Legislative Requirements Of An In Nature Program In Early Childhood Service

The Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations prescribe requirements for children participating in nature programs to ensure the safety and well-being of children. The following article provides an overview of the regulatory requirements for services offering in nature programs. 

Benefits Of An In Nature Program 

In-nature programs offer a multitude of benefits for children in early childhood settings. Here are some key advantages:

1. Physical Activity: Outdoor environments encourage children to engage in physical activities, promoting their overall health and fitness.

2. Open-Ended Play: Natural settings provide opportunities for open-ended play, allowing children to use their imagination and creativity.

3. Risk-Taking and Exploration: These programs foster a sense of adventure and encourage children to take risks in a controlled environment, helping them develop confidence and resilience.

4. Connection with Nature: Children develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world and learn about the interdependence between people, animals, plants, lands, and waters.

5. Environmental Education: In-nature programs provide opportunities for children to engage with concepts of sustainability and environmental stewardship.

6. Social and Emotional Development: These programs help children develop social skills, build positive relationships, and enhance their emotional well-being.

7. Holistic Learning: An integrated approach to learning that connects children to both the social and natural world, fostering a well-rounded development.

These benefits make in-nature programs a valuable addition to early childhood education, promoting the overall growth and development of children.

Overview

• National Law and Regulations: The Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 and the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 outline the legal obligations for approved providers, nominated supervisors, and educators.

• Risk Assessments: Adequate supervision and risk assessments are required for excursions and regular outings. This includes obtaining authorizations from parents or guardians.

• Educational Program: The in-nature program should enhance children's learning and development and be based on an approved learning framework.

• Health and Safety: Policies and procedures must be developed and regularly reviewed to ensure the safety of children during in-nature activities.

• Relationships: The program should provide opportunities for children to develop respectful and positive relationships with each other and with staff members.

Educational Program and Relationships With Children

1. Educational Program: Must be planned, documented, and delivered to children attending any in-nature program and be available to families (r.73-76). The program should enhance and contribute to the children’s learning and development, and be based on an approved learning framework (s.168).

2. Positive Relationships: The approved provider must take reasonable steps to ensure that the in-nature program provides children with the opportunity to interact and develop respectful and positive relationships with each other and with staff members and volunteers at the service (r.156).

3. Self-Reliance and Self-Esteem: In-nature pedagogy allows children to undertake experiences that develop self-reliance and self-esteem and encourages them to express themselves and their opinions in play (r.155).

These requirements ensure that in-nature programs are beneficial for children's development and align with the standards set by the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations.

Approved Number Of Places 

1. Approved Number of Places: The maximum number of approved places for children who can be educated and cared for by the service at any one time must not be exceeded (s.51 (4A)).

2. Consideration of All Children: When planning an in-nature program, the service must consider all the children being educated and cared for by the service at any one time, including those at the approved service premises and those at the in-nature site.

3. Ratio and Qualification Requirements: The service must ensure that the approved number of places is not exceeded when calculating ratio and qualification requirements. For example, if the number of approved places is 25, then you cannot have 25 children attending the service premises and 25 children attending the in-nature program at the same time.

These requirements ensure that the service maintains appropriate supervision and care standards for all children, whether they are at the service premises or participating in an in-nature program.

Educator To Child Ratios

1. Educator-to-Child Ratios: Must be met whenever children are being educated and cared for, including outside the approved service premises (s.169, r.123).

2. Risk Assessment: Consideration must be given, as part of the risk assessment of an in-nature program as a regular outing (r.101(2)(f)), as to whether educator-to-child ratios will need to be higher than the prescribed requirement (s.169) and/or other responsible adults are required to ensure that children are adequately supervised at all times.

3. Number of Responsible Adults: Needs to be regularly considered having regard to such things as the risks (such as water) within the in-nature site, the ages, development stages, and individual needs of the children, and the weather conditions (r.101(2)(f)).

These requirements ensure that children are adequately supervised and safe during in-nature programs.

Risk Assessments

• Risk Assessment Requirement: A risk assessment must be conducted to identify and address possible risks of harm to children when they attend an in-nature site. This includes covering any unexpected incidents, harm, and hazards likely to cause injury (s.167), as well as emergencies or extreme weather events.

• Completion Before Access: The risk assessments should be completed before children access the site.

• National Regulations: The National Regulations require that a risk assessment for excursions contains the information prescribed in r.101.

Adequate Supervision 

1. Educator-to-Child Ratios: While important, these ratios alone do not ensure adequate supervision.

2. Critical Role of Supervision: Supervision is vital for the safety of children and helps protect them from harm or hazards that may arise during their play and daily routines.

