Iluka Preschool

Supervision

 

The centre will maintain high levels of supervision of children at all times.

 

Staff will position themselves where they can see all the children under their supervision, listen carefully to what is happening and know the children individually so they can anticipate their needs.  Staff will join in the children’s play and encourage then to try new experiences.

 

Staff will judge when children need an adult to facilitate play or will join in a child’s request.  Children will be regularly reminded of safety procedures for all play equipment.  Children will be encouraged to try new challenges as appropriate.

 

Guiding Children’s Behaviour

 

Learning appropriate behaviour is part of your child’s social development.  Our staff aim to help children to be responsible for their own behaviour and to develop and understanding of what is appropriate in different situations.

 

You are encouraged to discuss your child’s behaviour with the qualified staff to ensure consistent behaviour expectations between home and the Centre.  Limits to children’s behaviour will always be clearly expressed in positive terms and reinforced consistently in a peaceful manner.  The staff will focus on positive behaviour, providing praise and encouragement where appropriate.  Wherever possible problems will be prevented before they arise by using methods such as diversion and providing enough equipment for all.

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Limits

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We find the following limits necessary to protect the safety and well-being of every child and ask parents to reinforce these with their child:

1. Respect for other people and their property

2. Leaving the room only under adult supervision or knowledge

3. Walking only inside

4. Children are discouraged from throwing sand and toys.

5. At no time will a child receive any form of corporal punishment eg smacked or be placed in a room alone, made immobile, frightened or humiliated in any way, nor will food or drink  be withheld as a form of punishment.

6. If children consistently display unacceptable behaviour the senior staff will ensure:

7. The expectations of the child’s behaviour are realistic and appropriate to their developmental level

8. The child understands the limits

9. There is no conflict between centre and home expectations

10. The child’s needs are being met

11. The child has no reasons which may cause the unacceptable behaviour eg Dietary problems, poor hearing, poor coordination, communication difficulties, illness or emotional stress

12. The child is not copying observed behaviour

13. Consequences of the behaviour do not encourage it to persist.

14. Strategies are consistently followed by all educators the development of most children, usually caused by lack of verbal communication skills. 

15. These behaviours will be dealt with using the same positive behaviour guiding strategies that staff  use to deal with other unacceptable behaviours. 

16. Members of staff are always available to discuss such issues with you and will work with you to address any persistent behaviour problems.

17. (See our Behaviour Management Policy located in the room near the sign in desk for additional information).

 

What should your child wear?

 

It is important that children are in comfortable clothes that do not restrict their enjoyment or participation at the centre.

Please dress your child suitable for play activities in clothes that you do not mid getting grubby with paint, mud, sand or glue.  We do provide aprons but clothes still get stained.  Children need to have a pair of shoes, and a hat clearly marked with their name.

 

You will also need to provide an extra set of clothes in your child’s bag to change into should the need arise.  We recommend that at least two pairs of underwear are included.  We have spare clothes available.  If your child goes home in centre clothing we ask that you wash and return them to the centre.

 

Your child’s bag and all personal items should be clearly labelled with your child’s name.  This helps to minimise loss of items.  If your child is accidently sent home with something that does not belong to him or her, we ask you to return it the next day.

 

Personal Toys

 

We understand that many children would like to bring toys to the centre however, “sharing” these with other children can be difficult concept for a child to grasp.  We believe it is better therefore to leave personal toys at home.

Please let your child bring a security toy only (i.e rug, teddy etc).  Ensure these toys are clearly labelled with the child’s name.  No other toys are to be brought into the centre.  Great distress is caused to children by their own toys being lost, broken or played by other children.

Sometimes children accidently put toys into their bags and take them home.  Please bring these toys back and give them to the staff.  It is very expensive to have to keep replacing lost items.
 

Toilet Training

 

It is important that we work in partnership with parents in meeting children’s toilet training needs.  Consistency and continuity is important for children learning to use the toilet.  Please communicate with the teacher so they can follow the routines you have in place for toilet training.

 

Health and Safety, Hygiene

 

In group care situations, one of the most consistent problems is to control the spread of infections among the children and staff.

