Aussie Childcare Network Forum

Hi

I am asking for help in nailing down exactly what I need to do for my Project - Facilitate compliance in an education and care service. I have to complete a self assessment of my Centre to prepare for my developent of a QIP. What I am not sure about is do I have to do a self assessment of all seven Quality Standard Areas, then develop a QIP for all of them or do I do a self assessment of the QA's, then choose just one to focus on as a result of the self assessment.

At the moment, I am overwhelmed by the thought of even doing a self assesment of all Areas. Where do I get the ideas for parent surveys? Do I survey them on all seven areas? I have downloaded the Guide to developing a QIP which seems to suggest that I do have to cover all areas, however, one of the newletters I read stated that "there is no expectation that all 18 standards and 58 elements will be addressed in the QIP" Where does this leave me? - my supervisor is an absolute stickler for competing Projects thoroughly!

The amount of documentation required for the Project is formidable! Surveys, staff meetings, children input, information collection tools??, feedback from staff. When do I and the rest of my staff do all this along with 10 hour working days? I will do the work at home but I'm not sure that the other staff will have the time to discuss how we are meeting all seven QA's. Do I make it up as has been suggested to me?

Any suggestions from someone maybe who has been through this before would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Thanks for the reply Lorina

Unfortunately, I do have to do all of the self assessment. According to the task, evidence must include:
- records of discussions with all stakeholders
- agenda and minutes from staff meetings
- information collected from staff, parents and children including samples of the information gathering tools such as questionaires
- evidence of feedback from staff and other stakeholders such as emails and discussion notes
- evidence regarding review of relevant polciies such as review notes
THEN there is a whole other set of evidence after the QIP has been developed!!

So, I still don't know whether I need to review all of the standards and elements then choose one to do the QIP on?? and I'm still am unsure of the best way to surevy parents for input. Obviously, they all work and I'm not sure about a questionaire. I mean how long would this process normally take in a Centre - I have 5 weeks to complete the task! and it's one of four in total.

We do have a copy of a QIP already done by the Centre. Shoukd I just use this then focus on one area for the QIP do you think. I guess I could also email the supervisor, but she's not the friendliest person on the planet and is extremely strict with her interprettion of the task rules. I've already been through the wringer eith the Curriculum Design Cluster.