Enrolment and orientation |
Document no: |
R168 2 (k) |
Approval date: |
February 2018 |
Approved by: |
Family Services Manager |
Review date: |
August 2025 |
Responsible Officer: Early Childhood Coordinator |
Version no: |
03 |
Authorising Officer: |
Family Services Manager |
1. Purpose
The City of Greater Geelong (Council) Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services are dedicated to ensuring each child’s transition into our Education and Care services is straightforward, supportive and comfortable.
We acknowledge that families are the child’s first educators and experts in their child/ren’s needs, wants and desires. It is vital that families, management, educators and staff work together to assist children to feel safe and secure within their new education and care environment.
This policy outlines
- the types of services provided in ECEC
- roles and responsibilities relating to registration, enrolment, allocation and enrolment processes for ECEC services
- enrolment and orientation process once a place is accepted in ECEC.
2. Scope
The City of Greater Geelong (Council) is an approved provider under National Law, and approved Early Years Management (EYM) Organisation providing funded Kindergarten. The City of Greater Geelong offers a range of services within Early Childhood and Care (ECEC) Unit including:
- Long Day education & care (for children 6 weeks to 6 years old)
- Occasional / sessional care (for children 0-5 year of age)
- 3-year-old kindergarten in sessional and integrated (long day education & care) settings (State Government funded)
- 4-year-old kindergarten (year before school commencement) in sessional and integrated (long day education & care) settings (State Government funded)
- Family Day Care
This policy applies to the City of Greater Geelong as the Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisors, Responsible Persons, educators, other staff and parents/guardians who wish to enrol or have already enrolled their child at a City of Greater Geelong service
All services
To ensure:
- all regulatory and legislative information is gathered, processed and stored correctly
- families and children are provided with orientation opportunities to ease into a new education and care environment in a warm inclusive and supportive manner, considering the individual needs of children and their families.
Definitions
- Approved provider: An individual or organisation that has been approved by the DET as fit and proper (in accordance with Division 1 Sections 12, 13 and 14 of the Education and Care Services National Law) to operate one or more education and care services. The City of Greater Geelong is the Approved Provider for all Council Services.
- Approved care: Care given by a service provider that has been approved by the Family Assistance Office to receive Child Care Subsidy payments on behalf of eligible families. Most long day care, family day care, before-and-after school care, vacation care, some occasional care and some in-home care childcare services are approved providers.
- Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS): A Commonwealth Government payment to help families who use either approved or registered childcare services.
- Children with additional needs: Children whose development or physical condition requires specialist support or children who may need additional support due to language, cultural or economic circumstances.
- DE: Department of Education
- Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC): The unit the delivers a suite of early years services provided by Council.
- Early Years Management (EYM): EYM organisations provide leadership and management to a number of funded community-based kindergarten services, and to other complementary early years services. To be approved by the State Government as an EYM organisations must align with the EYM Policy in addition to kindergarten funding requirements. Council is an Early Years Management (EYM) organisation.
- Early Start Kindergarten (ESK): A funding program that enables three-year-old Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from a refugee or asylum seeker background and children known to Child Protection or referred to Child FIRST to attend 15 hours of kindergarten program free of charge or low cost that is planned and delivered by an early childhood teacher for a specific number of hours. Details are available at Early start kindergarten.
- Eligible child: A child who meets the age and funding criteria outlined in the Kindergarten Guide and the requirements of the No Jab No Play legislation
- Enrolment form: A form that collects contact details, and personal and medical information from parents/guardians about their child. This information is required under the National Regulations, and must include contact details, names of authorised nominees (refer to Definitions), names of persons authorised to consent to medical treatment or to authorise administration of medication, names of persons authorised to take the child outside the service, details of any court orders, personal and health information including specific healthcare needs, medical management plans and dietary restrictions etc. (Regulations 160, 161, 162).This form is completed after a place has been offered by Council and accepted by the family. The information on this form is kept at the kindergarten in accordance with the City of Greater Geelong Privacy Policy. A child cannot commence attendance until this form is completed in full and has been provided to the ECEC Management.
