NOSHSA News

Friday, 14 October 2011

National Quality Framework Regulations Released

The National Regulations have been approved by Ministers and will be available on the ACECQA website this afternoon! The approval of the Regulations is a major milestone in achieving nationally consistent quality of education and care for Australian children who attend services. This is a great achievement for all parties involved in this process and for NSW OSHC serivces the first time we have been included in children services regulations.

The Regulations and sector support material will be available at www.acecqa.gov.au/links-and-resources/national-quality-framework-resources/

We do however, still have some work ahead of us with no set national ratio or qualification for OSHC services included in the regs.

Download the Press Release 14/10/2011 >>

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Thursday, 14 April 2011

Education and Care Services National Regulations – Response to Consultation

NOSHSA welcome the inclusion of OSHC in the Education and Care Services National Regulations.
The strengths observed in the regulations include:

• External appeals process;
  
• A risk assessment approach to excursions;
  
• The portability of supervisor certificates;
  
• The provision for temporary waivers.

In addition to the strengths, we request consideration to be given to:

PART 6 – POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND PROGRAMS

Division 3 - Education programs and practice

S 82 Record of child assessments for delivery of education program
Written assessments for each child in OSHC needs further guidelines and clarity. The part time and casual nature of children's participation in the sector needs to be considered alongside the workforce capacity and the validity of an assessment process in the setting. There must be a visible purpose to keeping records that contributes to enhanced outcomes. Authentic assessment in the school age setting must engage children and be a shared/collaborative process as articulated in My Time, Our Place.

Division 4 – Relationships with children

S 86 Protection from inappropriate activities or treatment
There are times in a school age care setting when children need to be removed from the group for their own safety and for the safety of others. The context of the school age care setting may require children to be removed to speak with an educator, a teacher within the school or even the school principal. We would support this section being amended to include additional appropriate circumstances that may require protection of their own or others health and safety.

PART 7 – CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND SAFETY

Division 5 – Collection of children from premises and excursions

S 110 Children leaving the education and care service premises
Clear guidelines on parent authorisation for children to be released/signed out into their own care. Children should be released appropriate to their capacity to care for themselves.

PART 8 – PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

S124 Swimming pool prohibition
The large majority of school age care services operate on school sites. School age care services have limited control over the facilities on the premises. The swimming pool prohibition would disadvantage new services from being able to open on existing school sites where there is a pool or on new school sites which in many jurisdictions often include a swimming pool.

Other matters:

• We request that further consideration is given by ACECQA to the skills/training and qualifications of assessors – given that the role includes/requires both procedural and sector knowledge. The OSHC sector could be significantly disadvantaged should assessors have limited knowledge and experience of school age care services.
  
• Ratios and qualifications to be included on the National agenda as a priority to ensure OSHC is fully included in a nationally consistent regime.

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NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK - Regulations Consultations Commence

OSHC services will come under a single set of regulations as part of the new National Quality framework (NQF) to be introduced across centre based services (including OSHC) and Family Day care on January 1st 2012.

The NQF is underpinned by National Regulations. The content of those regulations is now being consulted upon and you are invited to give feedback with written responses due by 14 April.

An Information Paper on the Education and Care Services National Law and the proposed National Regulations has been prepared by DEEWR and can be downloaded from the DEEWR website

The Information Paper provides a plain-English explanation of the proposed regulations. The actual regulations are due to be released within the fortnight. The discussion paper is an easier read than the actual regulations and poses a number of questions where specific feedback is sought. Written feedback is due in April and NOSHSA will be compiling a response on behalf of the sector, however it is important to note that where possible a small written response or letter from your service is a powerful message to Government that OOSH is to be considered in all decision making.

Download a copy of the document here: National Information Paper >>

You will notice the timing is very inconsiderate for OOSH services concluding at 2.30pm, Network has advised the National and NSW Reference group of this and we have alerted the Government to our concerns regarding the issue of the times.

The schedule for the upcoming consultation forums on the draft National Regulations is now available on the DEEWR website at:
www.deewr.gov.au/Earlychildhood/Policy_Agenda/Documents/NationalRegulationsConsultationSchedule.pdf

More information available from: www.deewr.gov.au/Earlychildhood/Policy_Agenda/Pages/DraftNQFRegDocs.aspx