Excursions are enriching learning experiences for children. These outings provide important opportunities for children to explore new environments, connect with their local community, and enhance their learning and understanding of the world.

Changes in routine or environment can potentially lead to increased risk. It’s essential that early childhood education and care (ECEC) services engage in careful planning before taking children on an excursion.

This includes ensuring that excursions provided are in line with the Children (Education and Care Services) Law (NSW) and Education and Care Services National Regulations (National Law and Regulations). Key requirements are set out in Division 6 Collection of children from premises and excursions of the National Regulations, which outlines essential considerations for risk assessments and excursion authorisations.

Risk management

Services are required to carry out a risk assessment prior to each excursion. The risk assessment must be conducted before the service seeks authorisation from a parent or carer for their child to participate in the outing (regulation 100).

Regulation 101 requires a comprehensive risk assessment that not only identifies but also provides strategies to mitigate all potential risks to the safety, health and wellbeing of children that may arise during the excursion.

The risk assessment should also include information about the location, duration and nature of the proposed activity, as well as the number of children and educators participating in the excursion.

If children will be attending multiple locations as part of one excursion, you must document this in your risk assessment. Provide details about each location and possible risks you may encounter at and en route to each destination.

If the excursion involves transporting children, the risk assessment must also consider:

• the means of transport
• requirements for seatbelts or safety restraints under NSW law
• processes for entering and exiting the ECEC service premises
• the pick-up location or destination (as required)
• procedures for embarking and disembarking the means of transport, including how each child is to be accounted for
• the proposed route (an image of the route can be included).

Download Kids and Traffic’s Transport safety risk assessment and management guide (PDF 1.3 MB) for further guidance on identifying and managing transport-related risks at your service.

Authorisations for excursions

Under regulation 102, services must obtain written authorisation – from either a parent, carer or an authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record – before a child is taken outside a service premises for an excursion. Verbal authorisation is not sufficient.

An authorisation must state the child’s name and provide details of the excursion (regulation 102(4)), including but not limited to:

• the purpose of the outing
• the proposed destination and activities
• the date and period of time children will be away from the service premises
• the anticipated number of children attending and the educator-to-child ratio
• transportation details
• confirmation that a risk assessment has been prepared and is available at the service.

Integrating details of a risk assessment in the authorisation form allows the service to communicate the safety measures in place to parents, ensuring informed consent.

Authorisation forms for excursions must be kept in an enrolment record for each child, as set out in regulation 161.

You can download Kids and Traffic’s Transportation authorisation template and sample (PDF 1.3 MB) to use at your service.

Resources

NSW Department of Education

• Excursion and transportation regulations
• Unpacking excursions and regular outings
• Transporting children safely, with further guidance and resources developed by Kids and Traffic

ACECQA

• Risk assessment and management template – Excursions (DOCX 59.7 KB)
• Excursions policy and procedure guidelines (PDF 203 KB)
• Safe transportation of children information sheet (PDF 121 KB)