Supervision of Children
Policy
All children attending One World Children’s Centre’s are adequately supervised at all times.
Relevant Legislation
Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
National Quality Standard, Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety
Background
Supervision is a key aspect of ensuring that children’s safety is protected. Educators must be alert to and aware of risks and hazards and the potential for accidents and injury throughout the service and not just in their immediate area.
Procedure
All educators must ensure they provide adequate supervision of all children. Supervision entails all children (individuals and groups) in all areas of the service, being in sight and/or hearing of an educator at all times including during toileting, sleep, rest and transition routines.
One World Children’s Centre is required to comply with the legislative requirements for educator-to-child ratios at all times. Supervision contributes to protecting children from hazards that may emerge in play, including hazards created by the equipment used.
Adequate supervision refers to constant, active and diligent supervision of every child at the service. Adequate supervision requires that educators are always in a position to observe each child, respond to individual needs, and immediately intervene if necessary. Variables affecting supervision levels include:
- number, age and abilities of children
- number and positioning of educators
- current activity of each child
- areas in which the children are engaged in an activity (visibility and accessibility)
- developmental profile of each child and of the group of children
- experience, knowledge and skill of each educator
- need for educators to move between areas (effective communication strategies).
Key points when supervising:
- Listen beyond your immediate position (do not just rely on sight)
- What can you hear whilst supervising?
- Having peripheral vision
- Know what is happening behind you and
- Consider where is the best place to position yourself to see majority of the group
NB: Staff must adequately supervise (attending to) babies and toddlers when they are eating and drinking
Sources
Aspire – Ensure children’s health and safety, 2009
National Quality Standard, Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety
One World for Children Acknowledgement of Country: Here is the land; Here is the sky; Here are my people and here am I. We give thanks to future, present and past; Ancestors and Elders and the connection that lasts. We acknowledge the Wathaurong people on whose land we learn and play; We promise to look after it every day. ©
