Tips for New Educators

FAMILY DAY CARE EDUCATOR TOOLKIT 5

ENGLISH

2 | FAMILY DAY CARE EDUCATOR TOOLKIT: Tips for New Educators

Once you have decided to become a Family Day Care educator and have signed up with a Family Day Care service, it is important that you start off well. These tips have been put together by other educators. The tips are the things the educators found helped them when starting off.

Tips about creating a safe, compliant and educational setting for children Make sure you know how many children you are

legally allowed to care for and educate at any one time, (up to seven children, with no more than four under school age – including your own children under 13 years).

Implement a program of activities based on the Early Years Learning Framework. The Framework has been translated into some languages other than English – Google “Early Years Learning Framework translated”.

Set up your house well. Ensure children can reach the things they need (e.g. toys and hats) and can’t reach things they shouldn’t touch.

Have the equipment you need (e.g. child sized chairs, a change table, cots and beds) to make things easier.

Have the right materials, but not too many or too much (e.g. construction toys, art and craft materials, musical instruments, props for imaginative play).

Follow your service’s policies to ensure you are offering a safe, stimulating place for children.

Go to any playgroup or other activity your service offers.

If you are struggling, tell your service early.

Tips about running a business Keep good accurate records and make sure families

ALWAYS sign when they drop their child and pick them up.

Never sign anything you don’t understand.

Make sure you know your service’s policies and procedures about fees and attendance records.

Make sure you have the correct Family Day Care insurance and let your home insurer know you are running a Family Day Care service from your home.

Go to any professional development you can. It will help you run a more professional business and make families feel more comfortable about leaving their child with you.

Make sure you do necessary administration tasks as you go. Don’t leave everything to do at once.

Make friends with as many other educators as possible. They will be your best resource to ask questions.

FAMILY DAY CARE EDUCATOR TOOLKIT:

Tips for New Educators

IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT ASK YOUR SERVICE!

The Family Day Care service you have registered with should be able to help you as you set up as an educator. They should offer you induction training and help you understand the laws you must follow. They should help you set up the administration you need. They may have guidelines and handbooks to help you understand what is required.

FAMILY DAY CARE EDUCATOR TOOLKIT: Tips for New Educators | 3

Tips about following the law Always follow the service’s policies about things

like recording attendances, confidentiality and complaints.

If you suspect something might be illegal or not allowed, check. If you don’t feel you can talk to your service contact your state regulatory authority (if it’s about child safety or education) at www.acecqa.gov.au or the Australian Government Department of Education and Training, if it is to do with fee charging practices on 1800 664 231.

Report the correct hours of care.

Learn about the Education and Care Services National Regulations and the Education and Care Services National Law, and the Family Assistance Law around child care subsidies.

Don’t do anything that seems suspicious no matter who asks you, such as someone asking you to get a parent to sign that you cared for their child on a day you didn’t.

Remember that you are responsible for decisions you make. Make sure you make decisions that help you abide by the law.

Best Tips Register with an approved Family Day

Care service that you think will help you run your business lawfully and give you the support and training you need.

Sometimes starting with one or two children only can help you understand how you need to set up your home and how to do the administration easily.

Do all the induction (starting) training your service offers.

Lack of knowledge of the law is not an excuse for breaking it. There are lots of laws that govern what you can and can’t do as an educator. Find out what they are.

Get your administration sorted early. Your Family Day Care service should be able to help.

Make sure you set up your home so that routine tasks such as nappy changing are as easy as possible.

Get to know your service’s policies and procedures by reading and focusing on one each day. Following the policies makes everything easier.

Make sure you always place children’s needs first – it makes things a lot easier and that way you know children are getting the education and care they need.

This brochure has been produced in 11 languages: Amharic, Arabic, Assyrian, Dari, Dinka, French, Hazaragi, Nuer, Somali, Sudanese, and Swahili. To find the brochure in your language please go to www.fdcsupport.org.au

Assyrian

Dari

Hazaragi

Arabic

Sudanese

إليجاد الكتيب بلغتك، يرجى تصفح موقع الويب.www.fdcsupport.org.au

إليجاد الكتيب بلغتك، الرجاء تصفح موقع .www.fdcsupport.org.au

برای دريافت جزوه به زبان خودتان، لطفا به www.fdcsupport.org.au ويبسايت

مراجعه کنيد.

برای دريافت اين بروشور به زبان خود تان، لطفا به www.fdcsupport.org.au ويب سايت

مراجعه کنيد.

ܢ ܒܣܡܐ ܝܐ ܟܘܪܣܬܐ ܒܠܫܢܘܟܘܢ، ܐ ܫܟܘܚܘܗ ܐ ܠܡ ܠܘܟܘܢ ܪܚܘܫܘܢ ܠܫܘܦܐ

.www.fdcsupport.org.au

Dinka Të kɔɔr yin kitap në thoŋdu kitam tɔ wëlthin ke yin lɔ në www.fdcsupport.org.au.

Amharic www.fdcsupport.org.au.

French Pour trouver la brochure dans votre langue, veuillez visiter le site www.fdcsupport.org.au.

Nuer Kɛ ɣöö bi ŋäc jiek rɛy warɛgakä/ kiɛ majalɛ kɛ thuok du, göa ɛ ɛn ɣöö bi wä kä www.fdcsupport.org.au.

Swahil Ili kupata brosha hiyo kwa lugha yako tafadhali tembelea tovuti www.fdcsupport.org.au.

Somali Si aad ugu heshid buugyaraha luuqadaada fadlan booqo www.fdcsupport.org.au.

FIND OUT MORE

Find out more by going to the following websites:

• www.education.gov.au/compliance

• www.fdcsupport.org.au

• www.fdca.com.au

• www.acecqa.gov.au Or by going to the website of your Family Day Care service or to other information they have provided you such as handbooks or induction manuals.

TIP OFF LINE

If you are concerned about fraud occurring, you can contact the Australian Government Department of Education and Training Department of Education and Training tip off line with the specific details on 1800 664 231 or email tipoffline@education.gov.au

You can remain anonymous if you want to.