Privacy Statement
St Joseph’s Outside School Hours Care maintains enrolment details and records of attendance, fee payment, medication administered and information about the development, well-being and health of each child while attending the service. This enables us to plan and program for your child’s needs and ensure we meet all of our legislative and regulatory responsibilities.
Information provided by you for this purpose will be treated respectfully and confidentially. All personal, sensitive and health information is kept in a secure place to protect it from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Failure to provide the required information may result in non-acceptance of your child’s enrolment.
Only authorised staff members who directly require your information for professional purposes will have access to it. Families are able to access their information upon request.
Information may be disclosed to relevant authorities to confirm our compliance with child care and Child Care Benefit laws.
Registration Agreement
- I understand I am able to request and access the policy and procedure manual at any time which is located at the entrance of the centre. I also am aware that any updates to policy will be displayed on the notice board or in the centre newsletter.
- I understand that I need to comply with all Government requirements in relation to the Centre and its service.
- I will advise the Centre as soon as practicable of any updates to my circumstances.
- I agree that in the case of accident or injury, the centre will contact me. If they cannot reach me they will try to contact a listed emergency contact. If determined necessary by staff at the centre, I authorise an ambulance to take my child to hospital, and agree to meet any expenses incurred.
- I understand that it is my responsibility to fulfil any obligations required to receive Child Care Benefit (CCB).
- I agree to pay my fees two weeks in advance as determined by the fee payment policy.
- I agree that my accounts must have a $0 balance or be in credit at the end of each school term in order for my child to be allowed to attend the next school term at OSHC.
- I am aware that any failure to pay fees may result in cancellation of my child’s place at the centre.
- I am aware that fees will be reviewed annually and I will receive a minimum of two (2) weeks’ notice of any changes being made.
- I am aware that seven (7) days’ notice in writing of cancellation of care must be given in advance. I understand that I must pay fees for any booked days that I have not cancelled at least 24 hours in advance.
- I am aware that I will be responsible for payment on any days my child is sick or absent from care.
- I understand that a system of payment for late collection operates at the centre and that I am responsible for the payment of any fees incurred.
- I am aware that my child will be excluded from care at the centre if they have a communicable or infectious disease. I understand that my child will be accepted back into the centre once the exclusion guidelines have been met.
- I consent to my child being in the presence of volunteers, visitors and students with due notice given, with the appropriate supervision by centre staff.
- I have presented the centre with a copy of my child’s current immunisation details and birth certificate.
- I have read and understand the Privacy Statement.
The Centre reserves the right to cancel care if it considers doing so would be in the best interest of the Centre. Two weeks’ notice of cancellation of care will be provided and any outstanding fee credits reimbursed up conclusion of care at the centre.
ENROLMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES
POLICY STATEMENT
Acceptance of families and children to the St Joseph’s Outside School Care Hours service will be non-discriminatory with families from all backgrounds and cultures welcomed. Families enrolling their children to attend our service are entering into a partnership with our service and staff underpinned by the values of the Catholic Church.
Successful enrolment requires completion of enrolment forms and additional information where and if required. No child will be accepted into the service until the enrolment form has been completed in full, supporting documentation has been provided prior to the participants first day with OSHC and an orientation.
Where demand exceeds supply outside school hours care places will be allocated to families with the greatest need for child support as determined by the Australian Government Priority of Access Guidelines outlined below. St Joseph’s OSHC will take children from age 5 years to 12 years. Enrolment will not be eligible if the child has not had their 5th birthday but are welcome to be placed on the waiting list.
We will make every effort to make all relevant information available to families prior to enrolment.
RATIONALE
According to Catholic social teaching we are all children of God, created in his image. Beyond our differences and boundaries “we are all one in Christ Jesus”.
St Joseph’s Outside School Hours Care service values the rich and diverse communities of which our children are a part and understands these communities are central to their lives and learning.
Our thorough enrolment process aims to ensure all relevant information is collected prior to children commencing in care to ensure their ongoing safety and well-being. The enrolment process takes into account all requirements of current early learning and care legislation and the guidelines contained within the Australian Government Child Care Service Handbook.
PROCEDURES
Enrolments will be accepted according to the Australian Government Priority of Access guidelines. Families will be advised that children enrolled under the third priority access may be required to alter their days or leave the service in order to provide a place for a higher priority child.
An enrolment form and registration agreement must be completed by each enrolling family for each child who will attend the service. Completion includes the provision of all required documentation such as birth certificate and immunisation records and the payment of two weeks fees in advance.
The Centre Co-ordinator will complete the enrolment checklist to ensure all required details are recorded.
Payment of two weeks fees in advance is required upon commencement.
Enrolment forms will be updated annually or when a family's circumstances change, to ensure information is current and correct.
Enrolment information will be kept in a confidential file. Access to this information is available only to the Educators, Nominated Supervisor, family and authorised government officers.
A privacy statement which details the name and contact details of the service; informs enrolling parents they are able to gain access to their information; why the information is collected; the organisations to which the information may be disclosed; any law that requires the particular information to be collected; and the main consequences for not providing the required information, forms part of the enrolment form.
At enrolment each family will be provided with a copy of the family handbook and a copy of the service’s orientation policy.
At enrolment and during the orientation process parents are encouraged to provide any further information about their child that will support continuity of care between home and the service.
If a child care place is not immediately available at our service families may be put onto a waiting list. Once entered onto the waiting list it is necessary for the family to contact the service at the end of each month to confirm their continued wish to remain on the list. When a place becomes available the family will be contacted by the nominated supervisor or centre co-ordinator and enrolment may proceed.
PRIORITY OF ACCESS GUIDELINES
One of the main reasons the Australian Government funds child care is to meet the child care needs of Australian families. When the demand for child care places exceeds supply in a location services are required to allocate places to those families with the greatest need for child care support.
When filling vacant places there are three priority levels to be followed within the Priority of Access Guidelines:
Priority 1 - a child at risk of serious abuse or neglect.
Priority 2 - a child of a single parent who satisfies, or of parents who both satisfy, the work, training, study test under section 14 of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999.
Priority 3 - any other child
Within these main categories, priority should also be given to the following children:
- children in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
- children in families which include a disabled person
- children in families which include an individual whose adjusted taxable income does not exceed the lower income threshold or who or whose partner are on income support
- children in families with a non-English speaking background
- children in socially isolated families
- children of single parents.
When filling vacancies, it is a requirement that we give school children priority over children who have not yet started school. Where no vacancies exist, a child who has not yet started school may be required to leave the service so that the service can provide a place for a school child.
Management committee members' children will not be given special consideration above their own priority of access.
Management committee members’ children can be cared for by the service with no fee payable if the management committee member is engaged on management committee business for the duration of that business only.
Placement is to be organised at the convenience of the service through the Nominated Supervisor or Centre
Co-ordinator.