COVIDSAFE POLICY

Link to NQS Quality Area 2: Children’s health and safety

Standard 2.3: Each child is protected

Element 2.3.3: Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practised and implemented.

Relevant Legislation

Legislation
  • Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011

Regulation 97, 168(2)(e)

DROP OFF AND PICK UP

Drop-offs and pickups will be in the car park only

  1. A roster of room leaders to take children in from the car park.
  2. All educators and parents are to wear face masks
  3. When children have arrived at the centre, they should wait in the car until an educator is available to bring them into the centre.
  4. Parents must stay in the car until their children have been brought out to them.
  5. Walkie talkies used to communicate with rooms to let them know parents have arrived for pick up
  6. Parents who pick up children by foot must maintain 1.5 metres distance
  7. Drop off and pick up is not for chatting. All messages and chats to educators need to be sent via the class link, WhatsApp or calling the centre
  8. All educators, visitors and children must sanitize when they enter the centre premises and visitors are to sign in with the QR code.
  9. No parents to sign in and out their children. The educator on duty in the car park will complete this.

Drop off and pick up roster

7:30 -8:00

Before Care Educators

From 8 and then at 3:45

Monday

Aleph

Tuesday

Daled

Wednesday

Beis

Thursday

Gimmel

Friday

Aleph

After 5

After Care Educators

 

FAMILY GROUPING

  1. The centre is open at 7.30 am. Children arriving between 7.30-8 need to be booked in so we can ensure enough educators are on-site so the children can go directly into their own homeroom and avoid grouping children together.
  2. Between 5-6 pm the remaining children will be outside in either the undercover Aleph area or the big garden.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Any educators arriving by public transport are must sanitize thoroughly

DELIVERIES TO THE CENTRE

Contactless delivery in place for all deliveries. All deliveries to be placed at the centre front door (not the gate entrance

SHABBAT PARTY

  1. Shabbat party dress ups and tablecloths to be washed after each use and cleaned for the next week
  2. Serving of grape juice and challah should be done following usual food handling procedures
  3. Handwashing is to take place before and after eating challah

BIRTHDAY PARTIES

  1. Educators will liaise with families on the best way to celebrate their children’s birthday celebration. This is usually by video. At this stage, families are not permitted to attend the centre for these occasions.

KITCHEN AND COOKING

  1. Children are to wash their hands before any type of food handling
  2. Tables to be wiped down thoroughly before cooking
  3. Eductors are to wear gloves whilst cooking with the children
  4. Children are only to touch the food that is their own.
  5. The kitchen logbook is required by the Glen Eira council for food hygiene and safety and records all fruits and vegetables that are washed, the temperature of the fridge and freezer am and pm, the temperature of the rinse and wash mode of the dishwasher am and pm, the temperature of the food at its fully cooked temperature and when it is served to the children.
  6. The cleaning schedule of the kitchen is regulated by Glen Eira council and an independent food auditor.

EATING AND DRINKING

  1. Educators must make sure children thoroughly wash their hands before touching food and drink
  2. Individual plates of food to be made until further notice
  3. Educators hand out drinks to children individually
  4. Eat outside whenever possible
  5. All educators must use gloves when handling food and drinks. If they have touched anything other than food, the gloves need to be changed.

TECHNOLOGY

  1. Phones, IPads, computer keyboards, mouse, walkie talkies and photocopiers to be wiped down at least 3 times throughout the day (morning tea, lunch and end of the day )
  2. When finished with the phone, it needs to be wiped. Wipes need to be next to the phone
  3. Computer to be wiped down after use. (wipes)
  4. Walkie Talkies – wiped down per room
  5. When using the ipads, try to complete all tasks at once so as to limit the sharing around of devices and wipe down after use with disinfectant and wipes

TOYS

  1. Including blocks puzzles, cars, games, dolls etc
  2. Any toys that go into children’s mouths or faces need to be taken away and sterilized.
  3. Record toy washing on the toy washing register. Each room has its own roster. Everything that comes out must be cleaned before being put away.
  4. Books from the St Kilda Library should be wiped down before putting them on the bookshelf
  5. Show and Tell -no toys from home until further notice

 

CLEANING CHILDREN’S FACES

Encourage children to use face cloths to wipe their own faces whenever possible. Educators must wash their hands or sanitize straight after touching a child’s face after disposing of used gloves

 

NAPPY CHANGING

Educators must wash hands thoroughly after disposing of any used gloves. Children’s hands must also be washed after their nappy change and all other procedures followed in our nappy changing policy.

 

USE OF HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS

This includes light switches, counter benches and desks, window winders, soap dispensers, front door lock, taps, stair railings, door handles, doorbells and gates which are to be cleaned by roster after lunch and at the end of the day.

 

END OF DAY CLEANING

At the end of each day, we have a registered cleaning company conduct a thorough clean of the whole centre including all equipment and bathrooms and toilets.  They provide us with a cleaning log and schedule for our records.

