Safe Arrival 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

Gowrie Victoria aims to ensure the safe and secure arrival and departure of all children into our services who may be travelling to or from another early childhood service or education facility. We are committed to identifying and minimising risks and potential hazards to ensure children are not placed at risk of harm or hazard when travelling between other educational facilities and our services.

Implementation

Gowrie Victoria is committed to child safety and establishing and maintaining a safe environment for all children. Every reasonable precaution is taken to protect children from harm and from any hazard likely to cause injury. Appropriate safety measures have been implemented through our comprehensive risk assessment process to ensure supervision is adequate at all times including when children are travelling between our services and an education facility.

Gowrie Victoria will ensure procedures for the safe handover of children between our services and education facility are documented correctly and clearly communicated with all stakeholders.

Definition

An education or early learning service includes a school, long day care service and kindergarten, family day care service and out of school hours service.

Examples of travel between education or early childhood services may include, but is not limited to:

• a child travelling from our service to school for school orientation.
• a child travelling from a school on the same site back to our service
• a child travelling from our service to a family day care service or from the family day care service to our service.

Safe arrival of children risk assessment

Gowrie Victoria will conduct a comprehensive risk assessment in order to identify any potential risk/s or hazards and ensure the safe arrival and departure of children who are travelling between our services and an education facility.

The risk assessment will include reference to who is responsible for the children during the period they are travelling between the service and an education or early childhood service.

The risk assessment will be reviewed at least annually or after being aware of an incident or circumstance where the health, safety or wellbeing of children may be compromised. All risk assessments will be regularly assessed and evaluated as to facilitate continuous improvement in our service.

Authorisation

Approved by the Executive Manager, Early Learning

Name	Nicole Pilsworth
Signature
Date	17 August 2024

References

NQS Quality Area               QA2 Children health and safety

Procedure Status               Mandatory

Parent Policy                       Safe Environment Policy