“It’s our polite nudge in the ribs to help you and your team stay organised and on task.”
This week’s subject is Educator Handbook
Element 4.2.2: Professionalism
Professional standards guide practice, interactions, and relationships.
When was the last time you updated your Educator Handbook? Have you recently updated policies (that are covered in the handbook) that have yet to be updated in your staff handbook?
It’s important to ensure consistency of information between your Service policies and procedures and the information provided in your handbook. Ensure that the information provided during the recruitment process reflects current practice. The Educator Handbook is an important resource for new staff. It’s an introduction to your Service and provides an opportunity for staff to become familiar with your Service’s practices and culture. It contains crucial information (including your Service philosophy and ECA Code of Ethics) that staff must receive, understand, and agree to. It’s good practice to regularly review the content of your staff handbook to ensure that all relevant information is covered.
Ensure that your Staff Handbook explicitly outlines your service’s position and philosophy toward the care, empathy and respect to children, colleagues and families, the professional commitment to meet the requirements of the National Quality Framework and the implementation of the (relevant) approved learning framework (Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (EYLF), My Time, Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia (FSAC), Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF)).
Resources:
Staff Handbook- Resource sheet
Within System7 go to Quality Area 4/Module 12 to submit self-assessment notes and if required, open a QIP issue if you identify any areas of improvement.
The Childcare Centre Desktop has a dedicated Human Resources section which includes a Staff Handbook template (for Long Day Care, Family Day Care and Out of School Hours Care Services) and a Student/Volunteer Handbook that you can download and edit to suit your Service context. Simply follow the Human Resources link and scroll down to “Induction”.
Resources, NQS Element, Regulation and System7 links
Childcare Centre Desktop – Human Resources: Induction
National Quality Standard – QA 4/ 4.2.2- Professional standards
National Regulations – 168
System7 Module – Quality Area 4/Module 12
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