Element 2.1.1

The following is an example of a Code of Conduct. These types of codes must be negotiated and agreed upon by the service. Please review your Code of Conduct and compare with the one below. Change or add accordingly to your services needs and requirements.

The Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, educators, staff members, volunteers and students will uphold the following ethical conduct principles at all times, and promote positive interactions within the Service and the local community.

1. Commitment to our Service philosophy and values, including the promotion of a meaningful connection to the NQF and best practice in early childhood education in partnership with our families
2. Effective, open and respectful two-way communication and feedback between employees, children, families and management
3. Honesty and integrity in all interactions between children, families, employees and managers
4. Consistency and reliability in all exchanges with children, families, employees and managers
5. Commitment to a workplace which values and promotes the safety, health and wellbeing of employees, volunteers, children and families.

Commitment to an Equal Opportunity workplace and culture which values the knowledge, experience and professionalism of all employees, team members and managers, and the diverse heritage of our families and children.

Why are you doing the checklist?

The practices identified in the checklist are what the assessor needs to see you do so they can check you’re ‘meeting the NQS.’ If you embed all the things in the checklist, then you are meeting the Element. If there’s something on the checklist that you’re not doing, then you need to either adjust your practice to do it, or ask for help and training to do what’s on the checklist ie work with your educational leader or room leader who should teach/coach you how to do it.

Together as a team, use what you do (from your brainstorming session and the checklist) to write 6 short sentence that show “how” you are doing it. We’ve chosen 3 questions from the checklist for you. Why are you doing this? QIP’s need to have personalised stories about your practice so the assessor can ask you about why and how you do things. The sentences below can be used for Friday’s QIP writing section.

1. Do you respect children’s choice not to rest (unless this required in your professional judgement) and support them to participate in meaningful activities?
2. Do you respect and help maintain children’s privacy during toileting, dressing/undressing etc?
3. Do you provide clean spare clothes when needed or provide access to them?

What Regulation goes with this NQS Element?

Law section 51(1)(a) Service approval Regulation 81 Sleep and rest

Who has to do what?

Educators must never use corporal punishment or unreasonable discipline on a child at the service. If this occurs, educators can be fined $10,000.

Educators must:

• encourage and allow children to sleep and rest if they’re showing signs of tiredness
• use their knowledge of each child’s needs and normal sleep/rest requirements for particular ages to guide their practice
• make sure all equipment which supports children’s wellbeing and comfort (eg cots, mattresses, change tables, toilets) is safe and is regularly cleaned in line with recognised guidance (eg Staying Healthy).

Step 1 Critical Reflection
The EYLF and MTOP say “Critical reflection involves closely examining all  aspects of events and experiences from different perspectives.” There is no checklist for critical reflection, it is all about other peoples perspectives.

Select one or more from below or from the checklist to critically reflect upon:

• Would children agree they enjoy the quiet activities provided while other children sleep?
• Would families agree they feel welcome to discuss changes in their child’s routines?
• Would families agree the sleep/rest environment is inviting and not overcrowded?

You have discovered where your practice is compared to the NQS Guide (comparing what you currently do and the checklist). This is the process of self-assessment. If you have discovered practices, processes, checklist areas you need to improve upon, write them below. This section will be copied into your QIP.

It’s hard providing quiet activities that engage children who don’t want or need to sleep or rest. Most children make enough noise to keep the children who are sleeping/resting awake.

The green text is directly related to the meeting indicators for Element 2.1.1 on pages 143-145 of the NQS Guide.

Miss Danni and Miss Sam decided to ask children what activities they would enjoy doing quietly. Christian and Samira suggested making tepees or cubbies out of pillows and sheets, and other children agreed this was a great idea. We also asked the children what they’d like to quietly do inside. “Draw” said Simone. “Dress up” said Cody. We make sure children can access the resources they’ve chosen (see photos week starting 4_5_20).

Below is a case study that demonstrates how the Exceeding themes 1 Embedded Practice, 2 Critical Reflection and 3 Meaningful engagement with families and communities link into practice. The blue text is based on or directly quotes the exceeding indicators in the NQS Guide pages 157-159.

Preschool educators discussed and reflected on ways to improve sleep/rest conditions for tired children, noting noise levels in the room were impacting children’s rights to sleep and rest as needed. Miss Danni and Miss Sam decided to ask children and families what activities they would enjoy doing quietly. Christian and Samira suggested making tepees or cubbies out of pillows and sheets, and other children agreed this was a great idea. It was interesting several families also said how their children loved building cubbies and hiding in there for ages – There was something about the effect of secluded spaces away from ‘prying’ adult eyes. We also asked the children what they’d like to quietly do inside. “Draw” said Simone. “Dress up” said Cody. We make sure children can access the resources they’ve chosen (see photos week starting 4_5_20).

Use the below points to analyse your above exceeding example to see if you have included everything.

1. Write the room location into the strength. This will ensure the assessor knows where to look for your strengths.
2. Write the educator’s name into the strength. This will ensure the assessor knows who to ask about your strengths.
3. Include the child/children’s names in your strength. This will give educators confidence to talk about a subject they know about (the child/ren).
4. Evidence eg learning story, photo that’s easy to access.
5. Write how you are achieving the exceeding themes.
Embedded Practice
Critical Reflection
Engagement with families/community
6. Tell the assessor exactly where to find the location of other evidence they need to see to show how you’re exceeding.
7. Show the assessor the location and time of other practice they need to observe to show how you’re exceeding.

Sleep, Rest, Relaxation and Clothing Policy

• The service will have a safe, quiet and restful environment for sleep and rest that enables educators to see, hear and closely monitor children at all times
• Educators will follow the safe sleeping practices in the policy which are based on recommendations from Red Nose. If a child has a medical condition which prevents educators from following these procedures an alternative resting practice must be authorised by a doctor in writing and form part of a child’s Medical Management Plan
• Educators will consider and meet where possible families’ preferences for their child’s sleep/rest. Educators have a legal obligation to allow children to sleep/rest if they’re showing signs of tiredness. If a resting child falls asleep without assistance in instances where families have requested the child not have naps, educators may allow the child to sleep for a period they believe is in the best interests of the child’s health and wellbeing
• All cots must meet Australian Standards and be labelled AS/NZS 2172:2010 or AS/NZS 2195:2010 (folding cots)
• Mattress firmness must comply with AS/NZS 8811.1:2013 Methods of testing sleep surfaces
• Babies must never be left to sleep in a bassinet, hammock, pram or stroller
• Sleeping babies will be physically checked every 10 minutes and the check recorded
• If portacots used they must only be used temporarily (no more than a few days) for children up to 15 kg
• Educators will provide quiet, meaningful activities for children who do not need to/wish to sleep or rest
• Educators will communicate daily with families about their child’s sleep and rest routines
• Educators will respect and help maintain children’s privacy during toileting, dressing/undressing etc
• Cleaning practices will ensure sleep/rest environments are hygienic. Beds, linen and mattress covers will be cleaned when they look dirty, and every day or at the end of the week if used by the same child
• Children’s clothing must be safe, suitable for the weather, able to get dirty, allow free movement and ease of access for toileting
• For safety reasons children must not wear amber teething necklaces or bracelets