Aussie Childcare Network Forum

Hi can I please have some help with these questions? I have been stuck on this part of the assignment for a while now and feeling a little lost and unsure how im going. Im not sure of some of the questions and if im on the right track for the others. Thank you in advance.

Scenario 1
Charlotte is a three year old girl in your group. One day her father comes to pick her up and you can smell stong alcohol on his breath. He tells you he has been celebrating a successful work prject at the pub all afternoon with his colleagues. You know he is driving and intends on taking Charlotte home in the car.

Scenario 2
You are the lead educator in the toddler room and Brayden is a two year old boy in your care. He is usually collected by Aunty Karen who says and plays for a while when she picks him up of an afternoon. You havent seen Karen for a few days and then one morning she comes to visit Brayden and asks to play with him in your room for a while.
That afternoon, Brayden's mother comes to pick him up and you tell her that Karen was there this morning. She tells you she does not want Karen seeing Brayden anymore as they are not longer talking. You have observed that Karen and Brayden have a very close loving relationship.

You are required to answer the following questions for BOTH of the scenarios (you will have 22 answers in total).

Q1. Identify the ethical and/or legal issues (where applicable) in each scenario.
Q2. What are your responsibilities regarding each situation according to legislation, workplace policies and protocols?
Q3. Consider your own personal values and attitudes and explain how you will ensure your practices are non-judgmental.
Q4. How will you ensure your actions are within the boundaries of your work roll (both responsibilites and limitations)?
Q5. What are the service's legal requirments with regards to the child?
Q6. List service records and legislative documents that would guide your actions.
Q7. Read the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In your own words, breifly describe the children's rights in regards to each scenario.
Q8. Who would you discuss each situation with and why?
Q9. What steps would you take to ensure confidentiality and boundaries are maintained between you, your colleagues and clients, including management of service documents?
Q10. Identify any legal requirments (if any) for mandory reporting?
Q11. What are the parent/carer rights and/or responsibilities in these scenarios?

My answers:
Part A
Scenario 1
Q1. Ethically we cannot allow Charlotte to leave with her father as he is under the influence as it is putting her in danger by him driving.

Q2. We are to notify the director immediately and contact another family member/ friend from her authorization to pick up list to come and pick her up. If the father proceeds to leave with the child then we are to notify police

Q3. I understand that situations can occur and that the father may have not realised the amount of alcohol consumed given the celebration. But I have a duty of care for the child’s safety for which I would follow procedure of my service when handling the matter.

Q4. I would follow my services policy and procedures to guide my actions to ensure I stay within the boundaries of my work role.

Q5. To ensure the safety and wellbeing of charlotte and to try and encourage the father to allow another authorised person to collect her for the service.

Q6. ?

Q7. Charlotte has the right to be kept safe from harm and to be looked after properly.

Q8. I would discuss this with the director and ask for some assistance in handling the matter to ensure that the father stays calm and that no incidence occurs so charlotte as well as the other children and staff members remain safe.

Q9. I would make sure that when discussing the matter with colleagues, and father that it is done in private and away from other parents/children. All documentation will be kept in appropriate folders and not let out for others to see.

Q10. ?

Q11. The father has the right to confidentiality and privacy of the matter. He has the responsibility to have a sober person driving or have another authorised person collect charlotte from care as he is unable to so.

Scenario 2.
Q1.

Q2.

Q3. As I can understand there is a very loving connection with Brayden and his aunty, I also understand that I do not know what happens in their lives outside the centre. The mother would have her reasons for this request and I respect that as it could be for the child’s best interest.

Q4.

Q5. To ensure that the child is safe and to only allow authorised persons to come into the centre to collect the child.

Q6. ?

Q7.

Q8. I would discuss this with my director and ask for assistance if needed with talking to both mother and aunty. I would also discuss this with all other staff members so they are aware of the mothers’ wishes.

Q9. All discussions with Brayden’s mother, Aunty and staff members will be done in private away from others. All documentation will be kept in Brayden’s folder.

