Quality Area 4 - Staffing Arrangements requires services to have sufficient educators and staff members available at all times when children are present. Educators are likely to be responsive, purposeful and reflective when staffing arrangements at the service enable them to direct their full attention to their work with children, and when they do not have to attend simultaneously to other tasks.
The following lists the documentation services are required to have in order to support achievement of QA4 in each element.
4.1 - Staffing Arrangements Enhance Children's Learning and Development
4.1.1 – The organisation of educators across the service supports children's learning and development.
Documentation to support this includes:
- rosters for nominated supervisors, co-ordinators, educators and other staff
- procedures and supporting documentation to assist relief educators to learn about the service’s processes, routines, families and children
- staff rosters that demonstrate the service is meeting staffing requirements including that a first-aid-qualified staff member is on duty at all times
- staff records that demonstrate educators, co-ordinators and family day care educator assistants hold first aid qualifications
- records of co-ordinator qualifications
4.1.2 – Every effort is made for children to experience continuity of educators at the service.
- rosters and staffing arrangements that reflect the importance of educator
- continuity on a day-to-day basis
- exit data and documentation that provides information about the reasons for educators leaving the service.
4.2 – Management, Educators And Staff Are Collaborative, Respectful and Ethical
4.2.1 –Management, educators and staff work with mutual respect and collaboratively and challenge and learn from each other, recognising each other’s strengths and skills.
Documentation to support this includes:
- evidence recorded in staff meeting minutes or reflective journals that demonstrates that the educational leader, nominated supervisor, coordinators and educators are engaging with their colleagues to reflect on practice, explore new possibilities and record
- outcomes that have resulted in improved practice so that children and families benefit
- documented examples of projects or teamwork that recognises and builds on the diverse skills, knowledge and strengths of the team
4.2.2 Professional standards guide practice, interactions and relationships.
Documentation to support this includes:
- the service’s code of conduct and Early Childhood Australia’s Code of Ethics (2016) are accessible to educators and staff members and are displayed and made available to families
- a handbook or resources for new and existing service staff that includes, the statement of philosophy. position descriptions, professional standards and/or code of conduct
Click to download: Supporting Doc QA4 Checklist - a checklist of documentation (listed above) that is required in order to achieve Quality Area 4
For a list of outcomes under each element: How To Achieve Quality Area 4