- Fees: The contribution made by parents or guardians of the Kindergarten Children to the cost of the program provided to the Kindergarten Children.
- Fees Policy: means Fees policy as amended from time to time.
- Free Kindergarten: is a new State Government initiative. This means eligible families will receive kindergarten program free of charge or low cost that is planned and delivered by an early childhood teacher for a specific number of hours.
- Integrated Kindergarten – Three- and four-year-old kindergarten program offered as part of a long day education & care place
- Inclusion Support (IS)- assists Early Childhood and Child Care (ECCC) services to build their capacity and capability to include children with additional needs in mainstream services; providing them with an opportunity to learn and develop alongside their typically developing peers
- Kindergarten registration: An online form to register your child to be included on the Council database for the following kindergarten year.
- Kindergarten Inclusion Support - Support packages for funded kindergartens to support participation of children with disabilities, high support and complex medical needs.
- No Jab No Play: The legislation that requires all children to be fully vaccinated unless they have a medical exemption to be enrolled in childcare or kindergarten in Victoria
- Nominated Supervisor: A person who is a Certified Supervisor and has been nominated by the Approved Provider of the Service under Part 3 of the Act to be the Nominated Supervisor of that service, and who has consented to that nomination. The Nominated Supervisor has day-to-day responsibility for the Service in accordance with the National Regulations. All Services must have a Nominated Supervisor.
- Parent Advisory Group (PAG): A PAG supports the EYM organisation to deliver an effective EYM service. PAG membership is are open to parents and carers of children attending the service. PAG provides families with the opportunity to focus on enhancing their children’s experience, and connecting with the broader community.
- Registered Care: Care provided by nannies, grandparents, relatives or friends, educators working within kindergartens, occasional care services and outside school hours care services that are registered with the Family Assistance Office. Eligible families can receive some reimbursement of costs when using a registered care provider.
- Regulation: The Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
- Responsible person: An educator who
consents to being placed in day-to-day charge of the Service, when the
Nominated Supervisor is absent.
- Sessional Kindergarten: Three and four-year-old kindergarten program offered at a City ECEC service as a standalone program (not as part of long day care)
3. References
- Anti-Discrimination, Child Safety, Human Rights, disability
- Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic), as amended 2014
- Children Legislation Amendment (Information Sharing) Bill 2017
- Child Safe Standards
- Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic), as amended 2016
- Early Childhood Out of Home Care Agreement
- Education and Care National Regulations 2011 (Amendments 2021)
- Education and Care National Law Act 2010 (Amendments 2022)
- Education and Care National Quality Standard
- Early Years Management Framework Part 1
- Early Years Management Policy Guidelines Part 2
- Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Jobs for Families Child Care Package) Act 2017
- Records Act 2001 (Vic), as amended 2016
- Health Vic No Jab NO Play legislation.
- Kindergarten Funding Guide
- Priority of Access Guidelines from Commonwealth
- Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) (Public Sector) (repeals Information Privacy Act 2000)
ECEC Policy
Waiting List (LDC, Occ Care FDC, Integrated Kindergarten and SHP)
Waiting lists are kept in chronological order based on date of application. Services constantly work to fill vacancies from the waiting list as vacancies become available. Taking into consideration adopted priority of access (State Government), children’s ages, days required and your requested commencement date. To register your details on the waitlist or for more information please contact your preferred service directly.
Registering for sessional Kinder
To attend a sessional program families must register their interest as allocation of places in sessional kinder are managed separately to other ECEC programs. For registration information please visit the kindergarten registration page or ask Service Management for assistance.
ECEC management will:
- Ensure all families are notified of the priority of access policy (both Commonwealth and State Government) that applies when they register and enrol their child and considering any barriers to access that may exist
- Allocate places in accordance State Priority of Access criteria. In addition, Council’s EYM will collaborate with MELI, & Best Chance and Uniting to determining additional priority criteria for accessing sessional kindergarten in the City of Greater Geelong to ensure the criteria reflects community needs (see attachment 1)
- Ensure compliance with Victorian and National legislation, including disability discrimination, anti-discrimination and human rights laws;
- Notify all parents of fees, hours, days and planned service closures at the time of enrolment and or re-enrolment each year.
