Communicating with family members
Policy Statement
Cybertots Child Care Centre will provide regular information about, and on-going opportunities for parents and the community to participate and have input into, the services provided at the centre. The Operator and staff will actively promote the positive aspects of the service to parents and the local community. Any parent or community concerns will be dealt with promptly to minimise negative publicity about the service.
Considerations:
- Philosophy - Meeting community needs, encouraging participation.
- Legislation - will vary from State to State and be dependent up on current Legislation.
- Children’s needs - Continuity of quality care.
- Parent’s needs - Information about the service, what is expected of them, that their family needs are met, access to the service when they need it, a way to raise complaints.
- Staff needs - Information to provide to parents and people enquiring about the service, training in customer service, respect for their work within the community.
- Management - Good communication between parents and Operator, parent support for the service, the service is known within the community, the service has a positive image in the community, that complaints about the service are heard.
How Policy will be implemented (Specific Policies and Procedures):
Staff will communicate with parents/guardians in a positive and supportive manner that encourages the parent-child relationship. Information with regard to family issues and personal lives will be handled confidentially. Every effort will be made to treat both parents/guardians equally. Without legal documentation, staff cannot act as though one parent is more fit than another to the legal rights of their child.
Parents/guardians will have access to qualified staff or to the Director, to enable them to discuss any concerns that they may have at any reasonable time regarding their child. This may be spontaneous, by telephone or by appointment. Staff will not discuss information of a confidential nature regarding any other child or family within the centre.
Parents/guardians are encouraged to visit the centre at any reasonable time whilst their child is in care. (Child Care Regulations, 72)
Parent participation will be actively encouraged at all times.
Parents/guardians may bring other relatives to visit at convenient times that have been organised through the Director.
Where a child attending the centre is not living with both parents/guardians, or where disputes arise in relation to responsibility of the child the following will apply:
- Parental responsibility remains with both parents/guardians jointly and individually except where it is altered by an order of the Family Court of Australia. In the absence of such an Order, the child will be released to either parent/guardian who is the authorised person to collect the child.
- Where a non-enrolling parent cites an Order of the Family Court giving him/herself lawful access to the child, the Order needs to be produced for inspection by the Director. The enrolling parent will be telephoned both to check the existence of the Order and to be informed about the situation.
- The child will only be released into the care of the parent/guardian with parental responsibility for the child, or other person specifically authorised by that parent/guardian, except when Family and Children's Services or police specifically direct otherwise under the provisions of the Child Welfare Act.
In the case of parent/guardian with parental responsibility for the child arriving at the centre to collect their child in a visibly intoxicated or unfit state to drive, the parent/guardian will be encouraged to contact an alternative adult to drive them and their child home or the centre will offer to call a taxi. If the parent/guardian insists on taking their child the police will be informed.
Where human life is at risk any part of the above may not be able to be complied with. In such circumstances, the police will be immediately informed.