Do we need teachers on the daily bus

[Marie Stuart]

Hi - The Regulations are not clear and it seems a wasted qualified teacher time (money) for a teacher to have to travel on the bus to and from the centre every day (3 hours per day) Note there is a working with children police checked driver and cert 3 educator on the bus but this has been questioned???

[Lorina]

I'm not too sure... Can't find any information... However, educator:child ratios need to be maintained at all times and since the children are travelling the ratio will be lower. I don't think the driver is included in the ratio because they cannot supervise the children only drive the bus. I think you follow the same considerations while attending an excursion except it's a bus... Depending on how many children, the cert 3 isn't qualified to be left to manage children by themselves...

Hope this helps,

,
L.A

[Marie Stuart]

Thanks I did get to the bottom of it. Unlike an excursion it need not be considered a part of the education and care service. It has to comply with REG 99.4
Providing transport that is not as part of the education and care service
Where transport is provided that is not directly part of the education and care service, parents or persons authorised by the parent need to provide an authorisation to allow the children to leave the education and care service premises.
The person responsible for the delivery and collection of children to the service would need to be authorised under regulation 99(4). This regulation requires that a child who is being educated and cared for by the service does not leave the premises unless the child:
• is given into the care of –
• a parent of the child; or
• an authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record; or
• a person authorised by a parent or authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record to collect the children from the premises; or
• leaves the premises in accordance with the written authorisation of the child’s parent or authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record.
In addition, the person authorised to collect the children and transport them should sign and time the children into the education and care service premises, family day care residence or family day care venue on arrival and out of the service when the child is collected (regulation 158).
The policy for delivery and collection of children (regulation 168(2)(f)) should clearly outline the arrangements for the delivery and collection of children in these circumstances. Parents of the children being transported to and from the service should be made aware of the policy for delivery and collection of children and notified of any changes to the policy (regulation 172).
Whatever the arrangements are made for the transportation of children the relevant criminal history requirements must be met.