- Ensure all families are informed of their eligibility for fee subsidies (such as Child Care Subsidy) Free Kindergarten, Early Start Kindergarten & options to reduce out of pocket expenses.
- Ensure all families are informed of their eligibility for fee subsidies (such as Child Care Subsidy) Free Kindergarten, Early Start Kindergarten & options to reduce out of pocket expenses.
- Ensure Service Managers are aware of their obligation to ensure all families are informed about Early Start Kindergarten and support children in accessing placement in eligible programs at no cost to families (NB cost may be incurred in integrated kindergarten programs if care is provided outside the funded kindergarten hours)
- As the approved provider ECEC Management must ensure that all children enrolled have current and up-to-date enrolment records located at the Education and Care service the child attends. The information will include:
- The child’s full name, date of birth and address.
The name, address and contact number of each known parent/guardian, any person, who can be contacted in the event a parent is unavailable and any person who is an authorised nominee (see Refusal and Acceptance of an Authorised nominee policy).
- If the child is currently in Out of Home Care and who is the key worker for the child.
- Any person who is authorised to consent to medical treatment of child, and/or any person who can authorise medication to be administered.
- Any person who can authorise the educator to take the child outside the education and care premises.
- Details of any court orders, parenting orders or parenting plans relating to the child in the education and care service.
- The gender of the child.
- The language used in the child’s home.
- The cultural background of the child or child’s parents.
- If their child identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander & if so what is their mob?
- Any special considerations for the child, e.g., cultural, religious or dietary requirements;
- Health information including name address and contact number of child’s medical practitioner or medical service, child’s Medicare number (where available), and specific health needs (see Dealing with Medical Conditions in Children Policy);
- The child’s immunisation status (updated regularly by the Centre Director or Manager) and who has sighted and stored a copy of the child’s immunisation record or exemption notification (see Infectious Disease Policy) in line with the No Jab No Play legislation
- Ensure all families are aware of additional support available to enhance the learning and development needs of their children and any additional funding, subsidies or grants and decide to investigate accessing these with the family as appropriate eg:CCS, ACCS, IS KIS, ESK, Free Kindergarten.
- Ensure all families are informed about Early Start Kindergarten and support children in accessing placement in eligible programs at no cost to families (NB cost may be incurred in integrated kindergarten programs if care is provided outside the funded kindergarten hours.)
- Ensure parents/guardians understand why and how information is collected and stored.
- Ensure all families understand the requirement of all information, all enrolment and orientation forms and activities to be completed in full; prior to their child being able to commence attendance.
- Ensure all families are provided with access to all policies and procedures relating to the education and care of their children; including the FS Annual ECEC Notice to Families – Terms & Conditions and Fee Schedule, and the Family Information Flyer.
- Actively seek parent’s involvement in the service and the program.
- Provide all families with information relation to our commitment to ensuring positive and authentic partnerships with families relating to the education and care of their children.
- Review the Registration, Enrolment and Orientation Policy in line with the requirements of DET Kindergarten Funding Guide, Councils Fees and Charges Policy and the Family Assistance Law Amendments 2017
- Support Service Managers to overcome barriers that may prevent families from engaging and participating in the program
In all services, service management will:
- Seek support when required for families with language other than English, cultural or economic circumstances which may present a barrier to participation
- Ensure all families are notified of the priority of access policy (State Government) that applies when they register and enrol their child and consider any barriers to accessing the service which may exist.
- Ensure all enrolment forms are maintained and updated as required and are stored in a confidential manner.
- Ensure all families understand the requirement of all information, all enrolment and orientation forms and activities to be completed in full; prior to their child being able to commence attendance.
- Ensure that a record of attendance is kept at each service as part of the day to operations of the service.
- Record the full name of each child attending the service.
- Record the date and time each child arrives and departs.
- Children are signed in by the person who delivers or collects the child at the Education and Care service or the nominated supervisor or educator. (see Delivery and Collection of Children Policy).
