COVID SAFE PLAN

Wellbeing of staff, children and families

Our wellbeing practices are outlined in our Coronavirus Policy and include:

Refusing entry to adults and children, including those without symptoms, in the following situations until proof of a negative test and quarantine requirements met:
- have a current COVID-19 diagnosis
- have been tested for COVID-19 and haven’t received their results
- have a close contact who’s tested positive for COVID-19
- are a household member of, or have been in close physical proximity to a close contact who has yet to receive their initial negative test result
- have returned from overseas and are exempt from hotel quarantine
- visit a COVID case location
- are a close contact, secondary close contact or casual contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case
Taking temperatures before entry if we suspect person has a fever
Requiring completion of Health Declarations if requested
Excluding staff, families, children and visitors who are unwell in line with Infectious Disease Policy or VIC Health advice
Regularly checking the latest Government Guidelines for ECEC services to ensure compliance
Enforcing the conditions of entry discussed below

Provide staff with information and training on COVID-19

Provide infection control training for staff
Regularly review cleaning, hygiene and infection control practices with educators and staff to ensure they’re consistent with those in Coronavirus Policy and other Service policies and procedures eg Infectious Disease Policy
Ensure educators, staff and families are familiar with all relevant COVID Safe practices, including physical distancing strategies and conditions of entry. Provide training to staff where required and communication via usual channels to families.

Display conditions of entry

Masks - all visitors, including families and children aged 12 and over, must wear a mask at the Service unless they have a medical exemption. Staff may choose to wear a mask while educating or caring for children but must wear masks in indoor and outdoor areas when not educating or caring for children. They must wear masks if they become ill.
Vaccination – staff and volunteers, and parents/guardians where required as outlined below, can only attend if they meet mandatory vaccination requirements below
Capacity - 1 person per 4 square metres in areas accessible to visitors eg reception and foyer. Limits do not apply to children’s spaces eg rooms
Sanitiser - all adults (including staff) and children must use the provided hand sanitiser before entering the Service
QR Code - all families and adults, other than service staff and children, must check-in using the Service Victoria QR Code before entering Service buildings and indoor spaces

Vaccination

All staff and volunteers must be fully vaccinated by 18th October 2021 or:

have received their first dose and have a booking for their second dose by 29 November 2021, or
have a booking to receive their first dose by 25 October 2021, or
have a medical contraindication exemption approved by a medical practitioner.

Unvaccinated staff and volunteers will not be allowed to enter the Service where inconsistent with above

Risk management measures implemented to minimise risk to health and safety of staff, children and families where staff have medical exemptions

Physical distancing

Our many physical distancing strategies are outlined in our Coronavirus Policy. They include where practical:

visitors and families keeping at least 1.5 metres from others
following Government advice in relation to excursions, visits from non-essential visitors, and higher risk activities
restricting number of parents in service dropping off or picking up children eg by asking parents to remain in car and wait for advice to enter service or using mobile/contactless sign in /out
arranging for deliveries to be dropped away from main entrance or collected from vehicles by one or two staff using contactless acceptance measures
increasing the use of technology like Skype and Zoom to communicate with families,
conducting more learning and activities outside
staggering adult’s and children’s breaks, and indoor and outdoor sessions
ensuring ill staff have transport home or to medical facility and avoid public transport where possible

Cleaning and Hygiene

Our cleaning and hygiene processes are outlined in our Coronavirus Policy. They include:

increased cleaning frequency and increased cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces indoors and outdoors
increased focus on hand washing practices, and cough and sneeze etiquette for adults and children
mask wearing consistent with Government advice
designated area to keep sick children and staff isolated from others until they are collected/leave the Service
increasing flow of fresh air by opening windows and adjusting air-conditioning from re-circulating to fresh air

Record Keeping and Reporting

Our record keeping and reporting requirements are outlined in our Coronavirus Policy and include:

immediately reporting positive COVID cases at Service to VIC Health.

*updated 22nd October 2021

Coronavirus Management Policy and Coronavirus Risk Assessment available upon request.

As per Government requirements, ALL EDUCATORS are COVID-19 vaccinated at Watch Me Grow Early Learning Centre

TALKING TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT COVID-19

* information from https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/talking-your-child-about-coronavirus-covid-19

Don’t be afraid to discuss COVID-19 with your children

Most children will have already heard about coronavirus. Parents and carers should take the opportunity to talk to them about the current situation. Honest and regular communication is key. Not talking about something can make children worry more. Children often rely on their friends and social media for the news. Parents and carers can help by positioning themselves as a trusted source for information and as a person who can help children with their questions.

Adapt information based on your child’s age

Try to remain calm and positive when talking to your child. Think about your child’s age. Offer information using language and examples they’ll understand. It’s okay if you can’t answer everything – and to say you’re not sure. Use this as an opportunity to find out information together. Being available to your child is what matters. Be careful not to share too much information all at once, as this may be overwhelming. Avoid talking in a way that could make your child feel more worried.

Be guided by your child

Ask your child to tell you anything they may have heard about COVID-19, and how they feel about this situation. Check in with your child often. Give them opportunities to ask you questions over the coming weeks and months. Some children will worry more about others than themselves. Find ways for them to connect with family and friends as much as possible using technology. Be reassuring. Tell children that the changes in their life have been introduced to make us all safer. Tell them that eventually, things will go back to normal. Be aware of the language you use with your child while you're around them. Remember that children will be listening to adult conversations more than usual. Don’t dismiss your child’s fears. It's understandable for them to be concerned because they have probably never experienced anything like this before. Tell your child that doctors and scientists all around the world are working really hard to learn more about COVID-19 and to keep us safe.

Focus on what you're doing to stay safe

Give them some control over what is happening. Teach the importance of physical distancing, hand washing and how to do these things properly. Remind them of their responsibility to protect others from coughs and sneezing. Remind them to call 000 if they or their family are unsafe.

Stick to a routine

Over the school holidays, structured days with regular mealtimes and bedtimes are still an important part of keeping children happy and healthy. Where you can, have a daily routine. Create a shared timetable with your family and put it up on the fridge where everyone can see. If possible, find a time every day to talk about the importance of good hygiene. Teach them the essentials of practicing physical distancing.

Include things like outside time, play time, free time on technology, creative time and learning time.

It is okay to be flexible and respond to the needs and emotional state of your child.

Keep talking

Find out what your child already knows or is worried about. It’s important to find out if they have heard incorrect information. Ask questions that don’t have yes or no answers. If your child asks you something and you don’t know the answer, say so. Use the question as a chance to find out together. If your children don’t seem interested or don’t ask a lot of questions, that’s okay. Let them know that we're all going to keep listening and talking.

Close conversation with care

It’s important not to leave children feeling worried after a conversation. When you wrap up your conversations, look for signs they're feeling anxious. This might be a change in their tone of voice, their breathing or body language. Comfort them if they feel this way.

Things to look out for in your children

It is normal for children and young people to show signs of distress. Common reactions include:

fear and anxiety
anger and frustration
confusion
sadness
denial

Remember to look after yourself

This situation can be stressful – regardless of your age. To look after the people you love, you also need to look after yourself. If you notice that you're feeling anxious, take some time to calm down before having a conversation or answering your child’s questions. If you're feeling worried, tell your child that you will find some information and talk to them soon.

The following resources are also available to support your mental health and wellbeing:

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