Childcare Centre Safety Assessment and Policy Development

The assignment requires a detailed analysis of a childcare centre's safety protocols, including a thorough assessment of potential hazards and the development of policies to mitigate them. The student is asked to provide a written email to a supervisor outlining the importance of strict supervision and safe practices in a childcare setting. Additionally, the student must identify main policies and practices for various areas such as child protection, provision of food, hygiene and cleanliness, children's medications, preventing accidents, and emergency procedures. The student must also complete a table identifying hazards present in a storage environment and provide a short email to a parent regarding their child's rest and sleep patterns.

You have been assigned the task of devising a menu at Sparkling
Stars Childcare
Centre. You can find out more about Sparkling Stars at their website:
Sparkling Stars Childcare Centre
(Username: learner Password: studyhard)
Sparkling Stars Childcare Centre has a general menu designed for children over
the age of five. However it does not take into account younger children. You
have been assigned the task of developing a menu suitable for younger children.
Devise a 2 week menu (Monday to Friday), suitable for children aged 3-5 years
that caters for morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, late afternoon snack and
drinks. Your menu needs to be suitable for use in a child care setting and
include the following:
50-75% of the recommended number of serves for each food group each day
A variety of ingredients and textures
A range of foods from different cultures
One red meat-free day per week
Vegetarian options for each meal period
No repetition of menu items (excluding drinks)
Please view the scenario and required templates here:
Sparkling Stars Childcare Centre Brief for Two Week Menu
(Username: learner Password: studyhard)
You are required to:
A) Pick one lunch offering and explain how this meets the Australian Dietary
Guidelines.
CASE STUDIES – PART B
Case Study 1: Sleep and Rest
All children have individual sleep and rest requirements. Children
need a comfortable relaxing environment to enable their bodies to
rest. This environment must be safe and well supervised to ensure

children are safe, healthy and secure in their environment.
Scenario 1:
You are working as an early childhood educator
in Sparkling Stars Childcare Centre. You are in
charge of taking care of the following two
children:
Tim:
Tim is 3 years old. He likes to sleep with his favourite blanket that his
mum packs for him when he goes to the centre. His mum has
informed you that Tim gets very agitated throughout the day when he
does not get his afternoon nap, and prefers that the
centre ensures he gets his nap before she picks him
up in the afternoon.
Tim does not like to eat vegetables. However, his
mum is very particular about his diet:
- A portion of vegetables in every meal (he is
not allowed to have desert unless he finishes
all his vegetables)
- He can only have desert after lunch provided he finishes all his
vegetables.
- He is not allowed to have sweets between 1PM to 2PM and past
5PM
- He is lactose intolerant and very sensitive with other milk-based
products
He is a very active and playful kid. He loves playing physical games
with other kids such as tag, hide and seek, catch, etc. He gets easily
bored with activities like storytelling, craft making and any other
activities that do not involve physical play.

Kevin:
Kevin is 2 years old and is still used to sleeping in
a cot. He just started going to the centre and is
still afraid to be left in the centre without his mum.
Hearing his mum’s voice calms him down and
helps him go to sleep. So his mum provided the
centre with a recording of herself reading bedtime
stories to play for Kevin when he is having
difficulty sleeping.
Aside from him being very shy around other kids and new people,
Kevin is very easy to take care of. He follows his diet without any
problem and does not require a lot of attention when he is awake. He
likes to keep to himself watching educational programs for children
while holding his favourite stuffed toy. He is still being potty trained,
but he knows how to call an adult he is familiar with when he needs to
go to the toilet. When no one familiar is around when he needs to go
to the toilet, he soils himself and becomes very embarrassed and
wouldn’t let anyone but his mum clean him up.
Your task: Ensure sleep and rest practices are consistent with
approved standards and meet the children’s individual needs by
creating a checklist that you can use for the children described above.
Use the safe sleep and rest time guidelines provided in the link below
as your reference:
Sleep and Rest Time Guidelines
Use the template provided in the link below to create your checklist:
Sleep and Rest Checklist
Filename: In order to ensure proper sleep, it is important to that
the child gets proper rest. Proper equipment that is required
includescots and pillow bedding. Proper ventilations are requiredfor air
circulation that is required for proper relaxation. The windows need to
be kept safe that will minimize all types of hazards.
Sleep and Rest Checklist For Tim