- Ensure families enrolling children with additional needs are informed of all support that may be available to support their children to settle into the program and engage in learning and social experiences.
- Provide all families with information relating to how they can actively participate and engage with the program to enhance and sustain opportunities for families to participate in service delivery, social opportunities, membership of the PAG (where active), policy review and future planning.
- Seek support when required for families with language other than English, cultural or economic circumstances which may present a barrier to participation
- Inform parents/guardians about the existence of a service Emergency Management Plan;
In all services types, teacher and educators will:
- Encourage parents to update their enrolment forms with management to ensure that information provided is correct at all times.
- Ensure families that are linked through the Councils online portals (Harmony FDC) QuikKids (LDC, All Kindergarten and Occ Care) can update information directly.
- Ensure all information provided by parents to the Education and Care service remains confidential and is stored appropriately.
- Ensure that Orientation Programs are flexible to meet the individual needs of children and families, to support the child building trust, attachment and a positive relationship with educators and comply with DET funding criteria.
- Make the necessary arrangements to ensure new children and families are greeted, shown around the Service and introduced to any relevant parties throughout their orientation process/program, this being essential prior to commencement.
- Work with individual families who miss orientation sessions to make alternative arrangements to suit the family, this being essential prior to commencement.
- Provide support to the Parent Advisory Groups (where active) to communicate with and support the orientation process for new families.
- reviewing the orientation processes / programs for new families and children annually with their Management; to ensure the objectives of this policy are met.
- Ensure once the child commences, there is appropriate time for child and family to settle in and transition into the education and care program. This may look different for each family depending on their child’s needs for feeling safe and secure in their new educational environment.
- Partner with parents/guardians to: Support parents to stay with their child as long as required during the settling in period.
Make adjustments to the period of attendance to meet the child’s readiness for group learning.
- providing comfort and reassurance to young children who are showing signs of distress when separating from family members
- Convey that relationships are valued, and the approach is supportive of the time it takes to build strong relationships.
- share information with parents/guardians regarding their child’s progress regarding settling into the early childhood program.
- Spend time getting to know new families and children; discussing routines, likes and dislikes, explaining the services programming, practices, and policies as well as engaging families in sharing information vital for ensuring high quality education and care for their child.
- ensuring that parents/guardians of a child attending the service can enter the early childhood education premises at any time that the child is being educated and cared for, except where this may pose a risk to the safety of children or staff, or conflict with any duty of the City of Greater Geelong as the Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor or educators under the Law (Regulation 157).
In all services, families will:
- Read and comply with the Registration, Enrolment and Orientation Policy
- Understand and comply with ECEC Family Flyer and FS Annual ECEC Notice to Families - Terms and Conditions and Fee policy
- Complete enrolment forms prior to their child’s commencement at the ECEC Service
- Participate in an Orientation Program as offered by the Centre, or negotiate with the Service Management an alternative set of Orientation sessions for the child and family to attend, this being essential prior to commencement.
- Where a birth certificate cannot be produced, other acceptable evidence of a child’s full name and date of birth can be used, as outlined in the Kindergarten funding guide.
- Ensure all information provided to the service is true and correct and updated regularly to ensure the safety, wellbeing and developmental needs of their child can be supported.
- Ensure they are open in their communication about their child’s needs, to support the best orientation process, and a secure commencement for their child.
- Update information by notifying the service of any changes as they occur.
- Discuss the needs, routines, likes and dislikes of their child to assist educators and staff in the transition from home to the education and care service.
- Work in partnership with educators and staff to transition children in a positive, supportive way that ensures, where possible, children have the required time to settle in and develop positive relationships with educators.
- Have access to the premises at any time that the child is being educated and cared for, except where this may pose a risk to the safety of children or staff, or conflict with any duty of the City of Greater Geelong as the Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor or educators under the Law (Regulation 157).
- Understand that no child is to be released to persons other than those nominated by parents and recorded in the child enrolment record. Photo ID may be required to prove identity upon collection of children.
