Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com Document Organisation Checklist We all know how daunting the Assessment and Ratings visit can be, especially if we haven t been through one before. However, there are things that you can do in advance to reduce the stress on the day, or in the weeks leading up to the visit. One of those things is to ensure that the required documentation is organised ready for inspection. By following the suggestions given here, not only will your documentation be organised, it will also stand out as being highly professional. The bonus here is that it will give a great first impression, be easily accessible not only on the day of the visit, but every day, and once set up is very easy to maintain. Note on folders: While there is a multitude of folders/binders on the market, nothing says professionalism like a clearly labelled folder. This is best achieved by using insert binders which have clear plastic on the front and spine of the folder, allowing for the insertion of customised spine labels and title pages. Use the following guide to estimate which sized folder is best for your use: 25mm binder: holds 200 sheets of 80gsm paper 38mm binder: holds 300 sheets of 80gsm paper 50mm binder: holds 400 sheets of 80gsm paper Note: The following tables indicate each folder that is recommended. The folder title is listed in CAPITALS at the top of each table. Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 1
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com MANAGEMENT AND COMPLIANCE! TAB TITLE INSURANCE COMPLIANCE HISTORY CONTENT Public liability Note: Other insurance documents (Building, Contents, Business, Workers Compensation etc.), are best stored together in a locked cupboard or filing cabinet. However Public liability is a compulsory insurance and best stored in a folder that can be easily and quickly accessed, such as the Management and Compliance folder. According to the NQS, compliance documents required include: SERVICE RATING A record of the service s compliance history Service rating, including the: WAIVERS CHANGES o Current ratings for each quality area under the National Quality Framework o Overall rating of the service Service or temporary waivers, including: o National Quality Standard and/or National Regulations that have been waived o The duration of the waiver o Whether the waiver is a service or a temporary waiver Records of changes notified to the Regulatory Authority Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 2
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN (QIP) PHILOSOPHY Insert your Service Philosophy QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROCESS FOR PLANNING AND REVIEWING If you use a digital record of continuous improvement include a description page including where the QIP can be located * The Childcare Centre Desktop s Quality Improvement routine (Located in Compliance / Quality Area 7) is recommended as an effective and efficient process to manage and monitor quality improvement. MEDICATION RECORDS While some services use a bound book for children s medication records, loose A4 sheets are convenient in that they don t need to be ruled up, and can be moved to a folder upon completion of each sheet. Depending upon the size of the service, divider tabs could be used to separate the records for each classroom. Completed children s administration of medication records Continued on next page: Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness - Folder Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 3
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com INCIDENT, INJURY, TRAUMA AND ILLNESS! TAB TITLE CONTENT While many services fill in these forms on a computer, for ease and speed of access, some incident, injury, trauma and illness forms should be available in the folder. BLANK FORMS COMPLETED FORMS PROCEDURES The folder will need two divider tabs for the forms: Blank incident, injury, trauma and illness forms Completed incident, injury, trauma and illness forms You may also like to store a copy of the following documents in this folder in a separate divider tab: o Written process for observing, responding to, and recording signs of illness and injury in children o Written process for notifying families of illness or injuries that affect children while at the service Continued on next page: Complaints Folder Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 4
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com COMPLAINTS! TAB TITLE CONTENT The Complaints folder will typically hold a record of any/all complaints made by families. For ease and speed of access, some blank complaints forms should be available in the folder. BLANK FORMS Blank complaints forms COMPLETED FORMS Completed complaints forms Use two divider tabs for the forms: Ensure that the complaints form you are using has sections for the following: Evidence that grievances and complaints are investigated and documented in a timely manner Evidence that complaints lead to amendments to policies and procedures as required REGULATORY AUTHORITY RECORDS Use a further divider tab to store the following documents (as applicable) to meet NQS compliance requirements: o Records held by the Regulatory Authority in relation to complaints against the service that allege a breach of legislation or a serious incident Continued on next page: Excursions - Folder Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 5
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com EXCURSIONS! TAB TITLE CONTENT For ease of reference this folder should have a dividing tab for each excursion conducted. * DIVIDER FOR EACH EXCURSION Each tab could be labelled with the date and destination of the excursion. Information required for each excursion includes: The risk assessment record for the excursion A copy of the detailed excursion information given to families, including; o The destination, o Mode of transport, o Educator- to- child ratios, o Number of adults in attendance, o Educators attending with a first aid certificate, and o Written authorisation for the child / children to be taken outside the service premises Family authorisation for the excursion for each child attending (likely to be a detachable part of the excursion information form) Continued on next page: Maintenance and Workplace Health and Safety Folder Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 6
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com MAINTENANCE AND WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY Use the following as a guide to tab headings and documents included within each tabbed section: SCHEDULES Schedules: Schedule for safety checks Schedules for washing children s toys and equipment Schedule for the cleaning of buildings, premises, furniture and equipment SAFETY CHECKS Safety checks (Due to safety checks being a daily occurrence, you may like to have a separate folder for those marked with *) * Daily indoor safety check * Daily outdoor safety check Completed safety checks of buildings, equipment and the general environment Completed risk assessments of the physical environment identifying potential emergencies relevant to the service MAINTENANCE Maintenance Record of reported maintenance required, including follow- up action taken PEST INSPECTIONS Pest inspections Records of pest / vermin inspections and/or eradication Continued on next page: Maintenance and Workplace Health and Safety Folder Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 7
