Rationale: (why do we need this policy?)
Supervision is an important element in ensuring children are safe, engaged in learning, and feel embraced while attending the centre. Adult supervision of children contributes to minimising the opportunity for harm or injury, which is central in providing safe yet challenging environments. Kaiako (teachers) also use supervision to ensure all children are noticed and feel included. Active supervision provides an opportunity for kaiako to notice and respond to children’s learning.
Objectives: (what are the expected key outcomes from this policy?)
- children are always protected from harm and hazards through reasonable precautions and adequate supervision
- kaiako are attuned to children’s needs and interests and engage in meaningful interactions through effective supervision
- the physical environment is designed and laid out to enable effective and easy supervision
Guidelines:
Children must always be adequately supervised both at the centre and on excursions.
Adequate supervision means children can be seen easily most of the time or checked on at frequent intervals.
Supervision is delivered in ways that ensure children’s mana (authority/self) is always respected.
Kaiako supervision should allow a child to engage in exploration and appropriate risk taking, so that the child has opportunities to make responsible decisions about their play.
Kaiako must ensure that the environment is maintained, to facilitate adequate supervision while considering the need to maintain the rights and dignity of all children.
Flexibility and communication between kaiako is essential in ensuring all children are always adequately supervised.
Kaiako will use supervision strategies to engage with children’s learning and manage risks including:
Display awareness and knowledge of children: this strategy requires knowledge of children, including knowing each child’s range of skills, interests, and ability to interact with others and development. This strategy helps teachers to monitor and enhance skills that promote children’s positive behaviour.
Positioning: This strategy requires kaiako to position themselves where they can see and/or hear the children and be aware of the entire environment.
Scanning: this strategy involves regularly glancing around to see children’s involvement and what is happening. Observing children’s play and anticipating what may occur next allows kaiako to assist children as difficulties arise and to intervene when there is potential risk of harm or injury.
Redirection: this strategy is used as an aid in preventing unsafe behaviour. Children are redirected to other areas/activities when undesirable behaviour is imminent or occurs. This technique helps ensure the safety of all children.
Close proximity: provides supervision for all children in areas that are near equipment where injury may occur eg water play.
Quality interactions: this strategy requires kaiako to engage in meaningful interactions with children to promote learning during play and routine times.
Consistent supervision: this strategy discourages kaiako from performing other duties/tasks while responsible for the supervision of children.
Risk assessment: this strategy involves kaiako evaluating situations to determine the potential risks and benefits for children’s safety and wellbeing.
Communicating with each other about kaiako location within the environment is paramount.
Managing supervision risks:
The people
All staff, volunteers and students have a Police Vetting Check.
Volunteers, new teachers, and relief teachers will be informed about supervision arrangements and what is required of them in relation to supervising children.
Volunteers do not work alone and are always adequately supervised by a qualified kaiako.
Visitors and contractors must sign a visitors’ book and are never left alone in the learning environments.
Permanent staff members are responsible for completing centre routines such as nappy changing and sleeping.
The head teacher or person responsible will ensure the staff roster always allows for the correct ratios to be met.
Kaiako will ensure that a risk assessment is carried out before an authorisation is sought for an excursion.
The head teacher and persons responsible (qualified teachers) will ensure that this policy and its procedures are always maintained and implemented.
Adults on “Parent help” are not responsible for the supervision of children
All adults in areas of the centre usually accessible to the children that are not volunteers, staff, parent help or picking up and dropping off a child are encouraged to wear a name badge.
The environments
The facilities are designed or adapted to support easy supervision. Kaiako take into consideration the layout of the environments, any higher risk activities, the presence of animals, and the location of activities.
Staff will be particularly vigilant to keep a close watch on areas where children cannot easily be seen and supervised. Blind spots caused by the placement of the building on the land, the shape of the section, or the interior and exterior layout are addressed through checking.
The current identified areas of risk include:
- behind the fort
- on top of the fort
- in the area of the “Jo’s way” gate
- in the bathroom
- the climbing boxes outside
- Climbing wall
- in the sleeping room when in use.
- The floor length curtains when in use
If a child is in any of the following areas of the centre which are not usually accessible to children, the kaiako or other responsible adult (eg, parent/caregiver or parent help) are responsible for their close and careful supervision:
- the office
- the front entrance lobby
- the shed
- laundry
- veranda
- kitchen.
The routines and activities
Hazard Identification procedures are used to check the environment for safety.
Children must be closely supervised when consuming foods. An adult will remain in close proximity (preferably sitting with them) at all times. Children should only eat when seated.
Children who may not be able to eat or drink independently will have one-on-one attention from an adult when eating.
Supervision plan/strategies will be displayed.
The supervision plan/strategies will be regularly reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of implementation.
Resting and sleeping children are supervised and monitored in accordance with the Children’s Sleep Policy and procedures.
The bathroom is monitored, in accordance with the Nappy Changing and Toileting Policy.
The supervision of water play requires all pooled water to be removed or made inaccessible to children when not supervised in close proximity.
All technology used with the children that has the capacity of connecting to online sites must be supervised by kaiako in close proximity, in accordance with the Cybersafety policy.
References:
Licensing Criteria for Centre Based ECE Services: PF2, HS9, HS22.
Te Whāriki (2017): Wellbeing/Mana Atua: The health and wellbeing of the child are protected and nurtured.
February 2018 Quality Area 2 | Active Supervision: Ensuring safety and promoting learning www.ac
Supervision of Children Policy; Western Sydney University Early Learning Services www.uws.edu.au
Approved date: September 2022 Review date: September 2024