Q10. ?

Q11. The mother has the right to whom she doesn’t want around Brayden. She has the responsibility to inform the service of this matter and to update the authority list to have Karen removed, as well as bring in any court orders stating this person is not allowed near Brayden.

Hi this is the last of my assignment if you could please help me and have a look through. A few questions im in sure of but if you could please help and see if im in the right track then i can send it off.
Thank you so much i really do appreciate all of your help and advice.


Part B
Scenario
A colleague from the preschool room tells you they dislike a particular four year old in the room as she finds it very difficult to get him to sleep. She says her and the other educators argue because she believes he has to go to bed and be forced to sleep, while the other educator says he can lay on his bed quietly to rest and read. Today, she asks you to put a bed out for him in the toddler room and states "if he's in the baby room, he will learn to sleep like a baby".

Questions:
1. Who would you report this unethical incident to and how?
2. List the legislative and other workplace documents that would guide your actions in this scenario.
3. What would you the possible consequences be for yourself, the impact on the child and the educator, if you did not act in accordance with your responsibilities?
4. Identify the work health and safety practices that should be improved to meet the needs of the educators involved.
5. Which quality area from the National Quality Standard is relevant to this scenario?
6. What recommendations would you make to assist educators to improve knowledge and practise?
7. What needs to be included in a service policy to ensure all educators have clear understanding of appropriate practices and guidelines for sleep and rest?
8. Outline how you will use this opportunity to contribute to the review and/or development of the policy (your role and the process you will follow).
9. Explain how policies enhance workplace responsiveness to legal and ethical dilemmas.
10. Outline how communication and decision making can be improved between colleagues and supervisors for future management of conflict situations.

My answers:

Q1. I would report this to my director by talking to her in private.

Q2. Workplace documents guiding my actions are:
• Professional conduct policy,
• Interactions with children policy and
• Sleep and rest policy.
Legislative documents guiding my actions are:
• Education and Care Services National Law Act,
• Education and Care Services National Regulations,
• National Quality Standard and
• Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005


Q3. ?

Q4. ?

Q5. National Quality Standard relevant is Quality Area 4

Q6. I would suggest that they read through our sleep and rest time policy and guidelines and well as talk to the parents on their child’s usual sleep/rest routine at home. I would also suggest that read the code of ethics as well as the code of conduct handbook to get a better understanding on how to handle and approach a situation next time.

Q7. It needs to be clearly stated in the sleep and rest time practices and guidelines if a child is to sleep or just rest on their beds, and the steps to ensure that the child is receiving quality resting time.

Q8. I would have a look through the policy to ensure if all steps are clearly stated in what to do, I would then talk to the director with any concerns I may have and suggest there be a slight change in the policy in adding a few extra steps to ensure that there is no confusion in what is expected at sleep/ rest time.

Q9. Policies enhance workplace responsiveness to legal and ethical dilemmas as it states what our roll and responsibilities are and what procedures and protocols we need to follow to ensure the best outcome for all involved and to be able to upkeep a standard of care and safety for all in the centre.

Q10. Discuss it at the staff meeting, having it open for staff to be able to communicate their concerns. Also discuss ideas and put in place ways that everyone would feel comfortable in being able to communicate with a staff member of director about any future conflicts.


Part C

Q1. Provide an example of one conflict of interest you have experienced in the workplace and describe the strategies/action you took to resolve the matter.

A1.One of the educators has her 3 year old child enrolled at the centre. Since this child only wants his mother’s attention at all times and therefore not allowing her to fulfil her job as an educator to the other children enrolled in the service, and he isn’t extending on his social development with others away from his mother, the child is not put in the same room as the mother.

Q2. Name the national award from the Fair Work Commission that relates to your employment role as an Educator.

A2. Children’s Services Award 2010 [MA000120]

Q3. Describe two times that you have identified and communicated to other potential work practice improvements that have enhanced your procedures in relation to legal and ethical requirements.

A3. ??