1. Proper Pillow Yes
2. Proper ventilation No
3. Proper dressing for sleep Yes
4. Cosy beds and Blankets Yes
5. Baby monitors for sleep detection No
6. Smooth light Yes
7. Bed Story reading Yes
8. Safety equipments No
9. Window safety No
10. Favourite toys Yes
Sleep and Rest Checklist For Kevin
1. Proper Pillow Yes
2. Proper ventilation Yes
3. Proper dressing for sleep Yes
4. Cosy beds and Blankets No
5. Baby monitors for sleep detection No
6. Smooth light Yes
7. Bed Story reading Yes
8. Safety equipments yes
9. Window safety No

10. Favourite toys Yes
Scenario 3:
Maintaining currency of relevant safe work practices in the workplace
is another excellent way of ensuring your own safety. As such,
Sparkling Stars makes sure that all employees maintain their currency
by conducting an annual safe work practice currency check among all
its employees.
Your Task: Identify ways to maintain currency of safe work practices
by listing your strategies according to the different categories and
contexts outlined below: An example is provided for your reference (in
blue)
Safe work
practice relevant
to:
Specific example
relevant to your centre:
How you maintain currency of
safe work practices relevant to
each category:
Equipment Baby bottle warmers and
sterilizers
I ensure that I have read and
understood the manual before
operating the equipment.
Systems Security System
I will have to respect the needs of
the family according to their
preferences. The security system
is fixed by proper discussion with
the family.
Equipment Bottle Feeding Equipment
Proper feeding equipment
needed to be fixed according to
the dental health policy.

Processes Menu Planning
I need to fix the menu according
the dietary requirements of the
child. I need to consult with
proper dietician for the same.
Scenario 4:
As an early childhood educator, it is also your responsibility to raise
the children’s awareness of safety. The centre ensures that there are
enough programs and activities that promote safety awareness
among the children in the centre.

Your Task: Create a poster to help promote safety awareness among
the children in the centre. You may choose any topic or theme
relevant to child safety or promoting safety awareness among
children. Below are some examples of topics or themes you may use
for your poster:
 Stranger danger
 Safety in the kitchen
 Safety in the bathroom
 Safety in the park
 Safety in the beach
 Safety in crossing streets
 Handwashing
Filename:

Case Study 4: Ensure the health and safety of children
You are working as an early childhood educator in Sparkling Stars
Childcare Centre. You are in charge of taking care of Sophie, a four
and a half year old student with severe asthma. She also has severe
allergies to dust and pollen which trigger her asthma attacks.
Review Sparkling Star’s Allergy and Asthma Awareness Policy, found
in the link provided below and use it as your guide as you complete
the tasks that follow.
Allergy and Asthma Awareness Policy
Scenario 1: After an outdoor activity around 8:30 in
the morning you noticed that Sophie started
sneezing and coughing. You suspect that the dust
from running around in the playground may have
triggered her allergies. You checked her records to
review if she has any prescription medications for this kind of
situation. Provided in the link below is Sophie’s authorisation to
administer medication form:
Authorisation to administer medication – Sophie Lancaster

Your Task: You know that Sophie takes Allegra for acute allergic
episodes. However, you also know that she is due for her Advair
treatment in the next 30mins. Make a video recording of yourself
administering the right medication to Sophie. To ensure your
successful completion of this task, please see the guidelines provided
below:
 have a volunteer act as Sophie in your video recording
 you must include in your demonstration the following:
 following the standard protocol for medication administration
(Guidance: a checklist is provided in the Allergy and Asthma Awareness
Policy)
 administration of the correct medication
(Guidance: the assessor will know which medication you administered by the
administration procedure you will demonstrate in the video)
 the correct administration procedure
(Guidance: you must follow the prescribed administration procedure for your
chosen medication to administer to Sophie)
 correct storage of the medication
(Guidance: your video should also show how you store the medication after
administration, including proper labelling of the medication, keeping it in a
storage that is inaccessible to children, and other relevant considerations )
Print the Authorisation to administer medication for Sophie Lancaster, and
fill out the relevant section at the end of the form (Child Care Program
Record of Medication Administration) accordingly after your recorded
demonstration. You will be required to submit this form after all tasks
relevant to the case study have been completed.
Filename:
Scenario 2: An hour later, Sophie is still sneezing and coughing
uncontrollably. This time she started wheezing and showing signs of
difficulty in breathing. You suspect that Sophie is having an asthma

attack and decided to quickly review her asthma management plan to
respond appropriately. See Sophie’s asthma management plan in the
link provided below:
Asthma Management Plan – Sophie Lancaster
Your Task: Make a video recording of yourself following Sophie’s
asthma management plan for acute asthma attacks. To ensure
successful completion of this assessment task, take note of the
guidelines provided below:
Administer Sophie’s asthma medication
 Follow proper administration procedure (i.e., check
medication name, check medication expiry date, etc.
Guidance: complete guidelines provided in the Allergy and
Asthma Awareness Policy)
 Follow proper storage procedure
 Fill out relevant fields in the authorisation to administer
medication form
Filename:

