PLATEAU SCHOOL OUT OF SCHOOL CARE
PR-4-3
PROCEDURAL DOCUMENT
Effective Date: 4 September 2012
Rationale
To provide quality care for children outside school hours.
Purpose
To
care for children whose parents are not available to care for them
before and/or after school, in a safe and secure environment. The
programme aims to provide a safe and stimulating programme which caters
for the children’s different ages, sex and cultural backgrounds while
attempting to encompass individual needs and interests.
The safety of the children is the paramount consideration during programme provision.
Copies of these procedures will be available to parents at all times.
Operation
The programme will provide a well-managed service that meets the needs of the local community and covers its own costs.
Programme Hours
The programme will
operate from 7.30am to 8.30am and from 3.00pm to 6.00pm daily during
term time, Monday to Friday during specified weeks of the primary school
term. The programme will not operate on public holidays, or as
notified in the School newsletter.
Fees
Fee details are available from the school website, school office or from out of school care staff.
The
daily fee structure will be announced prior to enrolment. There is no ¼
hour charge, the minimum is ½ hour. There is a penalty charge for those
children picked up after 6.00pm. This is $10 per child. This goes to
the Supervisor.
Fees
are structured such that a permanent user pays less than a casual user
(i.e attendance is 2 days a week or less). Discounts are incorporated
into the fees for families with two or more children attending.
Finances
will be administered by the School office and will be audited yearly
through the Plateau School system. The supervisor is responsible for
keeping a record of attendance and ongoing financial records for the
families using Out of School Care. All money received must be recorded
in writing. Monies owing for fees owing should be paid to the school
each Monday, or by arrangement.
Enrolment Procedures
All
families must complete an enrolment form and sign a parent contract
before the child can participate in the programme. It is the parent’s
responsibility to inform the supervisor of any changes. Only students
currently attending Plateau School or past students can attend Out of
School Care.
Confidentiality
The
programme will ensure staff and child confidentiality. At all times the
programme will comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1993.
Drop Off and Pick Up
Parents
or people collecting children from after school care need to make sure
the Supervisor is aware they have picked up their child.
Parents
of regular attendees are expected to contact the school office before
2.30pm if their child will not be attending on their normal day/s.
Likewise, parents who wish their child/ren to attend on a casual or
emergency basis are expected to contact the school office prior to
2.30pm if they wish their child to attend.
The following steps will be taken if a child does not arrive:
- School grounds will be checked.
- Teachers will be contacted for absence information.
- Parents will be telephoned.
- If parents are unavailable, emergency contacts will be telephoned.
If a child is not collected at the end of the day, the following procedure will be followed:
- A staff member will remain with the child.
- Parents and emergency contacts will be contacted.
- If there has
been no contact with the parents within 15 minutes of the programme
closing, the Principal or Deputy Principal will be contacted to arrange
care of the child. A note will be left at the school indicating where
the child has been taken.
- Parents will be charged a late pick-up fee of $10.
Staff
will not release a child to a person who is not identified on the
enrolment form. Parents must inform the school office if a person who
is not listed on the child’s enrolment form will be collecting the
child. If an unauthorised person comes to collect the child, parents
will be contacted for authorisation.
Written permission must be given for children to leave the programme unaccompanied.
Complaints
If any person has a complaint about the programme or staff members the Plateau School Complaints Procedure should be followed.
Children with Special Needs
Children
with special needs will not be excluded from the programme, providing
that the supervisor is confident that the child’s needs can be catered
for without negatively affecting the other children and also to ensure
the child will benefit from being at the programme.
Programme Content
The
service will provide a safe, varied and stimulating programme that meets
the emotional, intellectual and physical needs of the children.
Children
will be encouraged to participate in planned activities but may choose
not to, as long as they are not bored or disruptive.
Equipment will be well maintained and will be age appropriate.
Food
Afternoon tea is supplied at After School Care.
Supervision
Out
of School Care will be run by one Supervisor. The programme operates a 1
to 15 adult to child ratio, eg when more than 15 students are present,
another staff member is employed. At all times there are at least two
adults on the school site – one being the supervisor and the other the
school cleaner, or the Principal.
The
supervisor is responsible for ensuring that staff are rostered so that
all children are supervised at all times. Children will be in view of
staff at all times when appropriate. Children must remain within school
grounds at all times and must inform an adult when they are going to
leave the area (to go to the toilet, etc).
Formal attendance records will be kept and head counts will be made regularly during the sessions.
Health & Safety
The programme will
take place in a safe and healthy environment, suitable for the care of
children and for the needs of the staff. At all times the well-being
and safety of the children is foremost. All relevant legislation will
be adhered to.
Health and Safety procedures and policies are as for Plateau School.
The
supervisor will ensure that the outdoor play areas are safe and that
there is an adult supervising the children while they are outdoors.
At least one person present must have relevant first aid qualifications.
At
least one school toilet will be open for students and these are cleaned
daily by the school caretaker. Out of School Care staff are expected to
use the staff toilets.
All
Out of School Care staff have access to the telephone in the school
office. Out of School Care has a file with current information about
each child’s health and emergency contact details and persons with
permission to collect children.
