Policies and procedures

It is the parent's or guardian’s responsibility to:

• Read and comply with the policies and procedures of the service
• Completing an enrolment form for their child before they commence in the service; including the authorised nominee section of their child’s enrolment form
• Sign and date permission forms for excursions
• Sign the attendance record as their child arrives and departs from the service
• Providing written authorisation where children require medication to be administered by educators, including signing and dating the Medication and Administration and Authorisation Form
• Providing the service with any legal documents/court orders when in place
• Updating authority to collect information when there is a change in who can make decisions on behalf of them.

All parents or guardians are responsible for:

• Full disclosure of all relevant information that is required to manage the medical or health condition during the time the child attends the service, including status of the child’s health and details of possible side effects of the medication and any allergy reports, asthma plans or details of ongoing conditions or treatment
• Officially transfer the holding of the medication and authorise the YMCA to administer the medication by completing the Administration of Medication Record upon arrival at the service
• When collecting their child, parents must co-sign the Administration of Medication Form
• Sick children who are receiving medication must have completed a full dose over a 24 hour period before returning to the service
• The education and care service can request a written confirmation of medical health information from a child’s medical practitioner via the parent/guardian where a previous formal diagnosis has not been made by a medical practitioner.

Parents or guardians of children diagnosed with anaphylaxis (a severe allergy, for example an allergy to nuts or penicillin) are responsible for:

• Informing staff of their child’s allergies when they enrol or are diagnosed
• Developing an anaphylaxis risk minimisation and communication plan with staff – which is reviewed every 12 months
• Provide staff with a coloured ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis, and colour photo of child signed by a registered medical or nurse practitioner, accompanying adrenaline auto-injection device and any other medication specified on the action plan
• Provide written consent for staff to administer medications specified on the child’s ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis by completing the Asthma, Allergy and Anaphylaxis Medication Authorisation & Sign in Log
• Regularly check the expiry dates of the adrenaline auto-injection device and other medication specified on the action plan
• Notify the staff of any changes to their child’s allergy status and provide a new ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis in accordance with these changes
• Comply with the service’s policy and procedure that no child who has been prescribed an adrenaline auto-injection device is permitted to attend the service or its programs without that device (in date), ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis, risk minimisation and communication plan.

If you have arranged for a person to pick up your child from our services on your behalf, you will need to complete the following actions:

• Provide written notice via email to your service a minimum of one day prior. 
• Update your child's online enrolment form to include this person as an authorised nominee with authority to collect your child.

This person must present their photo ID to YMCA staff upon collection.

The contact email of your service is listed under the "Contact us" section of their site profile.

Sign into My Family Lounge to update your child's online enrolment form and register this person as an Additional Contact.

All parents or guardians are responsible for:

• Read and comply with the policies and procedures of the service.
• Clearly label their child’s bottle with their child’s full name
• Label all bottles containing breast milk or formula with the date of preparation or expression
• Be encouraged to supply breast milk in well labelled, multiple small quantities to prevent wastage
• Be encouraged to keep formula powder at the centre so that the formula can be prepared as required. Tins of formula must be clearly labelled with the child’s full name.
• Be asked to provide a labelled bottle(s) for use at the service for children having regular cow’s milk and other types of milk in their bottles
• Ensure breast milk arrives at the service in an insulated bag
• Be encouraged to communicate regularly with educators about children’s bottle and feeding requirements.

The following terms and conditions apply to the use of Casual Booking Vouchers at YMCA Early Learning Centres that are operated by YMCA Victoria.

• The Casual Booking Voucher is valid for one child to receive a single day of free childcare at the nominated centre listed on the voucher.
• Bookings are subject to availability at the nominated centre.
• The Casual Booking Voucher is only valid for the Long Day Care and Integrated Kindergarten programs available at YMCA Early Learning Centres.
• The Casual Booking Voucher expires 12 months from the issue date outlined on the voucher. The expiry date is the last day the voucher can be redeemed; it will not be accepted after this date.
• The Casual Booking Voucher is non-refundable and not redeemable for cash.
• The holder of the Casual Booking Voucher must complete the YMCA Children’s Programs enrolment and booking process to utilise the voucher. The holder must submit a Casual Booking request via My Family Lounge and present the physical voucher at participating centre on the day of care.

Learn more about our enrolment and booking process or sign into My Family Lounge to submit your casual booking request.

