsible adult at the time of a medical emergency or other unforeseen short term incident who can provide appropriate care for the children. You will be notified if this should occur as soon as practicable by either the carer or the Coordination Unit.

Enrolment Fee

There is a $20 enrolment fee payable at your inital interview.

Excursions and Outings

Outings are regular routine events where the carer does not travel out of their local area, for example, a trip to the park, playgroup, shopping. You will be asked to decide whether you will allow your child to participate in these outings and to indicate your decision on the Consent Form and Outings form.

Excursions are out of the ordinary events which are organised by the scheme or by a single or small group of carers. You will be supplied with all the relevant information before an excursion takes place. Written permission will be obtained from parents before children are taken on excursions. Excursion permission forms are kept on file in the office.

Grievance Procedures

The following procedure has been set up to enable you to raise concerns about the care of your child:
1. Raise the matter with the carer
2. If the issue is not resolved, contact a coordinator.
3. If the issue remains unresolved, contact the Licensee. The representative for the licensee is the Community Services Manager of Wesley Mission Brisbane. Ph:36214556
4. If the issue is still not resolved, contact the Department of Communities at the local office at Level Ground Floor, Block A Garden Square, 643 Kessels Road, Upper Mt Gravatt 4122 or PO Box 6069, Upper Mt Gravatt 4122. Ph: 33430200 Fax 3219 4266

Parents may at any time speak to the Coordination Unit confidentially on any issue of concern, either before or after speaking to the carer.

Health and Safety

The health and safety of children in Family Day Care homes is paramount. House safety checks are carried out regularly by coordinators and carers must provide a safe, hygienic environment for your child. Carers must also ensure they observe strict health and hygiene practices in their home. For information on our recommendations see the Scheme policy document. A copy is at the office and in each carer's home.

Injuries, Illness and Infectious Diseases

The Balmoral Family Day Care Scheme aims to care for the well-being of all children at a Family Day Care home. A child who is sick and may have an infectious illness should be excluded from care with other children. They will only be allowed to return to care on the advice of a qualified medical practitioner, or when the symptoms have disappeared, unless under special conditions agreed by Coordination Unit, parents and providers.

In terms of your child's health, it is important to remember that respect and consideration for the carer and other children is essential during illness.

Your carer reserves the right to exclude a sick child from care or request the parents to collect a sick child during the day. All carers have a copy of Staying Healthy in Child care for incubation/exclusion times, symptoms etc.

If an illness or injury occurs in the Family Day Care home, the carer will complete an "Illness and Injury Register" and you will be asked to sign off on this form.

In-service Training

Carers must attend regular in-service training provided by the Scheme and other community agencies. A wide range of topics are covered to help carers provide a high quality service for your child. Occasional training nights will be open for parents, see newsletters for details. Why not ask your carer what workshops they have attended?

Insurance

All carers must carry insurance. Carers are self-employed, and as such are responsible for making arrangements for their insurance. You may wish to discuss insurance with your carer when you meet them.

Late Fees

Refer to carer's Fee Schedule. Please be considerate of your child and carer. We understand that occasionally there may be unavoidable circumstances that prevent you from picking up your child on time, but please call your carer to let them know you will be late. If you find you are having trouble getting to your carer's on time, you may need to renegotiate your contract to allow yourself a little extra time. Also, please do not drop off your child early unless previously arranged with your carer.

Management

Wesley Mission Brisbane is nominated as the agent for the Licensee of the Scheme (Uniting Church of Australia Property Trust Q.), and as such accepts overall responsibility for the scheme, ensuring that the scheme meets the needs of the local community and complies with Commonwealth and State Government requirements.

Medication

Medication will only be administered if written permission and clear instructions of dosage is supplied. When you arrive at your carer's home, ask for the medication book and complete all the details. You will be asked to initial the carer's statement about dosages at the end of the day. Medication will be stored according to instructions and comply with Scheme policies. N.B. Please ensure your carer has your current Doctor's name and telephone number in case of an emergency.

Meals

Play makes children hungry and thirsty. Please send plenty of nutritious food and drink to sustain your child for the day. Family Day Carers actively promote healthy eating habits during care hours and meals supplied by them will be wholesome and nutritious. Ensure your carer is kept fully informed of any food allergies and negotiate appropriate foods to be provided.

Monitoring of Quality Care

A quality child care service provides a safe and nurturing environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional, intellectual and language development of young children and is sensitive to the needs of families.

Minimum standards, set by the Child Care Regulation2003, apply to all Family Day Carers in Queensland. These are complemented by National Standards as required by the National Child Care Accreditation Council. The Balmoral Family Day Care Scheme has written policies that carers must abide by to ensure a quality service is provided. Co-coordinators ensure care is monitored through regular home visits, phone contact, playgroup attendance and annual re-registration of carers.

Playgroup

A coordinator must be present to facilitate playgroup. This enables coordinators to observe individual children's growth and development and ensure that activities and experiences planned are appropriate. Playgroup provides an opportunity for children to mix socially with other children and adults in a different environment. Physical and social skills can be further developed through creative (sometimes messy) play. Carers can gain support, friendship and learn together in an informal manner. Playgroup also enables coordinators to interact and give support to carers by using this as an informal training session eg. Displaying activities that can be used at home; how to meet quality assurance indicators and by resourcing them.

Please send children in clothes appropriate for messy play.

Sun Protection

Skin cancer is a major concern these days and our carers encourage the children to care for their skin. It is for this reason that each child is required to bring a hat and sunscreen to care every day. Children are encouraged to stay out of the sun during the middle of the day when the sun is strongest. Carers may instigate the "no hat no play" rule.

Parents please ensure hats fit, and have brims large enough to protect a child's face and neck. Caps are not suitable.

Service Levy

The service levy is a weekly charge per family which goes towards any shortfall in funding and provides resources in the home and scheme, for example, operating costs, coordinator visits, nursery equipment, toy library items, resource books, newsletters etc. The service levy is payable to the carer who passes this on to the scheme. See carer fee schedule for details.

Smoking

Current regulations state that carers, members of their families, or visitors to the home must not smoke in the presence of children, however, we are only too happy to comply with a parent's request for a non-smoking household.

Students and Volunteers

Students and volunteers may be involved with the Scheme from time to time. Parents will be notified through the newsletter. Students and volunteers are never left in sole charge of children.

Toy and Equipment Library

Carers aim to provide a range of age-appropriate toys and equipment for your child. The scheme operates a toy and equipment library for carers to help extend their existing environment. Nursery equipment such as high chairs, cots, car seats etc may be provided by the scheme. Carers must ensure toys and equipment provided for the children are safe, clean and age-appropriate. Resource books are also available for carers to explore new ideas and support their ongoing professional development.

Transporting Children

Anchorage points in vehicles are checked annually by a qualified inspector and appropriate child safety restraints are required to be used at all times. Children are never to be left unattended in a vehicle. Many Carers transport children to and from school and pre-school and may charge an additional fee. Please discuss transport arrangements and costs with your carer when you meet them.

Types of Care

Long day care, short day care, full or part week care, before/after school care, casual care, occasional care, 24 hour care for parental absences due to work or sickness, overnight and weekend care. The scheme has a commitment to inclusion of children with special needs.

Waiting List

There is no charge to place your childs name on our waiting list.

Walkers

Baby Walkers are not recommended for babies in care with this scheme.