Do Rest Breaks Need To Be Covered?

[Lems]

Is it ok to be over ratio whilst an educator is on their 10 minute rest break, or should they be replaced by another educator whilst they're away? The centre I'm at has recently switched to separate rest and lunch breaks rather than all in one go and we've been told that no one will be replacing us when we go on our rest break. Am feeling a little concerned, particularly in regards to if an incident were to occur whilst over ratio during this time...

[Lorina]

In the regulations it states:

Educator to child ratios when educator or early childhood teacher on rest pause

(1) This regulation applies until 31 December 2019.

(2) A centre-based service is taken to meet the relevant educator to child ratio while an educator or early childhood teacher is on a rest pause if—

(a) the rest pause is not more than 10 minutes duration; and
(b) the educator or early childhood teacher has not already taken more than 1 rest pause that day; and
(c) there is a specified person present at the education and care service premises during the rest pause who is—
(i) not working with children; and
(ii) able to attend to children immediately if required; and

Note. The person may be the educator or early childhood teacher who is taking the rest pause.

(d) only one educator or early childhood teacher counted in the relevant required educator to child ratio is absent on a rest pause at any one time; and
(e) if the centre-based service has a rest period condition, the educator or early childhood teacher does not take the rest pause during a rest period.

(3) During a rest pause taken by an educator or early childhood teacher in accordance with subregulation (2), the centre-based service is taken to meet the relevant qualification requirements for educators.

(4) In this regulation, a reference to an early childhood teacher is a reference to an early childhood teacher who is counted as an educator in calculating the educator to child ratio of the service.

Hope this helps!

,
Lorina

[Lems]

You know, I didn't even think to check the regulations. That's a bit of a whoops Thanks for your reply, Lorina. Will work on trying to be less concerned about it now that I know that it's in the regulations as ok.