 

EDUCATORS MUST WASH/SANITIZE THEIR HANDS

  1. Upon entrance and exit of the centre
  2. Coming from outside to inside
  3. After lunch breaks
  4. Before and after playing with toys
  5. When hands get soiled
  6. After wiping children’s noses and disposing of gloves
  7. When educators touch their face, mouth, nose or ears
  8. When educators touch children’s face, mouth, nose or ears
  9. Before handling food or taking trolleys with food and drinks
  10. After opening and closing blinds

 

HYGIENE

  1. Monitor/check that when children cough, sneeze and blow their nose and appropriate hygiene is used (wash hands)
  2. Tissues are readily available
  3. Remind children of good toilet practices
  4. Educators to wipe down any accidents/mishaps as soon as they notice it and use disposable gloves
  5. Educators give regular lessons and demonstrations to the children on sanitizing, blowing their noses and hygiene.

STAFF ROOM

  1. Educators are to keep 1.5m distance from each other and whenever possible throughout the centre
  2. Educators must wear masks when they are not eating
  3. Wipe down the table after using
  4. Eat outside if possible
  5. Keep all windows open

 

CLEANING EQUIPMENT

  1. We are well stocked with all cleaning products including but not limited to hand sanitiser, antibacterial soap, disposable gloves, thermometers, cleaning detergent, disinfectant, cleaning mops and buckets, floor cleaner, toilet paper, paper towel, nappies and wipes. There is a weekly routine check for stock. If there is not less than a week’s supply of any product, it will be reordered.

 

VENTILATION

  1. Windows should be open at all times and doors where possible.
  2. Fans should be on in all rooms.

 

TO AVOID MOVEMENT BETWEEN ROOMS

  1. Indoor/outdoor play is encouraged – half children inside and half children outside.
  2. Floating educators should be limited to no more than 2 rooms whenever possible
  3. The cook will bring food upstairs rather than educators.
  4. Resources should be restocked at the end of the day
  5. Everyone should help to bring resources or necessary items between rooms – more communication to take things.
  6. No joining rooms together for Shabbat parties, concerts or shows unless outside.
  7. If anything needs to be brought between rooms, use walkie talkies or phones where possible
  8. Pet duties are to be maintained by individual rooms.

 

VACCINATIONS

  1. All educators must be fully vaccinated in order to be able to work at the centre
  2. All educators, students and visitors to the centre must email their vaccination certificate prior to entering the centre
  3. Parents are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated
  4. External  visitors (Currently we are not allowing any external visitors)
  5. When we are ready to reintroduce visitors to the centre (eg – music, sports buzz) they will need to be full vaccinated and updated with our covidsafe policy

 

RECOGNIZING SYMPTOMS OF COVID 19

Our covidsafe plan is a working document and follows the current guidelines by DHHS.   Every educator and family should be familiar with and understand all policies and procedures outlined in this document. In addition, any new educators and students must be guided through this policy as part of their induction.

 

RECOGNIZING ILL CHILDREN AND EDUCATORS

  1. We regularly remind educators and families to stay home if experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms no matter how mild and getting tested and following the relevant health advice. In accordance with DHHS guidelines, you may also be asked to isolate at home in the event of possible exposure to COVID19. During this period we are not able to make any fee reductions because of your child’s absence due to ongoing centre expenses.

These symptoms include the following

  • Fever
  • Chills or sweats
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Short of breath
  • Runny nose
  • Loss of or change of smell or taste
  • Headache
  • Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
  1. Temperature checking is not required by ECEC services across Victoria. However, if the nominated supervisor reasonably believes the child or adult may have a fever, they must agree to have their temperature checked before entering the centre
  1. Rapid tests are available at the centre
  2. Parents must advise the centre if their children or close contact have developed symptoms of the virus or are confirmed to have the virus
  3. Families and educators must advise the centre if they have been tested for COVID and stay home until they receive a negative result
  4. Comply with infectious diseases policy which requires ill children and adults to stay home adhere to all relevant exclusion periods.
  5. Provide evidence of a negative covid test if requested including after a period of isolation or quarantine
  6. If requested, provide medical evidence that COVID symptoms are not infectious and that they are there presenting for other medical reasons

 

POSITIVE CASES OF COVID-19 AT THE CENTRE

 

  1. Follow government guidance in relation to managing and reporting confirmed (and suspected) COVID cases
  2. The nominated supervisor or approved provider should send a notification through the National Quality Agenda IT system (NQAITS)
  3. Advise everyone who attended the centre within the past 48 hours of a positive test result to self-isolate and be tested as soon as possible Follow the advice of DHHS in regard to contact tracing and isolation requirements about being vigilant about the onset of COVID symptoms to self isolate at symptom onset and be tested as soon as possible
  4. Undertake thorough cleaning of the entire centre
  5. If an educator or child tests positive for COVID-19, they can only return to the centre after isolation periods are met according to the directions of the DHHS

 

WHEN THE CHILD CAN COME BACK AFTER TESTING POSITIVE

Please refer to and follow the guidelines from DHHS.

Key Responsibilities and Authorities

Educators are responsible for implementing this policy.

Policy review

  • The service will review the Covidsafe Policy on a regular basis
  • Families are encouraged to collaborate with the service to review the policy and procedures.
  • Educators are essential stakeholders in the policy review process and will be encouraged to be actively involved.

 

Links to other policies

  • Safety Policy
  • OH&S Policy

Sources and further reading

  • DHHS
  • Department Of Education And Training
  • South East Health Public Unit
  • IPCAR

Policy Reviewed:           January 2022

Policy Review due date:     January 2023