Aussie Childcare Network Forum

Hi

Need some suggestions for OSHC. At our assessment and rating visit last week I was informed that educators need to sign if they are "on" and "off" the floor when they are doing duties not directly with the children. It is all about regulation 1.51 and "who is responsible for the children at any given moment in time". These duties include washing up, cleaning up and packing away resources at the end of each session and when I'm doing admin at my desk/talking to parents etc. Just don't know how I am going to manage this !! Our oshc is in the multi-purpose room, with the kitchen within the same space and the storeroom off to the side (where children don't go into). We set up and pack up each day resources, tables and chairs and trolleys with art/craft, construction etc. I often sit down at a desk in this space to do parents accounts etc for a few minutes here and there on my laptop. It was suggested I add columns to the staff sign in and out sheets and when we are doing other duties we sign in and out. This seems crazy for a 5 or 10 minute job. DEET has told me if they ever ask for these records I need to produce documentation of such. How does everyone manage this? I was told this is compliance issues DEET will be cracking down on. It seems we have to just about document our every move and have less time actually with the children!!!

Thanks Lorina. Some good ideas. It's just OSHC is so much less structured than LDC with parents coming and going from 3.30 right up till 6pm and the regulations don't seem to recognise that oshc children are school-age up to 12 years old. Plus we have 3 educators per afternoon including myself and LDC has anywhere from 10 -25 staff per day.