SUN PROTECTION POLICY

Bishop Kindergarten is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and healthy environment for staff, children, families and visitors to the centre. All members of the kindergarten community need to be protected from skin damage by harmful ultra violet rays of the sun. The Sun Protection Policy is available for your viewing in the About Us tab.

Children will

Be required to wear a hat that provides good shade to the face, back of the neck, eyes and ears; e.g. a broad brimmed or soft legionnaire style.
The wearing of hats is compulsory during Terms 1 and 4.

Parents of children who stay all day will

Be asked to give written permission for staff to supervise their child applying sunscreen after lunch during term 1 and 4.
During terms 1 and 4, it is recommended that children have sunscreen applied at home before they arrive for their kindergarten session.

Staff will

Be positive role models who practice skin protective behaviours by applying sunscreen and wearing appropriate hats and clothing.
Incorporate sun and skin protection awareness activities into learning programmes
Provide a SPF 30+ Broad Spectrum Sunscreen for your child to apply with staff supervision.
If the type supplied is not suitable for your child please inform a staff member and provide a labelled tube of your own selection which staff can supervise your child applying.

HOT WEATHER

Bishop Kindergarten will always be open during normal kindergarten times regardless of the weather and outside temperature UNLESS directed by the Department for Education and Child Development.

Parents/carers may decide to keep their child home during ‘extreme’ hot weather if they wish.

BUSHFIRE READY

Bishop Kindergarten is not rated as a High Risk bushfire preschool. We will be OPEN when the bushfire weather is forecasted Catastrophic level unless we inform you otherwise.

CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR

Clothing worn by your child must be comfortable, suitable for active and some times messy play and easily washed by you. It should provide protection from the elements, especially in Terms 1 and 4. Choose clothing that is going to protect your child from UV rays- we recommend that children do not wear singlet tops. Please also send a spare change of clothing as occasional accidents do happen.

All clothing should be clearly named.

Footwear should be sturdy, comfortable and protect the child’s toes and feet. In summer sandals may be worn, but for safety must have a heel strap. When choosing shoes for kindergarten, ensure that they are suitable for climbing, running, jumping etc., and can be easily put on by your child with minimal assistance.

Clogs and thongs are not safe footwear for kindergarten

Should your child need to use their spare clothing, their wet/soiled clothes will be bagged and placed outside by the back door. Parents/carers will be notified by a ‘Changed Clothes’ tag on your child’s not pocket.

Please sign the ‘Changed Clothes’ folder and collect your child’s clothes.

HEALTHY FOOD SUPPLY AND NUTRITION POLICY

Bishop Kindergarten is committed to promoting healthy eating habits in line with the Right Bite Food and Drink Supply Strategy for South Australian Schools and Preschools, and relates to the Department for Education and Child Development wellbeing strategy. The Healthy Food Supply an Nutrition Policy is available for your viewing in the About Us tab.

Children will

Have fresh, clean tap water available at all times and are encouraged to drink water regularly through the day.
Will eat routinely at scheduled break times.
Eat in a positive, social environment with staff who model healthy eating behaviours.
Use the preschool garden to learn about and experience growing, harvesting and preparing nutritious foods.

Parents and carers will

Be encouraged to provide healthy food and drink choices for children in line with the Right Bite strategy.

Staff will

Promote and teach food safety to children as part of the curriculum.
Promote and encourage correct hand washing procedures with children.

Notes

If a child has a serious food allergy e.g nuts, a separate policy for the duration of that child’s involvement at Bishop Kindergarten will be developed and communicated to parents and staff.
Staff are unable to HEAT any foods. This is for your child’s safety as we need to ensure the staff/child ratio is maintained at all times, and foods cannot be heated correctly to meet food safety standards.

STAY SAFE AND FIRST AID

At Bishop Kindergarten we follow certain procedures to ensure the safety of children and staff in relation to blood borne diseases (such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B) and other communicable diseases (such as Hepatitis A).

Therefore we will:

Use latex rubber gloves when assisting a child who is bleeding and while cleaning up any blood or body fluids
Consistently and continually encourage children to maintain healthy habits such as hand washing after toileting and before eating and covering mouth when coughing or sneezing
Incorporating this practice in children’s play with the wearing of latex rubber gloves whilst playing hospitals, nurses, doctors, vets etc
Discuss with children about the importance of blood, how it is made by our own bodies for us and emphasise that we do not touch other people’s blood
Discuss with children other “things we do not touch” e.g. vomit, faeces and syringes.

If you would like any further information or help please do not hesitate to speak to a staff member. Confidentiality is assured at all times.

FIRST AID PROCEDURE

Staff are trained in “Basic Emergency Life Support First Aid”

Our procedures when giving first aid to children are:

Step 1: Offer reassurance and assess situation

Step 2: Apply treatment needed to suit injury

Step 3: Record injury and treatment in First Aid Folder

Step 4: Monitor the child if necessary

First Aid Treatment:

Band-aids on any blood, splinters, cuts, grazes etc. (we are not allowed to remove imbedded splinters as this is considered intrusive)
Icepack covered with clean Chux on bumps and bruises.
Dirty wounds are washed with running water (we do not use any antiseptic lotions due to allergic reactions for some children)
In conjunction with our “Safe Health Policy” we use latex rubber gloves when assisting a child who is bleeding or has other body fluids needing attention

Recording of Injuries and Treatment

All First Aid given is recorded in the “First Aid Record Folder” situated on the parent bench
Records note where the accident occurred, the injury sustained, treatment given and by whom
Parents will be notified by a First Aid Badge on their child’s note pocket

If notified PLEASE

1. Return badge to folder

2. Sign record sheet in folder to acknowledge treatment

3. If you need more information, please speak to the staff member who treated your child

Serious Injuries Requiring Emergency Treatment

Staff will make every effort to contact you or your child’s emergency contact person as soon as possible. Please make sure that these contact numbers are up to date. This is your responsibility.
If a parent/carer can not be contacted staff will call an ambulance and arrange transport to the nearest hospital casualty. A staff member will remain with the sick or injured child until the child’s parent/carer arrives.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Please do not send birthday treats or cakes.

