New Educators
Important information for new educators, and how to become a Family Day Care educator.
Introduction:
Thank you for showing an interest in becoming a registered Educator with ACE FAMILY DAY CARE SERVICE. This information booklet introduces you to Family Day Care.
We hope this information can help you decide if being an Educator is a good occupation for you. Family Day Care is profit based quality education and child care service that offers professional and supervised care for children up to 12 years of age in the private homes approved, registered Family Day Care Educators.
The service is managed by the coordination unit to provide the highest standards of quality care for children in a secure and stimulating home environment.
Our service is regulated and assessed by the Australian Children’s Education Care Quality Authority and follows The National Quality Framework.
This process recognises the service’s strengths and where improvements can be made. The process involves Educators, staff, children, families and management covering all aspects of Family Day Care processes using the assessment tool for continuous improvement of the service.
Requirements for becoming a Family Daycare Educator
To become a Family Day Care Educator you must provide the following documents:
- Certificate III in Children’s Services (minimum) or enrolment confirmation in Childcare specific course
- Current First Aid and CPR certificates
- Current Anaphylaxis Management certificate
- Current Emergency Asthma Management certificate
- Medical check confirming you are physically and emotionally able to care for children (Medical Practitioner to complete, form attached to Educator Application)
- National Police Check www.instantchecks.com.au and Working with Children Check number. www.kids.nsw.gov.au (Anyone over 18 year’s old living in your house must also undergo a National Police check and a Volunteer Working with Children Check).
- Written permission to operate a family day care service from your landlord (if you rent your home)
Public liability insurance –this is available from Family Day Care Australia www.fdca.com.au (provide copy to our administration) Ensure you:
- Have an appropriate understanding of children’s needs and development.
- Are responsive to children.
- Are able to communicate effectively with children and families
- Are over 18 years of age
- Provide a smoke free, safe, friendly and educational learning environment
- Make any pets inaccessible to children in your care
- Have a computer or similar and internet for business information and communication
- Participate in ongoing professional development including child protection training
- Understand that you will be a small business operator and while the Coordination Unit works hard to place children with Educators income cannot be guaranteed
- Maintain recertification of the minimum standards required from ACCEQA
Being an Educator
In Family Day Care, Educators are required to provide and maintain quality child care in a safe, healthy, nurturing and friendly home environment.
This responsibility includes adhering to the Education and Care Services National Regulations, Law and Quality Standards, Work Health and Safety Legislation, service policies and procedures, participation in ongoing professional development providing parents with ongoing information about their child’s daily development.
Educators must fulfil administration and business requirements of a self employed person.
You need to ensure you
- Provide and maintain an environment that is safe , hygienic and inclusive
- Maintain confidentiality
- Provide and evaluate a developmentally appropriate program that recognises the children’s individual needs and interests as identified in observations
- Undertake appropriate documentation on children’s developmental needs as required
- Are solely responsible for the children at all times, and cannot delegate this responsibility to any other household members, unless they are registered as an Assistant Educator under the Scheme’s policies and procedures.
- Maintain the home and ensure compliance with Work Health & Safety legislation and service policy requirements.
Educator’s Family
As the words ‘Family Day Care’ indicate, caring for children in your home involves the whole family. If you have a partner, children or other family members living in your house you should, as a family, talk over your plans before starting because members of the Educator’s family can play an important role in the children’s experience.
It is essential that Educators family member:
- Adhere to the Education and Care Services National Regulations and service policies such as non smoking and alcohol/drug free home whilst children are in care.
- Interact in a positive manner with children and their families.
- Ensure all behaviour guidance is implemented by the Educator · Maintain confidentiality at all times
- Ensure that only child appropriate TV programs, videos, games and books are accessible to Family Day Care children.
- Remember that all visitors to the home who are 13 years and over are required to sign the visitor’s book.
- Recognise the need for privacy when the Educator is discussing issues with staff and/or parents.
- Ensure that dress is appropriate at all times when children are in care.
- Treat everyone – staff, parents and children with respect.
What will the service expect of me?
- To conduct the service according to the National Regulations and Law, guidelines and guiding principles, policies and procedures of ACE FDC SERVICE.
- To be reliable, flexible and cooperative.
- To keep the coordination unit staff informed of all changes in your care.
- To conduct your service as a small business.
- To respect children’s and parent’s confidentiality and not to discuss them with other Educators or parents.
- To regularly attend Educator training and in services.
- To allow the coordination unit staff into your home while children are in care. Educators can determine their work hours but core availability between 7am – 7pm is preferred. The availability of children to suit your hours is dependent on the community needs. The more flexible you are as an Educator, the quicker your vacancies will be filled. Emergency and weekend care is a need in our community and being able to offer care over the weekend or evening for shift workers is favourable.