Scenario 3: Sophie fell asleep soon after her
asthma symptoms have calmed down. However,
half an hour into her nap, Sophie woke up
coughing and wheezing uncontrollably. You
rushed to her bedside and knew she required
first aid for her severe asthma attack.
After administering asthma first aid to Sophie, her condition still
continued to worsen. You decided to call emergency assistance. You
then asked the assistant educator on duty to keep an eye on Sophie
and keep giving her first aid medication according to the prescribed
procedure while you contact the ambulance.
Your Task: Make a video recording of yourself demonstrating the
successful completion of the following tasks:
3.1 providing first aid to Sophie as prescribed in her asthma
care plan
3.2 provide instructions to the assistant educator on how to
administer the first aid medication while you contact
the ambulance
Filename:

Case Study 5: Anaphylaxis
You are working as an early childhood educator for Sparkling Stars
Childcare Centre. One of the students under your care is Billy. Billy is
a 4 year old boy with severe allergies with nuts and dairy-based
foods. Review the anaphylaxis handbook provided in the link below
and use it as reference as you complete the tasks that follow:
Anaphylaxis Handbook
Scenario 1: One afternoon while Billy was
playing with the other kids in the playground,
you noticed that he started to look pale and
started to wheeze as he grasped for air. His
face is slightly swollen too. Upon surveying
the scenario you noticed that he has
chocolate stains in his hands and shirt and
appears to have dropped a chocolate bar on the ground. Upon
checking the chocolate you found that it contains peanuts.
Your task: Make a video recording of yourself responding to Billy’s
anaphylactic emergency. Follow the prescribed in Billy’s action plan
for anaphylaxis provided in the link below:
Action Plan For Anaphylaxis – Billy Johnson
To ensure successful completion of this task, take note of the
following guidelines:
1. Have a volunteer act as Billy in the recording
2. Demonstrate how you survey the area and remove the hazard/s
immediately
3. Provide first aid intervention for anaphylaxis as prescribed in
the anaphylaxis handbook:
a. Lay Billy flat. Do not allow him to stand or walk. If
breathing is difficult in this position, allow him to sit
b. Give EpiPen® (use a makeshift EpiPen®)
c. Phone ambulance
d. Phone family/emergency contact
Filename:

Scenario 2: Billy’s mum arrived immediately and the ambulance
soon after. Billy’s condition improved after you administered the
EpiPen®, but to make sure that Billy is out of danger, his mum had
the ambulance take Billy to the hospital anyway.
Task 1: Complete the relevant forms to document the incident.
Review the centre’s Incident, Accident and Trauma Policy to ensure
you are compliant with the centre’s relevant workplace policies and
procedures:
Incident, Accident, and Trauma Policy
Filename: Special care needs to be taken for the children, who
have faced accident with serious levels of injury. The healthcare
unit needs to allow the provision for the parents. Mental health care
experts need to take care of the traumatic experiences that are
encountered after the accident.
Task 2: Apply the risk management plan for Billy by completing the
checklist provided in the link below. Complete the column “Detail
how this will be implemented and any additional strategies” by
answering according to the organisational risk-management
strategies from your relevant work experience in childcare
centres/vocational work experience.
Anaphylaxis Risk Management Plan – Billy Johnson
(Guidance: you may use Allergy and Asthma Awareness Policy as
reference)
\
Filename:
Supplementary Question:
The physician prescribed 6ml of dipenhydramine every hour for
six hours. All required authorisation are complete. The child’s
parent supplied the medication in its original packaging as well
as the measuring cup for the medicine. However the bottle only

has 30ml left in it.
Will you have enough medicine to follow the doctor’s
prescription?
Yes No
Explain your answer:
Scenario 3: You are preparing snacks for Billy. Below are the food labels of the available
snacks:
Snack Option A Snack Option B
3.1 Which of the two snack options is most appropriate for Billy?
a. Snack option A
b. Snack option B

