Policies

Health and Sickness Guidelines
Behavioural Guidelines
Grievance Policy
Occupational Health and Safety Policy
Accident And Emergency Procedures
Privacy Policy

Health and Sickness Guidelines
Symptoms which should exclude a child from attending Playgroup:

• Children with known or suspected communicable diseases. eg. measles, mumps, etc.
  Children should not attend playgroup until the incubation period recommended by their doctor has passed
• Infected skin or eyes, or an undiagnosed rash (including conjunctivitis)
  Children should not attend playgroup until the prescribed drops/cream or treatment is completed or the incubation period recommended by the doctor has passed
• Severe itching, dry skin of either body or scalp if caused by head or body lice or scabies
  Children should not attend playgroup until the prescribed drops/cream or treatment is completed or the incubation period recommended by the doctor has passed
• Unexplained diarrhoea or loose stool (may or may not be combined with vomiting)
  These symptoms may indicate a bacterial or viral gastrointestinal infection, which is very easily passed from one child to another
• Nausea and vomiting may be early signs of illness
  The child should not attend until all symptom have fully ceased for 48 hours
• A common cold, with listlessness, green runny nose, watery eyes, persistent cough or sore throat
  Once the child's temperature, wellbeing and energy have returned to normal, the child is no longer contagious, and may be able to attend Playgroup while coughing; clear runny nose may persist. Generally speaking, a person who catches a cold can spread it for one day before symptoms appear, and about 5 days after the cold symptoms (above) begin. If the symptoms (runny nose and eyes, coughing) are caused by an allergy (eg. hay fever, asthma) the child is not contagious and can attend
• Difficulty in breathing, wheezing or a persistent cough
  The child should not attend playgroup until the symptoms have fully ceased or the child is diagnosed as not contagious
• Fever accompanied by symptoms such as listlessness or slugishness may be a sign of an illness
  The child should not attend playgroup until symptoms have ceased or the child is diagnosed as not contagious
• Sore throat or trouble swallowing
  The child should not attend playgroup until symptoms have ceased or the child is diagnosed as not contagious
• Pain - any complaint of unexplained or undiagnosed pain (not including complaints such as teething)
  The child should not attend playgroup until symptoms have ceased or the child is diagnosed as not contagious

back to top of the page

Behavioural Guidelines

Playgroup is a no hurting zone. All members must be valued and respected. This means that children must be prevented, where possible, from hurting or intimidating others. Such behaviour is unacceptable.

Accidents, however, can happen - and accidents sometimes occur when parents may not be looking. Our suggested approach for the management of inappropriate behaviour is the following.

1. If (for example), one child has pushed another over, and a dispute arises - both parents/carers must mediate the situation. Calmly ask each child to describe what happened. Call for witnesses if necessary. Ask the offender to apologise nicely; invite the other child to accept the apology graciously. Good manners can be learned early - these may as well begin in Playgroup.
2. If event re-occurs, separate the children. Remove the offender to another corner of the room and distract with another activity.
3. If a child persists with hurtful, destructive behaviour the parent/carer needs to remove the child from the vicinty of others for some 'quiet time' until he/she is ready to play once more without hurting others.
4. If incident occurs yet again, parent/carer is responsible for removing child from Playgroup for that day.
5. If child persists with hurtful behaviour over successive sessions and the parent in question is unable/refuses to moderate the child's disruptive behaviour, complaints are to be made to the Group Representative.
6. The Group Representative should:
   • speak quietly and discreetly with both parties at the earliest opportunity, offering the support of the group
   • assemble the facts - ensuring that all points of view are taken on board
   • ensure the child is not victimised for their behaviour
   • ensure that help is given to the parent/carer with younger children, so they can have closer parental
   interaction with the child for the time of the Playgroup session
   • anticipate trouble before it happens (this requires keen supervision, but it's worth the effort)
   • direct the child to activities that will provide outlets for energy
7. If disruptive behaviour persists and is upsetting other parents (and their children), the Group Representative will raise the matter with the Playgroup Committee
8. The Committee will make a decision and respond in writing outlining suggestions for resolving the grievance.
9. If no resolution, a letter of warning (from the Committee) will be written
10. If there is still no change, the family will be asked by the Committee not to return. Any excess fees will be reimbursed

Grievance Policy

It is an unfortunate fact of life that grievances will periodically arise during Playgroup. Often the source of a grievance is inappropriate or challenging behaviour by either a child or adult that is causing harm to other members.

The process outlined above is to assist members in how to make a formal complaint, to whom it should be made, and how it will be handled.

To Group Representatives:
It is tempting to hope that certain problems will simply 'go away', but sadly the reality is that unresolved conflict has the potential to cause negative feelings for years to come. Try to handle conflict sensitively and positively and arrive at outcomes that benefit everyone. This will serve to strengthen your group.

If you are experiencing difficulties resolving a problem in your session, please put the issue in writing to the Committee, who will then take the appropriate steps to address it.

back to top of the page

Occupational Health and Safety Policy

The Elwood Community Playgroup Executive Committee is committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of the playgroup environment for all its members, volunteers and visitors. As a consequence of this, The Elwood Community Playgroup Executive Committee encourages all of its members to regard accident prevention and playing safely as a collective and individual responsibility.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure all Elwood Community Playgroup members are aware that as members of the playgroup they have a care of duty under associated legislation to provide and maintain, collectively and individually, so far as practicable, an environment that is safe and without risks to health.

Authorisation

Executive Committee
The Elwood Community Playgroup

Policy

The Elwood Playgroup recognises its moral and legal responsibilities to provide a safe and healthy environment for all its members, volunteers, contractors and visitors. The Elwood Playgroup further endeavours to ensure that their operations do not place the wider community at risk of injury or illness.

The Elwood Playgroup is committed to:

• Undertaking risk management activities to adequately assess and manage risks to members in the centre (51 Broadway Elwood)
• Compliance with all relevant legislation standards, and other requirements to which the Organisation subscribes
• Ensuring that all toys, equipment and facilities are safe and without risk to health when used in accordance with standard operating procedures
• Providing a system to adequately manage emergency response and ensuring this system is prominently displayed at the centre (51 Broadway Elwood)
• Providing appropriate OH&S training to all members if required
• Consulting with all members to enhance the effectiveness of the OH&S Management System
• Providing adequate resources to facilitate the fulfillment of the Playgroup's OH&S responsibilities
• Regularly reviewing and evaluating Health and Safety Management systems, including audits and inspections of the playgroup premises (51 Broadway Elwood)
• Establishing measurable objectives and targets to ensure continued improvement aimed at elimination of Playgroup-related injury and illness

If required by State Legislation, The Elwood Playgroup will establish and maintain an Occupational Health and Safety Committee.

In the unfortunate event of an accident occuring during your playgroup session please fill in and send us this Accident Report Form (hard copy available at the back of the sign-in book) to record the incident for both insurance purposes and also as a matter for the Committee to follow up.

Accident and Emergency Procedures

Privacy Policy

We respect your privacy.

Any and all the information collected on this site will be kept strictly confidential and will not be sold, reused, rented, disclosed, or loaned.

Any information you provide will be held with the utmost care and will not be used in ways to which you have not consented. If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email us.

back to top of the page