 

The application of universal hygiene procedures will be followed at the Centre at all times to control the spread of infection within the centre.  Staff role model a high level of personal hygiene at all times and place emphasis on the children learning and understanding why hygiene is important.  Hand washing is central to this system and children will be introduced to washing their hands before clean tasks (i.e Meals)  and after all dirty tasks ( i.e after using the toilet) as soon as they are developmentally ready. (Please refer to the Health and Safety Policy in the policy manual near the sign in desk).

 

Immunisation

 

Immunisation of children who attend the centre will help to limit the spread of infection. We encourage parents to immunise their children against all diseases appropriate to the child’s age.

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A record of your child’s current immunisation status will be kept at the centre.  Children who are not immunised will not be able to attend our service from January 2018. Children who are not fully immunised  (eg on a catchup schedule) will be excluded in times of outbreaks following the National Health and Medical Research council guidelines.

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Exclusion

 

As a protection for all children and staff, the following exclusion policy applies to all children enrolled at the centre.

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Children with infectious diseases will be excluded from the centre in accordance with the National Health & Medical research council exclusion guidelines.  A medical certificate is required after contracting measles, meningococcal, mumps, chicken pox, whooping cough, diphtheria, hepatitis A, polio, tuberculosis, typhoid and paratyphoid before your child can be readmitted to the centre.

 

Unwell Children at the Centre

 

The centre is not able to care for children who are ill.  The following policy has been developed to protect your child and the other children attending the centre.

 

It is important that the Director be notified if your child has been unwell or received an injury since last attending the Centre.

 

In the case of your child becoming ill at the centre, every effort will be made to contact you to ask you to take the child home.  Paracetamol will not be given without medical practitioner authority.  The Director has the perogative to call an ambulance, or doctor if urgent medical attention is required.  Every effort will be made to contact you or your nominated emergency contact people as soon as possible.  All medical and ambulance costs are the parent’s responsibility. (See Medical, Frist Aid and Health & Hygiene policy for more information near the sign in desk).

 

Management of Unwell Children

 

While it is our aim to assist parents as much as we can with the care of their children, the responsibility of parenting remains with the parents 24 hours a day.  A sick child will always require comfort of their families within their own home environment.

 

Children and staff in education and care settings are at an increased risk of cross infection.  Therefore it is essential that an unwell child are quickly and appropriately cared for.

 

We recognise that on occasions a child may be mildly unwell for only a short period of time.  Finding alternative arrangements for your child’s care can be stressful for parents and often unnecessary if a child has only been ill for short period of time.

 

Therefore, parents and staff shall work together in identifying the caring for unwell children and recognising when they are fit to return to the centre.

 

The following guidelines should be used to identify if a child is unwell:

 

If the child is fretful or listless, crying readily but not comforted easily, crying constantly as a result of discomfort from sickness, reacting badly to medications. In need of one to one care, uninterested in playing, abnormally quiet or inactive, uninterested in food, irritable when disturbed, hot to touch, looking tired or flushed, feeling cold or pale, vomiting, having 2 or more cases of diarrhoea, have a rash and sleep in at unusual times.

 

In any of the above scenarios, the family will be contacted and required to take their child home immediately.  The centre does not have the staff resources to care for children properly in these conditions.

 

If the child is unwell and unable to participate in activities staff will:

 

Take the child’s temperature using the thermometer.  If the child’s temp Exceeds 37.5 degrees then the next steps are to be taken:

 

1. Inform the Director and the families of the child. 

2. If parents cannot be contacted, then contact the emergency contacts and the child’s doctor if need be.

3. Separate the unwell child from other children, until the child is taken home by family

4. Monitor and record the child’s temperature every 10 minutes and stay with the child

 

Staff will take steps to cool the child i.e. remove excess clothing, wipe down with a cool cloth.

 

DO NOT LEAVE MEDICATIONS OR LOTIONS IN YOUR CHILD’S BAG.

 

Keep your Child at Home If He/She has:

 

• A high temperature or fever the day prior to attending care

• Conjunctivitis – the eye is red and inflamed with yellow pus discharge

• Bronchitis – this starts with a slight cough and a temperature

• A rash – any skin irritation you cannot identify and has not been diagnosed by a doctor.  If your child has an allergy reaction to insect bites, please tell a staff member.