3.1.1Explain your answer:
The diet plan of option Aconsists of high levels of fatty
acid that are saturated. As Billy is allergic to nuts, it is quite
normal that he will be not be able to tolerate foods containing
fats. The diet plan B mostly consists of natural fruits that are
needed for betterment of health of Billy. Hence, it is important
to have foods that have full of vitamins in the forms of fruit
juice.
3.2 Supplementary Questions: dietary requirements
3.2.1 Give an example of a common dietary restriction for children
with type 1 Diabetes (Juvenile diabetes):
The children, who are suffering from Juvenile diabetes needs
to have diet with controlled levels of carbohydrate. High fibre
also needs to be included within the diet along with high
levels of vitamin. The level of lipids also should be kept under
control that will mainly consist of limited amount of
cholesterol and triglycerides.
3.2.2 Give an example of a common dietary restriction for
Jewish children:
The dietary plan for the Jewish Children needs to be
done with the help of Kashrut laws. There is however,
no scientific reason for the following of this law. The
dietary plan for the Jewish children has the restriction
in the consumption of certain birds and mammals. There
are also certain restrictions in the consumption of
certain body parts of the animals.

3.2.3 Give an example of a common dietary restriction for Muslim
children:
The dietary restrictions for the muslim children are according
to the rules of Halal. According to this rule the animals that
are used for consumption should be killed in less painful
manner. The pig products are also restricted for
consumption.
Case Study 6: Meal Planning
Scenario: You are helping create a meal plan for two brothers who
will start going to the centre in the next week, Johnny, 5 years old,
and Lucas, 11 months old.
Johnny has no special dietary restrictions. While Lucas has just
started eating solid foods. Lucas only drinks breast milk. Their mum,
Kelly, expresses her breast milk in the morning and packs it for Lucas
to drink in the centre.
1.1 Your Task: Create a meal plan for Johnny outlining a cycle of
menus, detailing the food that will be provided to him for a
week. The meal plan should include breakfast, morning snack,
lunch, afternoon snack and dinner for five days.
Use the meal plan template provided in the link below:
Meal Plan Template
Guidance: review the Australian Dietary Guidelines and make sure to follow
the recommended serves for Johnny’s age for vegetables, fruits, grains, etc.
in your plan.
Filename:

1.2 Your Task: Create a one-page guide for Lucas’ mother to assist
her with expressing breast milk by hand and it at home to
ensure food safety procedures are followed according to the
relevant prescribed guidelines.
Guidance: Review the Infant Feeding Guidelines provided in the link below
and use it as reference as you create your hand-out
Infant Feeding Guidelines
Filename: The breast feeding is considered to be the best form of
diets for the newly born till they are a year old. The Australian rules
for dietary plan for the children consist of special provision for
breast feeding. This is believed to develop upon the immune system
of child.
PROJECT: ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A SAFE
AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN
PART 1 : Review and evaluate performance in establishing and

maintaining a safe and healthy environment for children
If you have prior work experience in a childcare centre, you may
complete this task reflecting on your experience. If you do not have
prior experience working in a childcare centre, you may complete this
task after you have been immersed in your vocational work
placement.
You are required to review/reflect and evaluate both your
performance and the service’s implementation of policies and
procedures related to the establishment and maintenance of a safe
and healthy environment for children attending the centre.
To document your evaluation, answer the questions below and
provide the information being asked.
In supporting each child’s health and safety needs:
1. WHS policies and procedures are set in the centre
you are having your vocational placement with. Yes No
Provide a brief description of the centre’s relevant policies and
procedures regarding safety assessments.
Proper safety procedures need to be followed that will
minimize the workplace risks. All the employees will be given
proper training for the dealing with situations related to
health hazards.
2. Individual medical management plans for children
with specific heath care need are in place and
readily available at the service.
Yes No
Does the service have available individual medical management
plan forms for children with a specific health care need?
Submit a copy of the blank form and write the filename below.

Filename:
In providing for each child’s comfort:
3. The groupings of children are configured to
provide for each child’s comfort and to minimise
the risk of overcrowding.
Yes No
Does the service have a specific policy or procedure in organising the
groupings of children in the centre to minimise risk of overcrowding,
to minimise the risk of illness and/or to minimise the risk of injuries?
Submit a copy of the centre’s policy or procedure on configuring
groupings and write the filename.
Filename:
In promoting and implementing effective hygiene practices:
4. The service accesses information on current
hygiene practices. Yes No
Where does the centre get current and up-to-date information on
current hygiene practices?