All parents, guardians or authorised nominees are responsible for:

• On arrival parents or guardians or authorised nominees bringing the child to the service are responsible for signing the child into the service on the Attendance Roll. This includes indicating time of arrival and providing a signature next to the child’s name for hard copy rolls. Where electronic software and devices are utilised sign in will occur when the parent or guardian or authorised nominee logs into the device.
• The parents or guardians or authorised nominees responsible for dropping off the child at the service must ensure that an educator is aware of the child’s presence before leaving the service
• On collection parents or guardians or authorised nominees collecting the child from the service are responsible for signing the child out of the service on the Attendance Roll. This includes indicating time of departure and providing a signature next to the child’s name for hard copy rolls. Where electronic software and devices are utilised sign out will occur when the parent or guardian or authorised nominee logs into the device.
• The parents or guardians or authorised nominees must ensure that an educator is aware that they are collecting the child/ren from the service
• Presenting photo identification when asked by educators to confirm identity as authorised person against child/ren’s Enrolment Record
• The name, contact number and address of all people authorised to collect the child must be included in the child’s Enrolment Record. Any changes to these details must be advised in writing or via online account where electronic enrolments are in place, as soon as possible
• Completing an Enrolment Record annually for their child/ren, which is signed and dated via hard copy or online account where electronic enrolments are in place
• Ensuring the authorised nominees and emergency contact list on the child/ren’s Enrolment Record is kept up to date
• Providing written authorisation where children require medication to be administered by educators by completing the Medication and administration and Authorisation Form upon arrival to the service.
• Providing written consent for staff to administer medications specified on the child’s ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis by completing the Asthma, Allergy and Anaphylaxis Medication and Authorisation Sign in Log
• Notifying the service if they are likely to be late collecting their children
• In the event of a child being picked up from the service after closing time, a late fee specified in the service Family Handbook will be added to the invoice. Government funding, such as CCS, does not apply to late fees.

All parents or guardians are responsible for:

• Ensuring all information relating to the child is current and provide updated information when requested by the service or whenever details provided on the enrolment form or supporting documentation are no longer current, this includes information such as children’s medical conditions and immunisation status
• Informing the service in writing of the cancellation of care or of any requests to change days or sessions adhering to the applicable notice period
• Ensuring all details are updated when required with the Family Assistance Office or Centrelink
• Reading, understanding and agreeing to the relevant service Family Handbook, policies and procedures prior to attending the service for the first time and when requested thereafter
• Ensuring your child’s enrolment records are reviewed and updated annually. This can be completed on the online portal by re-submitting your child enrolment form or completing a new paper based form where applicable
• Providing a current Immunisation History Statement from the AIR; and
• The statement must show that the child is up to date with all vaccinations that are due for their age, or they are able to receive, as per the National Immunisation Program
• Where relevant; ensuring information relating to child/ren’s medical condition/s, medical action plans, court orders, other legal orders, parenting plans and behaviour support plans are included with the children’s enrolment record.

Our exclusion policy varies dependent on the condition or illness. YMCA Children’s Services follows the Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines, Staying Healthy in Childcare. We also follow YMCA policies set out in the Family Handbook and on our website.

We understand families may need to make changes to their child’s care arrangements, including permanent booking cancellation.

In this instance we ask families to provide a period of notice which varies based on the service your child attends.

• One week's notice is required for our Before and After School Programs and School Holiday Programs.
• Two week's notice is required for our Early Learning programs (including Long Day Care and Kindergarten).

Families can submit their notice by selecting the "Change to child's care arrangements" field when completing our current families contact form.

Our Customer Service Team will review your form submission and pass notice onto your Centre Manager or Program Coordinator.

Alternatively, families can submit their notice to their centre/program directly via email.

All parents or guardians are responsible for:

• Informing the service of their child’s medical conditions upon enrolment, and informing the service of any specific requirements that their child might have in relation to their medical condition
• Ensuring an up to date medical management plan is provided to the service upon enrolment or before first attending the service for children with a specific health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition that requires a medical management plan. Children who require a medical management plan will not be able to attend the service if the plan is not available or is out of date (more than 12 months old)
• Provide the service with a coloured medical management plan and colour photo of child signed by a registered medical or nurse practitioner and accompanying medication specified on the action plan
• Provide written consent for staff to administer medications specified on the child’s medical management plan by completing the Medication Administration and Authorisation Record
• Regularly check the expiry dates of any medication specified on the child’s medical management plan
• Developing a Risk Minimisation and Communication Plan in conjunction with the service that is reviewed every 12 months
• Assist staff by offering information and answering any questions regarding their child’s medical condition
• Notify the staff of any changes to their child’s medical condition and provide a new medical management plan in accordance with these changes
• Provide written consent via the enrolment record for service educators to administer first aid and call emergency services if required
• Comply with the service’s policy and procedure that no child who has been diagnosed with a medical condition is to attend the service or its programs without a current medical management plan and any medication prescribed on the child’s medical management plan.

Our policies and procedure documents are kept onsite at each of our program locations. Families can request to view a copy when next in centre.

In addition, families can request a soft copy from our Customer Service Team by completing our current families contact form.

If you require these documents in a language other than English, please indicate this when completing the form and we will do our best to support.