- Advise the service of any children withdrawing from the program in a timely manner prior to completion of enrolment process
- Advise the service immediately if a child will no longer be attending the service in accordance with the Terms and Conditions.
For sessional and integrated kindergarten services
For children born between 1 January and 30 April, parents have a choice about whether they commence school in the year they turn five, or in the following year, and therefore whether they commence kindergarten in the year they turn four or the year they turn five, as all children learn and develop in different ways. To assist families in making this decision ECEC staff will:
- encourage families to carefully consider the best time for their child to start kindergarten
- encourage families to consult with relevant early childhood professionals such as MCH nurse, family doctor, allied health professionals, prep or principal of local primary school etc for guidance,
- provide families with advice and reassurance about how the kindergarten program will support their child’s learning and development,
- advise families that children are expected to complete a full year of kindergarten in the year they enrol and begin attending. Families need to be advised that funding is limited to one year of three year old Kindergarten and one year of four year old Kindergarten for each child (unless they are deemed eligible and approved for a second year of four year old funded kindergarten).
Early entry to kindergarten
Early entry to kindergarten may be appropriate for some gifted children where families are seeking an early entry to school for their child. However, it is important to note that most children who enrol early in kindergarten are not accepted for early entry into school, and the decision regarding early entry should be discussed with parents in detail (refer to the Kindergarten Guide for points that must be taken into account).
Exemption from school
Children who turn six at any time during the kindergarten year, including children attending a second year of funded kindergarten, must be exempted from attending school. Parents should be advised to apply for an exemption before the child starts kindergarten by submitting an Exemption from school due to attendance in kindergarten program form to the appropriate Departmental regional office by 1 November in the year prior to the child turning six.
In this instance, service providers must:
- sight the approved exemption form
- note that it has been sighted on the child’s enrolment record for later reporting through the annual confirmation process.
Service management with the support of teachers will:
- ensure families are aware of age requirements for enrolment in 3 year old Kindergarten programs and 4 year old Kindergarten programs (due to turn 3 or 4 by before 30 April in the year of attendance), and supported to consider kindergarten readiness
- engage families with child born between January and April in discussion regarding options and kindergarten readiness with support from Manger.
- where a family is eligible for Free Kindergarten, and are considering enrolling in an integrated program, these families must be advised they are entitle to low cost or free kindergarten through a sessional program (either run by the City or elsewhere) and provided contact details to explore this further.
- have discussions with families about requirements and implications of late entry to school,
- when families apply for late entry to school the Service Manager must sight and note the approved late entry to school form and keep the records of the approval notice.
- ensure all families receive written confirmation of their Funded Kinder Placement and sign to acknowledge their confirmation.
- notify all parents of kindergarten fees, hours, days and planned service closures at the time of enrolment.
- work with parents to assess their child’s readiness for school and, where needed, complete assessments to determine if a child is eligible for a second year of funded kindergarten (Kindergarten Funding Guide)
- encourage and support parents with the process of enrolling children in school, including completing transition statements and working in partnership with families and the school to help facilitate the transition process
- promote fair and equitable access to kindergarten programs (integrated and sessional);
- support all eligible children to access a kindergarten program including those who face barriers to participation.
- ensure parents are aware of their out-of-pocket costs in relation to integrated kindergarten programs;
- promote the PAG to new families
For sessional and integrated kindergarten, families will:
- inform Service management of their eligibility of ESK, KFS, ESK extension at the time of registration and enrolment.
- provide signed written confirmation that they understand and agree their child are participating in their Year Before School funded kindergarten year and this funding cannot be accessed another service;
- ensure adequate time is allocated to ensure their children are provided opportunities to transition to the environment with a sense of being safe, secure, and belonging.
- If they seek a second Kindergarten year (unfunded) they understand there is a charge for attendance in the program and their child’s place is not guaranteed if a “Priority of Access – funded position is required for another child, even mid-year.” Kindergarten Funding Guide.
Volunteers and students, while at the kindergarten, are responsible for following this policy and its procedures.
