Across all approved services in NSW, Element 1.3.2: Critical Reflection on children’s learning and development and Element 2.2.1: Supervision are some of the lowest performing elements under National Quality Framework rated under the 2018 NQS.

Services should be informed by guidance and resources from recognised authorities such as ACECQA and the NSW Department of Education.

Critical reflection

Element 1.3.2 requires all educators to participate in critical reflection on children’s learning and development, both as individuals and in groups.

Regular participation in critical reflection should drive quality planning and delivery of early childhood education and care programs, as it allows educators to closely examine and evaluate aspects of daily their practice, and children’s experience and engagement.

Using reflective practice can also drive continuous improvement and focuses attention on quality outcomes for children.

Key tips to improve critical reflection

• Ensure critical reflection on children’s learning and development is meaningful and an ongoing process to support children’s current learning and enhance the creation of developmental goals.
• Utilise the Approved Learning Frameworks to support a lively culture of professional enquiry and enhance investigation into children’s learning and development.
• Have the team create a universal critical refection document that can be accessed by all educators to allow for a team approach to critical reflection on children’s learning and development, such as a share doc or a critical reflection diary/journal.
• Add a standing agenda item in team meetings where critical refection on children’s learning and development is unpacked and have the discussion record within the meeting minutes for further refection on at a later date.
• Make available current research, guiding documentation and information from recognised organisations to enhance educator’s understanding of children’s learning and development.

More information

• Access ACECQA’s What is critical reflection fact sheet.
• View Belonging, Being and Becoming, The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, p. 14 or My Time, Our Place, Framework for School Age Care in Australia, p. 12.
• Remember to check our emails and keep up to date with us on Facebook.

Supervision

At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision must ensure children are protected from harm and hazard (Element 2.2.1 and Section 167 of the National Law).

Services must ensure that all children being educated and cared for by the service are adequately supervised at all times that the children are in the care of the service (section 165). This is the responsibility of the approved provider, nominated supervisor and family day care educator under the National Law.

Adequate supervision means:

• that an educator can respond immediately, particularly when a child is distressed or in a hazardous situation
• knowing where children are at all times and monitoring their activities actively and diligently.

Regulatory officers have identified recent examples of practice that do not align with the regulatory requirements of adequate supervision and Red Nose safe sleeping guidelines.

Services’ safe sleeping policies, procedures and practices should be informed by advice from recognised authorities such as Red Nose, ACECQA and the NSW Department of Education, including our Safe Sleep and Rest Regulatory Guidance Note.

Services must ensure adequate supervision of sleeping infants, including during educator meal break times.

Services should also have supervision and clear daily processes during mealtimes to proactively manage risks related to food allergies and anaphylaxis.

As advised by Kathryn Mulligan from the NSW Anaphylaxis Education Program, this may include:

• implementing a traffic light system for mealtimes using red, orange and green plates to organise meals for different children.
• having two educators checking meals before they are given to children.
• introducing progressive meals to minimise chaos at mealtimes by allowing for a higher educator to child ratio.
• implementing a hand washing routine before and after eating and ensuring there is no swapping of cutlery or drink bottles to avoid indirect contamination with food allergens.

Regulatory requirements

• Approved providers, nominated supervisors and family day care educators must ensure that all children being educated and cared for by the service are adequately supervised at all times that the children are in the care of that service (section 165).
• ACECQA’s Guide to the National Quality Framework (page 360) defines adequate supervision as meaning:
  • an educator can respond immediately, particularly when a child is distressed or in a hazardous situation
  • knowing where children are at all times and monitoring their activities actively and diligently.

Key tips to improve supervision

• Conduct a risk assessment of environments and routine times to improve practice.
• Consider when documenting and collecting information using technology how this can be a barrier to effective supervision.
• Reflect on ways to include children in assessing risk to improve supervision
• Reflect on previous large groups activities and how effective supervision can be impacted - Explore opportunities for small group play or flexible routines where children can enjoy time in small groups with educators.
• Adopt a proactive response to continually assessing risk and positioning of educators to mitigate risk.
• Look at decluttering environments to improve supervision.
• Keep supervision windows clear and free from clutter including blinds and curtains where possible.
• Make sleep spaces clutter free and have lighting to enable adequate supervision.
• During recruitment ask questions about how the educator will ensure adequate supervision.
• During orientation provide educators detailed information about your expectations of adequate supervision.
• Develop a procedure to check that supervision is adequate at the service across the day.
• Provide times for educators to rest and cover this time with staff to meet the ratio and uphold adequate supervision. Slow down routines.

More information

• Access a Regulatory Guidance Note to learn more about the requirements and considerations in relation to children’s safe sleep and rest.
• View the updated policy and procedure guidelines on sleep and rest on our website.
• ACECQA Safe sleep and rest practices information sheet.
• View ACECQA’s Guide to to the National Quality Framework (pages 360- 365) on operational requirements for services.
• Food Allergy Aware: All about allergens - Training for food service.
• Anaphylaxis and Allergy Prevention and Management resource page.
• Allergy/anaphylaxis management Roadshow webinar.