Should
a child be unwell at Out of School Care the supervisor will contact
emergency contacts and arrange for the child to be collected.
Should
the supervisor suspect that any child is being abused they are expected
to immediately pass their concerns onto the school Principal for
follow-up.
All
accidents at Out of School Care will be recorded in the school’s
accident register located in the school medical room and a record kept
of procedures and actions. A first aid kit is available in the medical
room.
Any
hazards noted by Out of School staff are to be reported to the
Principal. Out of School Care facilities will be assessed at the same
time as the school for a Warrant of Fitness and evacuation plan.
Smoke Free Policy
Plateau School is a smoke free zone and smoking is not permitted in the school grounds.
Accident, Emergency & Disaster Procedures
Accident,
emergency and disaster procedures will be as for Plateau School’s
procedures. Emergency procedures are on display in the Out of School
Care room. Assembly area is on the netball court.
Behaviour Management
Children’s
behaviour is expected to be of the same standard as during school hours
with any serious misdemeanours reported to the Principal. Programmes
will be designed to ensure that children and families experience an
environment where they are safe, secure, respected and their dignity is
protected.
If a child behaves inappropriately at Out of School Care the Committee can refuse this child access to the programme.
Staff & Volunteers
The
programme will ensure quality care is provided through fair and
consistent recruitment procedures, and the supervision of all staff.
All relevant legislation will be adhered to.
Recruitment
The
selection and recruitment of staff is the responsibility of the
Principal, in consultation with the supervisor. If a person is going
to be employed at Out of School Care, referees will be contacted and a
police check will be undertaken.
Staff
will be provided with a job description and an employment contract.
Records are kept on each person employed at Out of School Care.
The
Principal is responsible for undertaking disciplinary action and for
ensuring that it is in accordance with all relevant legislation. If a
staff member is not performing adequately every reasonable effort will
be made to help them understand the problem and to improve. Staff will
be given two verbal warning and one written warning clearly stating the
problem, the measures required to improve performance and a time frame
in which this is to occur. If there is not sufficient improvement the
staff member may be dismissed.
Staff may be suspended pending further investigation if they are accused of:
- any form of sexual, physical, or psychological abuse
- failing to observe School procedures so that a child is injured or placed in serious danger.
If the complaint is upheld the staff member may be dismissed.
OUT OF SCHOOL CARE – GUIDELINES FOR EMPLOYEES
Effective Date: 4 September 2012
Supervision
All Out of School
Care employees must ensure that all students at Out of School Care are
treated fairly, and in particular when dealing with situations involving
their own children.
The
supervisor must know at all times where Out of School Care children
are. If children are playing outside they must be supervised. The
staff arenot responsible for other children who are at school.
There
is to be one staff member employed for each 15 children attending Out
pf School Care. If there are not enough workers rostered on a
particular day, the supervisor will arrange additional help.
Environment
Children
must clean and tidy up after themselves. Children should only eat if
they are sitting down and drink on the lino area. If they move
furniture, it must be put back. All sports equipment must be returned
to its proper place and not left lying around the school.
Health & Safety
Supervising
staff must ensure that outside areas to ensure are safe and that there
is an adult supervising any children playing outside.
If
you have any concerns about a child’s wellbeing (during or outside Out
of School Care) raise these concerns with the Principal.
Toilets - Staff can use the staff toilets in the main block. Out of School Care children must use the students’ toilets.
Afternoon Tea – Afternoon tea will be provided at After School Care. Afternoon tea will be prepared before the students arrive at 3.00pm.
Records
The supervisor is required to record the names of all children attending
Out of School Care including her own, for health and safety reasons.
Records must also be kept of the time children arrive and leave the
programme each day.
If a student is
not picked up by 6.00pm contact the parent/caregiver. If they are not
available contact the emergency contacts listed on the enrolment form
(also inform the principal or deputy principal).
Visitors
Staff are not permitted to have friends visiting whilst they are working at Out of School Care.
Closing Up
The
last person to leave the school, ensure that all electrical fixtures
are turned off and that all windows and doors in Weta Room are securely
locked and the alarm switched on.
Complaints
Should anyone have a complaint about Out of School Care refer them to the Plateau School Complaints Procedure.
General
- Children must be supervised at all times.
- Children must
use the same behaviour at Out of School Care as they do during school
hours, eg no swearing, no fighting, no put down, and they must show
respect. If the behaviour of any child in Out of School Care is of
concern advise the Principal.
- A written record must be kept of all monies received.
- All equipment must be returned to its correct place.
- Door to Weta Room must be kept closed if the heater is on.
- Try to be
close by when parents pick their child up, as they must speak to an Out
of School Care employee when they collect their child, as a safety
precaution and the time they leave recorded.
- If you wish
to have a cup of tea or coffee, please do this before the children
arrive at 3pm. The children should not be left unsupervised even for
short periods.
- People who leave their child occasionally or just once need to pay in a timely fashion when invoiced.
- Failure to
pay for Out of School care may result in further action being taken at
the discretion of the Principal and/or Board of Trustees.
- Weta Room must be kept tidy with games put away by the children.