Following discussion at a Governing Council committee meeting it was decided to establish a procedure that is inclusive of our Kindergarten community.

While at preschool, we encourage healthy eating and the constant bringing of treats is not reinforcing this.

Therefore, Our Birthday Celebrations Are:

A Birthday star – greeting the child on arrival
A Birthday sticker – to be worn
A Birthday Pencil – to take home to use

The staff will sing ‘Happy Birthday’ on arrival or during the session and share a birthday chat.

Please save the treats and cake for celebrations at home. If you do not celebrate birthdays, please inform us on your enrolment form and this can be appropriately documented.

BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT CODE

At Bishop Kindergarten we believe …

The staff work in partnership with parents/carers and the community to provide a quality learning curriculum in a welcoming, safe and stimulating environment where everyone is respected and valued.

The behaviours we encourage at Bishop Kindergarten are those which allow children to:

Express their needs while respecting others
Interact positively and purposefully with others and the environment
Care for themselves, others and the environment
Recognise the consequences of their behaviour
Develop cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy and self-control. (While taking into account each child’s age, stage of development and cultural background)

To maximize positive behaviours at Bishop Kindergarten we :

Build on children’s prior experienced, skills and knowledge, encourage positive dispositions towards learning and provide for individual children’s learning styles
Have behavioural expectations that are explicit and take into consideration children’s culture, age, stage of development, life experiences and the context of the setting
Establish and maintain an environment which is safe, inclusive, supportive of learning and free from harassment and bullying
Work in partnership with parents/carers to develop consistent expectations to support the child’s learning
Address challenging behaviour in a timely and appropriate manner

The behaviours that are not acceptable or appropriate at Bishop Kindergarten are those which:

Impede the child’s capacity and others to access or participate in the curriculum e.g. to be withdrawn and not wanting to participate. e.g. to be aggressive and endanger the safety of themselves, others or the environment

To maximize challenging behaviours at Bishop Kindergarten we:

Maximise positive behaviours
Respond to emerging challenging behaviour in a timely and appropriate manner
Identify challenging behaviours early
Seek support from Department for Education and Child Development Support Services if needed

The children are informed daily about Bishop Kindergarten’s Behaviour Support Code as they participate and practice their skills while playing:

e.g. explicit teaching by staff/ parents/ carers
e.g. relevant conversations
e.g. stories
e.g. through play experiences
e.g. role modelling by staff/ parents/ other children
Constantly building on their strengths and prior knowledge

Parents/ carers are informed and consulted about Bishop Kindergarten’s Behaviour Support Code:

As part of our enrolment and reporting procedure
Ongoing / daily process as needed to maximize positive and minimise negative behaviours

Parents help support the Behaviour Support Code by:

Assisting in its development
Having appropriate expectations of their child and others depending on their age, development, culture
Supporting regular attendance
Informing staff of any changes that may affect their child’s positive participation- this information is kept confidential

The staff at Bishop Kindergarten are informed by:

Inclusion of the Behaviour Support Code in the Staff Induction Book
Keeping up to date with the Bishop Kindergarten community’s needs
Open communication with parents/ carers/ staff to support partnerships with parent/ families

How staff can help support Behaviour Support Code:

Model, plan and implement behaviour management practices consistent with the principles and intent of the Behaviour Support Code
Plan and implement the ‘Keeping Safe’ – Child Protection Curriculum

Reviewing the Behaviour Support Code:

Provide opportunities for the community to contribute to the development and review of the Behaviour Support Code
Annually at the Governing Council Meetings

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Parents/care givers should familiarise themselves with Bishop Kindergarten’s emergency procedure.

EMERGENCY – One long blast on whistle

Inside Teacher

Sounds the alarm – Whistles hang by the front and back doors
Communicates to ALL other adults
Checks all rooms shutting windows & doors if a Fire
Collects roll book from kitchen bench
Exits to shed and phones if not already done by ECW
Advises Toy Library if necessary

2. ECW

Checks on emergency
Communicates with inside teacher
Goes to equipment shed with phone (cordless phone from parent bench)
Phones 000 and answers their questions
If there is a power outage our phones do not work – ECW to phone from Flinders Deli

3. Outside Teacher

Communicates to ALL other adults
Gathers all children at the equipment shed
Checks all outdoor play areas
Collects name containers from front door
Calls the roll using list in equipment shed

4. All other adults & ALL children to gather at the equipment shed

5. If children are unaccounted for teacher/director re-check all areas

6. Evacuate through safest exit to the Army Hall if necessary.

If emergency is OUTSIDE, children are to gather inside the Kindergarten on the mat. Roles of inside/outside staff reversed.

VIOLENCE/BULLYING PROCEDURE

Proposed Outcome:-

To maintain a happy, safe and positive work environment

CONTROLS Already in place	Possible HAZARDS which may arise	STRATEGIES to use if hazards arise
Regular check of where staff areOpen communication network	Violent parent/carer on kindergarten grounds	Become aware ofStay in sight of others and put a barrier between you*Assessment
* Behaviour Management Procedure	Violent child	Modify procedure for the child/familyRequest additional staff
* Psychological Health Procedure	Staff member experiencing intimidation from manager	* Access to Grievance Procedure
* Psychological Health Procedure	Staff member experiencing intimidation from a co-worker	* Access to Grievance Procedure

Procedures