• Diarrhoea – watery bowel movements usually with a bad odour.  Keep your child at home for 24 hours after the last unusual bowel movement

• Impetigo – starts with small spots that crust over and form blisters

• Vomiting – for 12 hours after that child has vomited

• A severe cold – sneezing or runny nose (especially if a thick green mucus is coming from the nose)

• No obvious symptoms eg tired, pale, irritable, lethargic, seems unwell

• Any contagious disease that is still contagious – Measles, mumps, head lice

• An infection for which the doctor has placed an antibiotics – the child should not be brought until he/she has had medication for at least 48 hours

• Cries constantly as a result of discomfort from pain or illness

• A need for one to one care – for whatever reason

• Foot, mouth and hand disease

• Thrush
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Asthma Medication

 

Each child will have a management plan, which is to be updated every three months to ensure that medication is appropriate and is accordance to their asthma status.  This includes details of their routine, extra medications and the actions, which need to be take in any case where the child’s symptoms have increased.

 

Parental consent for asthma treatment must cover administration for any extra medications required to be given in the case of increased symptoms.

 

If child’s asthma symptoms progress whilst at the centre, parents will be contacted and/or child will be sent home or an ambulance called

 

Special Events

 

We consider that special events which happen during the year provide an excellent learning and socialising opportunity for the children.

Programs will reflect the cultural differences of all families using the service.  The Centre will celebrate special events with the children that reflect the cultural heritage and ethnic origins of the children attending the service.  The following events are celebrated at the Centre each year:

 

•   Special person’s day (i.e.) Mother’s Day, Fathers Day, Birthdays etc

•   Christmas

•   Easter

 

The centre understands that some parents may wish their child to not participate in some celebrations and therefore notice will be given in the monthly newsletter of forthcoming celebrations, so that parents may choose whether their child will participate.

 

Birthdays

 

Birthdays are a very important event for the young child and we help share this with music, games and a simple ceremony.  Please provide a cake for their occasion and join us for the celebration.

 

Our seasonal festivals are times when families and friends are invited to share with the children a simple ceremony, song, stories or games.  A lovely sense of community is felt during our festivals and we look forward to sharing them with you.

 

Parents and families members are welcome to join us at 2.30pm and to stay for games. 

                                   

Limits

 

We find the following limits necessary to protect the safety and well-being of every child and ask parents to reinforce these with their child:

 

•   Respect for other people and their property

•   Leaving the room only under adult supervision or knowledge

•   Walking only inside

•   Children are discouraged from throwing sand and toys.

•   At no time will a child receive any form of corporal punishment eg smacked or be placed in a room alone, made immobile, frightened or   humiliated in any way, nor will food or drink  be withheld as a form of punishment.

•   If children consistently display unacceptable behaviour the senior staff will ensure:

•   The expectations of the child’s behaviour are realistic and appropriate to their developmental level

•   The child understands the limits

•   There is no conflict between centre and home expectations

•   The child’s needs are being met

•   The child has no impediments which may cause the unacceptable behaviour eg Dietary problems, poor hearing, poor coordination,           communication difficulties, illness or emotional stress

•   The child is not copying observed behaviour

•   Consequences of the behaviour do not encourage it to persist.

 

Strategies are consistently followed by all educators the development of most children, usually caused by lack of verbal communication skills.  These behaviours will be dealt with using the same positive behaviour guiding strategies that staff use to deal with other unacceptable behaviours.  Members of staff are always available to discuss such issues with you and will work with you to address any persistent behaviour problems. (See our Behaviour Management Policy located in the room near the sign in desk for additional information).

 

 

The preschool has developed and implemented a number of other policies to ensure that a quality efficient and safe centre maintained. 

 

These policies relate to the current regulations and include:

 

Complaints & Feedback

Sun safe

Child protection

Excursion

Nutrition/Food/Beverages/Dietary Requirements

Relationships with Children

Enrolment & orientation

 

A complete copy of all our policies is kept on the shelf above the lockers. Please see staff if you wish to borrow a copy of any of the policies.

Changes and suggestion are always welcomed when they help to provide a quality service. These can be made in writing to the management committee via the fees box or made personally at any general meeting or inform to staff and or committee members at any time.

 

 

As you come and go from Preschool, PLEASE ensure ALL GATES are CLOSED correctly and that you abide by the NO SMOKING policy.