4. Evaluation
In order to assess whether the values and purposes of the policy have been achieved, the Approved Provider will:
- monitor the implementation of the enrolment and orientation process, family’s experiences and concerns to assess whether the outcomes have been achieved
- review the effectiveness of the policy and procedures to ensure that all concerns have been dealt with in a supportive, respectful, fair and timely manner
- keep the policy up to date with current legislation, research, policy and best practice
- revise the policy and procedures as part of the service's policy review cycle, or as required
- seek feedback from families and the PAG (where active) to support the revision of the policy
- notify parents/guardians of any changes to this policy.
5. Quality records
Nil
6. Attachments
- Attachment 1 Priority of access to Early Childhood Education and care Services
- ECEC Services Enrolment Form – paper copy
- Additional Authorised Nominees Form for Enrolment Form
- Amendment Form for Enrolment Form
- “It’s all about ME” – family information sharing document
7. SOURCES
8. Associated Service Documents
- Child Safe Policy (CoGG)
- Code of Conduct (CoGG)
- ECEC Fees Policy
- Delivery and Collection of Children Policy
- Providing a Child Safe Environment
- Staffing Policy
- Family Services Annual ECEC Notice to Families Terms and Conditions
- Parent Advisory Group Hand Book and Terms of Reference
- ECEC Family Information
- Sessional Kindergarten Registration website
AUTHORISATION
This policy was adopted by ECEC EYM on 1 February 2018 and was last
updated in consultation with DE on May 2024.
NEXT REVIEW DATE
August 2025
Attachment 1
Priority of access to Early Childhood Education and Care Services
The Australian Government requires providers can set their own policies for prioritising who receives a place. However, as vacancies in a service arise, providers are asked to consider prioritising children who are:
- at risk of serious abuse or neglect
- a child of a sole parent who satisfies, or parents who both satisfy, the activity test through paid employment.
Therefore the City of Greater Geelong EYM has adopted the Department of Education and Training priority of access for all services.
First priority children |
Process that will be used to verify priority |
Children at risk of abuse or neglect, including children in Out-of-Home Care |
The child is:
- attending a three year old kindergarten program through Early Start Kindergarten or Access to Early Learning, or is
- referred by:
- Child Protection
- Child and family services (family services referral and support team, Child FIRST/integrated family services/Services Connect case worker)
- Maternal and Child Health nurse, or
Out-of-Home Care provider. |
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children |
As part of the enrolment process, service providers must respectfully ask families ‘is your child Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander?’ and record this information in KIM |
Asylum seeker and refugee children |
An appropriate visa identifies the child and/or parents as a refugee or asylum seeker. |
Children with additional needs, defined as children who:
- require additional assistance in order to fully participate in the kindergarten program
- require a combination of services which are individually planned
- have an identified specific disability or developmental delay
|
The child:
- is assessed as having delays in two or more areas and is declared eligible for a second funded year of kindergarten
- holds a Child Disability Health Care Card
- has previously been approved for Kindergarten Inclusion Support Package, or referred by:
- the National Disability Insurance Scheme
- Early Childhood Intervention Service
- Preschool Field Officer, or
- Maternal and Child Health nurse
|
Second Priority: |
- One year before school children
- Children who turn 4 before 30th April, who will be attending school the following year, have not yet had their Year Before School subsidised Kindergarten year and have prior association with the service then:
- Children who turn 4 before 30th April, who will be attending school the following year and have not yet had their Year Before School subsidised Kindergarten year.
|
Third Priority |
- Two years before school children
- Children who turn 3 before 30th April in the year of enrolment and have prior association with the service then:
- Children who turn 3 before 30th April in the year of enrolment
|
Fourth Priority |
- Children and their family who reside, work or study within the City of Greater Geelong municipality
- Children whose families are in the process of relocating to City of Greater Geelong municipality
- Children who are cared for within the City of Greater Geelong municipality.
|
In instances where more eligible children apply for a place at a kindergarten service than there are places available, services must:
- prioritise children based on the criteria listed below
- work with other local kindergarten services and the regional Department office to ensure all eligible children have access to a kindergarten place.
Where demand exceeds supply, we allocate available places to families with the greatest need for support.