childcare centres to be named and shamed.....

[twinkles**stars]

There is a push for child minding centres to be named relating to injuries and dangers surrounding children. 60 in Victoria alone are known to be responsible for injuries missing children and sexual abuse.
Do you agree with naming and shaming and a list of centres available to the public?

[azureline**]

I think that the league tables are quite different to a list of child care centres where children are at risk......... I expect there are more good ones than bad though.....

[nicnacs_4u]

the mychild website has all the accreditation scores (and has done for years)and will be updated once the NQF is finalised. 

Under the NQF the regulatory authority will make things much more transparent 

do you have a link Chuk?tia

[bella_again]

Thing is though if a centre poses a risk to children they shouldn't be accredited, or accreditation should be removed where children are continually at risk.

So maybe the rather than naming and shaming the actual body DEEWR (is it?) needs to have better quality control measures in place to avoid these instances where kids are at risk.

[chuk_77]

there are trying bella. The fines that are coming in are so huge, most places will not be able to afford them so will have no choice but to close. It wont name them as such but it will get rid of the centres that are not providing quality care.

Unfortunately it is a long drawn out process and the regulatory authority need to give centres time to get their act together.

nics

http://www.mychild.gov.au/

[bella_again]

That's good to hear Chuk 🙂  My last girl went to a centre that was appalling in terms of safety. bullying etc.  That was in the day when they would employ young teens that had no qualifications at all to work with kids.  In fact I used to do relief work in child care centres in SA as a young adult. These days they have come a long way in terms of creating an environment that meets the needs of children and that's good to see 🙂

[chuk_77]

bella, at the moment if a child breaks their arm for example with us, we need to fill in a form to DECD plus a form for acecqa all within 48hours. So if there are quite a few forms being done acecqa will and do investigate. Its 8 pages and has to be signed by the nominated supervisor and governing body or delegate. There is no way around it and if the forms are not filled out and the family ask for them, which they are entitled to do, its instant dismissal plus a fine for the nominated supervisor and the service think its about $20 000

Accidents can and do happen, no matter how many people say they shouldnt. Sometimes kids take risks even when you tell them not too.

I have had 2 children break an arm in over 13 years in the industry, yes that is 2 too many but that is also pretty good odds so I've been told

[bella_again]

Hey Chuk

I couldn't agree more accidents do happen, some of the kids we see in care will do things that put themselves at risk of injury no matter how much you supervise them. We to have make reports if anything goes wrong, esp physical injury so totally get that.

Many years ago though my little 3 yo came home with bruises all over her from the lack of supervision, it didn't just happen once so I pulled her as the centre had no concept at the time.  She later tells me she recalls incidences that make me cringe at 14.  The second place she went to was wonderful.  These days that centre wouldn't be allowed to operate in fact I think they were closed down some years later.

I think child care workers do an excellent job these days, there are so many things to take into consideration with outcomes and other aspects of the job that were never there years ago.  So don't get me wrong Chuk I think you do a great job 🙂

[*crikey*mate*]

Thing is though if a centre poses a risk to children they shouldn't be accredited, or accreditation should be removed where children are continually at risk.

So maybe the rather than naming and shaming the actual body DEEWR (is it?) needs to have better quality control measures in place to avoid these instances where kids are at risk.

This I do agree with. I didn't know if there was some sort of overarching governing body etc - so yes, maybe certain levels of accreditation could be the go - so listing centres as 5 star, 4 star etc....

But I think everything needs to be taken into consideration, a centre that is too scared to let their kids do anything but colour in or sing songs to avoid accidents should be treated differently to where kids are allowed outside at play times and allowed to use scissors or other play structures like monkey bars etc iykwim.

So maybe a list of exactly what a centre provides as well needs to be considered, because a centre that allows outside play is going to have more accidents etc than one that wraps their kids in cotton wool and won't let them do anything but breathe in case of accident reports. 

Also how well equipped is a centre? I.e. if a centre only has one toy truck for 10 kids to play with whilst another has say 5 - chances are in the centre where there is only one truck, there's more likely a chance that little Johnny is going to biff Suzy if he wants the truck.

So many things need to be considered before simplistic leagues tables are introduced to name and shame.

[chuk_77]

:-x bella thanks.

Just been watching some pollies on TV about a $300 million funding. Wish I could decypher pollie talk. X-( Something does not add up

[*crikey*mate*]

bella, at the moment if a child breaks their arm for example with us, we need to fill in a form to DECD plus a form for acecqa all within 48hours. So if there are quite a few forms being done acecqa will and do investigate. Its 8 pages and has to be signed by the nominated supervisor and governing body or delegate. There is no way around it and if the forms are not filled out and the family ask for them, which they are entitled to do, its instant dismissal plus a fine for the nominated supervisor and the service think its about $20 000

Accidents can and do happen, no matter how many people say they shouldnt. Sometimes kids take risks even when you tell them not too.

I have had 2 children break an arm in over 13 years in the industry, yes that is 2 too many but that is also pretty good odds so I've been told

When my daughter was 3, she was at kindy and playing on the outside equipment - a set of Monkey Bars - her kindy teacher was right beside her - the rules were one child at a time - Little Crikey got to the end of the bars and just let go and dropped to the ground - about a 6 or 8 inch drop - there is NOTHING anyone could have done IMO - but she must have landed funny, cos she broke her leg - but I cannot for the life of me see how anyone could have prevented what happened - kids have accidents - it's just how it is.

I'd rather her have the chance to play and do that sort of stuff than have had no equipment at all iykwim.