3. Risk Assessment: Adequate supervision must be considered as part of the risk assessment developed for an in-nature program (r.101(2)(f)).

4. Immediate Response: Adequate supervision means that an educator can respond immediately, particularly when a child is distressed or in a hazardous situation.

5. Active Monitoring: Knowing where children are at all times and actively and diligently monitoring their activities.

These requirements ensure that children are safe and well-supervised during in-nature programs.

Confort, Rest and Sleep

1. Policies and Procedures: Services are required to have policies and procedures in place relating to sleep and rest. From 1 October 2023, the National Regulations will specify matters that must be included in these policies and procedures, and will require approved providers to conduct a risk assessment at least once every 12 months (regulations 84A, 84B, and 84C).

2. Rest and Relaxation Arrangements: These arrangements for children at an in-nature site must be reflected in the service’s sleep and rest policy and procedure, and included in the sleep and rest risk assessment.

3. Appropriate Clothing: To ensure children's comfort, appropriate clothing should be available. For example, protective wet weather gear should be provided for each child, either by families and/or the service.

These requirements ensure that children are comfortable and well-rested during in-nature programs.

Food and Beverages 

1. Access to Safe Drinking Water: The approved provider, nominated supervisor, and family day care educator must ensure that children attending the in-nature site as part of the service’s educational program always have access to safe drinking water (r.78).

2. Appropriate Food and Beverages: Children must be offered food and beverages appropriate to their needs on a regular basis throughout the day.

3. Food Storage: Consideration must be given to the appropriate storage of food during the in-nature session.

4. Advice to Families: Advice should be provided to families about suitable food options for the in-nature program.

These requirements ensure that children are well-nourished and hydrated during in-nature programs.

Weather Conditions 

1. Exposure to Extreme Weather: The outdoor nature of in-nature programs can result in exposure to extreme weather conditions, including electrical storms, extreme heat, bush fires, floods, and high winds.

2. Weather Forecast Systems: Systems for checking the weather forecasts prior to the commencement of each in-nature session should be implemented.

3. Cancellation of Sessions: Any in-nature sessions should be cancelled if extreme weather conditions are forecast.

4. Online Resources: There are several online websites and applications that provide weather information, such as the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology.

These requirements ensure that children are safe and well-protected during in-nature programs.

Approved Learning Frameworks 

1. Approved Learning Frameworks: The in-nature program should enhance and contribute to the children’s learning and development, and be based on an approved learning framework (s.168).

2. Incident, Injury, Trauma, and Illness: Policies and procedures must be developed to include procedures to be followed by the nominated supervisor, educators, and teachers at the in-nature site in the event that a child is injured, becomes ill, or suffers trauma or illness (r.85 and r.168).

3. Essential Items to Take: When children attend an in-nature program, the following items must be taken with educators:

   • Appropriate food options and adequate drinking water (r.78)

   • Contact information of any person to be notified of any incident, injury, trauma, or illness involving the child

   • An adequately stocked first aid kit and any health plans for children

   • Risk assessment and management plans developed for the in-nature site

   • Change of clothes for each child

   • Wet weather gear

   • Nappies and baby-change equipment, if required

   • Fully-charged mobile telephone or other communication device

4. Support for In-Nature Programs: Outdoor learning spaces offer a vast array of possibilities for physical activity and learning experiences not available indoors. These spaces invite open-ended play, interactions, physically active play, games, spontaneity, risk-taking, exploration, discovery, and connection with nature. They foster an appreciation of the natural world and the interdependence between people, animals, plants, lands, and waters, providing opportunities for children to engage with all concepts of sustainability through environmental education (EYLF, p.23). An integrated, holistic approach focuses on connections to the social and natural world, fostering children's capacity to value and respect the broader social environment and appreciate the natural environment and the interdependence between people, plants, animals, and the land (MTOP, p.20).

These requirements ensure that in-nature programs are beneficial for children's development and align with the standards set by the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations.

Essential Items To Take 

• Appropriate Food and Water: Ensure there are appropriate food options and adequate drinking water (r.78).

• Contact Information: Have the contact information of any person who is to be notified of any incident, injury, trauma, or illness involving the child.

• First Aid Kit: Carry an adequately stocked first aid kit and any health plans for children.

• **Risk Assessment and Management Plans

When planning an in-nature program, it's essential to consider the unique needs and context of your community, including children, families, educators, and teachers. 

Further Reading 

Bush Kinder Program 
Active Supervision In Early Childhood Settings

Reference: 
Legislative Requirements Of An In Nature Program, ACECQA