The Education and Care Services National Regulations are a key document for every early childhood service and educator. But - it's a big document! How can you possibly know it all? And, more to the point, do you need to know it all?
The Education and Care Services National Regulations are a key document for every early childhood service and educator. But - it's a big document! How can you possibly know it all? And, more to the point, do you need to know it all?
First of all, what position do you hold in an early childhood service? Are you the nominated supervisor? Are you the approved provider? Are you the educational leader? Are you the Work Health and Safety officer? Are you a trainee? Are you in administration?
Depending on your position, there will be certain aspects of the regulations that will be most relevant for you. For example, if you are working in administration it is vital that you understand the service responsibilities in relation to enrolment records, but understanding the ins and outs of regulation 73 (educational program) may not be as pressing in your immediate role.
There are some aspects to the regulations that the regulatory authority would expect that all educators would know. These would include matters around ratios and child health and safety. While you may not be able to quote the exact regulation or page number, knowing the details of what is expected of the service is important - particularly when implementing routines and experiences.
Some services may expect that you read and understand all of the regulations prior to commencing work. Others may simply request that you read and understand the service policies and procedures - which should be underpinned and make reference to the applicable regulations and aspects of the National Law. While it can feel daunting to immerse yourself in such paperwork, it is important to building your professional knowledge and understanding.
While you may not be able to recite regulations and quote page numbers at the drop of a hat, it is vital that you know where to look. In fact, during an assessment and rating visit I asked a question of the authorised officer and they had to search the regulations to find the response. I was surprised at first, and then a little relieved. Knowing that even the people who have this document in front of them day in and day out, need to sometimes cross-check and can't instantly quote or recite regulations made me feel reassured. It gave me the confidence to say to educators who asked a question, or to parents, "let me double check the regulations and get back to you on that."
Of course, there will be some regulations that you find yourself referring to so often that they become like a quote imprinted on your brain, but knowing that you don't need to have every last line memorised is a good feeling. Knowing that you can keep the document on hand (I always have it available as a shortcut on my desktop - the online version is searchable which is brilliant) and refer to it when you need to.
You can also continue to build your knowledge of the regulations through the Learn and Grow Feature on Sprout. Find out more about it and how Sprout can save you time on compliance HERE
© Sprout. All Rights Reserved.
Various trademarks held by their respective owners.
.png)
.png)