Delivery and Collection of Children Procedure

In this procedure, words in italic text are defined terms which have the specific meanings set out in Gowrie Victoria Policies and Procedures – Definitions and Abbreviations.

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is set out measure to ensure that children arrive at and leave a service safely.

Scope

This procedure applies to all staff members, volunteers, students on placement and contractors/labour hire employees of Gowrie Victoria.

Procedure statement

Requirement to have a register of attendance

The early learning manager must ensure that the service keeps a record of attendance which records: (National Regulations r158(1))

• the full name of each child attending the service
• the date and time each child arrives and departs
• the identity of the person signing the child in or out, which can be:
• the person delivering or collecting each child from the service, or
• a nominated supervisor, or
• an educator

People who may collect a child from the service

See Acceptance and Refusal of Authorisations Procedure

The early learning manager must have plans and systems in place to ensure that, except in an emergency situation or if the child is going on an excursion, an enrolled child does not leave the service premises unless she or he is given into the care of: (restricted version of National Regulations r99(4))

• a parent (but not a parent who is prohibited from having contact with the child)
• an authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record
• a court-appointed guardian or representative of DHS or Victoria Police

Gowrie Victoria recognises that circumstances will arise where a parent or an authorised nominee are unexpectedly not available to collect a child from the service. In these instances a parent or legal guardian (but not a parent prohibited from having contact with the child) can contact a staff member, the early learning manager or the child’s early years leader to give authorisation for this to occur, provided that:

• if the authorisation is sent by email:
• it includes the name of the person who will be collecting the child
• the child’s parent sending the email is called on their usual telephone to confirm that the email was sent by them
• the email is printed out, details of the confirmatory telephone call are written on the printed copy, and the printed copy is then placed with the child’s enrolment record
• if the authorisation is given verbally over the telephone:
• it is given to two members of staff
• the staff members confirm that the person giving the authorisation is a parent or guardian of the child (this may involve the person providing sufficient person details to the staff members to prove their identity, such as their full legal name, residential address, work/home/mobile telephone numbers, email address)
• details are recorded in writing and placed with the child’s enrolment record

Authorisation by text messages or social media messages will not be accepted.

Where a person other than a child’s parent or authorised nominee arrives to collect the child, and the child’s educator does not recognise the person, the person must be asked for ID and a copy of the ID must be made and placed with the child’s enrolment records.

If the person starts to collect a child regularly, they should be added to the list of authorised nominees.

Prohibited parents

The early learning manager must ensure that copies of custody or parental access orders affecting a child are kept with the child’s enrolment record together with the identity of all prohibited parents.

All staff members must ensure that entrance doors to children’s program areas of the service premises are kept closed during service operating hours.

If a prohibited parent comes into the service premises the staff member noticing the prohibited person arrive must:

• immediately make an emergency call to Victoria Police
• as soon as possible inform the responsible person
• if possible keep the affected child safe
• as soon as possible contact a family member of the child and inform them of the situation

If a prohibited parent is observed to be loitering near the service premises, an emergency call must be made to the police.

Late departure

Families who will be delayed past their scheduled collection time should telephone the service to notify their child’s early years leader or an educator.

If a child has not been collected by the service closing time and educators have not been able to contact the child’s family, educators will arrange for the child to be collected by a designated emergency contact as recorded in the child’s enrolment record.

If neither a family member nor the child’s emergency contact can be located the child will remain at the service with two educators while Victoria Police are contacted.

Authorisation

Approved by the Executive Manager, Early Learning

Name	Nicole Pilsworth
Signature
Date	17 August 2021

References