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com MAINTENANCE AND WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY continued EMERGENCY DRILLS Emergency drills Records of emergency drills performed every three months, and evaluations of these EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT Emergency equipment Evidence that fire emergency equipment has been tested as recommended by recognised authorities SOFT FALL Soft fall Plans of indoor and outdoor areas, including information about soft fall EQUIPMENT Equipment Evidence that equipment meets Australian Safety Standards (e.g. Cots, highchairs) SDS SDS Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for chemicals and cleaners used throughout the service FIRST AID First aid List of contents of each first aid kit, including record of when first aid kits were checked (it is recommended that each first aid kit in the service has its own documentation) Continued on next page: Educator s Professional Development Folder Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 8
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com EDUCATOR S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT There are many ways of keeping and storing professional development records. For this method all records are stored together, and are best stored using a section and a divider tab for each staff member. It is recommended that copies only are stored in the folder (certified copies if possible). Records to be stored here for each staff member include: Educator qualifications Supervisor certificates First Aid qualifications (including Asthma and Anaphylaxis training) Evidence of training/testing on how to fit car seats and child restraints Evidence of child protection training or professional development Working With Children Check Evidence of safety screening clearance Evidence of participation in professional development activities to update knowledge and skills Continued on next page: Individual Educator File Folder Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 9
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com INDIVIDUAL EDUCATOR FILE! TAB TITLE CONTENT These files are confidential so should be stored in a locked cupboard or filing cabinet. These files could also include duplicates of the information provided in the Educator s Professional Development folder; however this is not necessary providing the individual files are kept on the service s premises, as they will need to be available for inspection by the Regulatory Authority. Individual files should contain: Full name, address and date of birth Qualifications held (or evidence of working towards a qualification) Supervisor certificate (if applicable) Documented position description that: o Clearly outlines the responsibilities of the position o Clearly explains the approved provider s expectations o Is used as the basis for monitoring and reviewing educators, co- ordinators and staff members performance Performance reviews that have been conducted regularly and include updating professional development plans based on an evaluation of professional strengths, interests and goals Exit data and documentation that provides information about the reasons for educators and co- ordinators leaving the service if applicable NOTE: Like medication records, A4 sheets are convenient for recording attendance of staff, students, volunteers and visitors, since they do not need to be ruled up, and the finished page can immediately be stored in a folder. Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 10
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com STAFF ROSTERS AND ATTENDANCE! TAB TITLE CONTENT This folder should contain two divider tabs with the following headings: ROSTERS Rosters ATTENDANCE Past staff rosters Attendance Past staff attendance records (sign- in sheets) VOLUNTEER, VISITOR, AND STUDENT ATTENDANCE! TAB TITLE CONTENT VOLUNTEER ATTENDANCE This folder should contain three divider tabs for storage of the relevant completed attendance records, with the following headings: STUDENT ATTENDANCE VISITOR RECORDS Volunteer attendance Student attendance Visitor records Note that confidential records must be kept in a locked cupboard or filing cabinet for volunteers and students that include their full name, address, and date of birth. Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 11
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com CHILDREN S ATTENDANCE The NQS requires records to be kept of children s attendances, including arrival and departure signed by the person delivering /collecting the child. Depending upon the size of the service, separate divider tabs (or folders) should be used to separate the different classrooms. MEETING MINUTES Meeting minutes are a valuable source of evidence to demonstrate many items required by the NQS. It is therefore vital to keep all minutes together. Depending upon the size and type of the service, you may require tabs to distinguish between meetings for all staff, room meetings, and parent/committee meetings. If you also attend other relevant meetings, such as local Director s meetings, you may also like to keep a copy of agendas and minutes in this folder. The following table has also been provided to assist in keeping track of the specific meetings that include topics requiring evidence for the NQS. Keep this table at the front of your folder, and when a particular item/topic has been discussed, enter the date of the meeting in the appropriate place. This provides a very efficient and impressive system for presenting your evidence for the Assessment and Ratings visit! Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 12
Document Organisation Checklist System 7 (Pre- assessment & Rating) www.childcarecentredesktop.com Topic/item discussed in meeting Date Date Date Date Discussions on how complaints led / will lead to amendments to policies and procedures as required Professional discussion and interrogation of research and new ideas Discussions regarding the review of the statement of philosophy and the Quality Improvement Plan in consultation with staff and families Discussions exploring systems for collecting information from families, children, educators, co- ordinators and staff members about their perceptions of the service Discussions exploring how families are / can be involved in advisory, consultative, or decision- making roles Discussions on how the outcome of policy change was / is to be fully explained and communicated to families prior to implementation Discussions involving ongoing communication with families and support agencies for children with additional needs Discussions about liaising with other children s services, local businesses, schools, health services, and organisations working with families and children in the local area Discussions exploring members of the local community being invited into the service to contribute to the program Discussions exploring how children have opportunities to learn about and contribute to the local community Discussions involving all educator staff engaged with colleagues to reflect on practice, explore new possibilities, and plan for children s experiences Discussions that provide evidence that educators draw on the diverse knowledge, experiences and views of their colleagues in reviewing programs and teaching strategies Discussions about projects or teamwork that capitalise on the diverse skills, knowledge, and strengths of the team Childcare Centre Desktop - Document Organisation Checklist / System 7 13