Give at least one (1) local council/health organisation/public health
unit and one (1) additional resource (website, journals, books, etc.)
the centre accesses.
You may need to ask your supervisor or other educators for you to be
able to complete this question.
Local council/health
organisation/public health
units:
Camper down Public Health Unit
Additional resource:
Provide one (1) example of the information the centre has currently
researched on current hygiene practice from the sources/resources
that you have written in the previous question.
Give a brief description of the information, for example: “There is new
practice on how centres can actively support children to learn
hygiene practices using modelling and role playing.”
The hygiene practice that related with that of the children
health will help in further development of the hygiene
practice.
In taking steps to control the spread of infectious diseases:
5. Service procedures are followed, in relation to
notifying families of illness or injuries that affect
Yes No

children while in education and care.
Interview an educator or your supervisor in the service who has had
experience with notifying parents/primary caregiver/family of an
illness or injury that affects one of the children while attending
education and care at the centre.
Describe the step-by-step procedure the educator/supervisor
implemented.
 Raising awareness level
 Provide guidelines to the parents
 Monitor each and every steps
 Bring about regular modification in each and every steps
Obtain a copy of the centre’s procedure in notifying families of illness
or injuries that affect children while in education and care. Did the
educator/supervisor follow the centre’s procedure? Was there some
discrepancy (specify the discrepancy)?
Submit a copy of the centre’s procedure for your assessor to review.
Filename:
6. Current records of children’s immunisation status
are up-to-date and a procedure is in place to
maintain the currency.
Yes No
Find out how your vocational work placement keep current records of
the status of each child’s immunisations.
a) Does the service have a procedure in place to maintain the
currency of immunisation records? Submit a copy of the
procedure and write the filename.
Filename: .

b) Does the service have a process for obtaining information from
families about their children’s current immunisation status?
Describe the process in detail or submit a copy of the service’s
written process. Provide the filename below.
Filename:

In ensuring adequate supervision of children:
7. New or relief educators are informed of
supervision arrangements and of what they are
required to do in relation to supervising children.
Yes No
Were you provided with details and responsibilities of
supervising children when you started in vocational
work placement?
Yes No
Briefly describe the details and responsibilities provided to you below.
The responsibility of the supervisor is to make sure that the
children in the care centre are not near any sharp or heavy objects.
They need to be monitored onstantly so as to avoid and risk of
falling or stmbling. No hazardous objects should be around when
children are playing. The flooring should be skid – proof, preferably
carpet flooring.
Were you given an induction/welcome pack on your
first day of work? Yes No
Was the information regarding supervision
arrangements and responsibilities included in the
induction/welcome pack?
Yes No
Scan or take a picture of the page/section in your induction/welcome
pack which provides the information regarding supervision
arrangements and responsibilities. Submit the scanned document or
photo and write the filename below.
Filename:
Were you given a copy of the centre’s supervision
policy? Yes No
Submit a copy of the centre’s supervision policy and write the
filename below.
Filename:

In ensuring adequate supervision of children:
8. Safety checks are consistently implemented and
action is taken as a result of the checks. Yes No
a) Find out when was the last time your vocational work placement
implemented safety checks and took action as a result of the
checks. You need to coordinate with your supervisor or with the
staff in-charge of doing the safety checks for the service.
b) Fill out the Safety Checks Log provided in Sparkling Stars intranet
(Click here). (Username: newusername Password:
newpassword).
c) In completing the log, you may:
 Ask for a copy of the safety checks log, report or document
the service has. Copy the content needed to complete the log
provided, or
 Consult with the person or staff in-charge of the service’s
safety checks and ask him/her about the following:
o Date of the last safety check
o Premises/sections/rooms in the service that was checks
o General remarks and results of the safety checks
o Areas of concern
o Actions taken and the date actions are done
o Date for the next safety checks
d) Once you have completed the log ask your supervisor or the staff
you have consulted to fill out the confirmation form at the end of
the document.
e) Submit the document to your assessor and provide the filename.
Filename:
9. Basic training and testing on how to move and fit
car seats, restraints and booster seats is
available to all educators.
Yes No

Find out how educators may avail of the basic training and testing on
how to move and fit car seats, restraints and booster seats. Write
down how and where they can avail of this training and testing in
your vocational work placement.
You may need to consult your supervisor to be able to complete this
task.
PART 2 : Implement WHS procedures and work instructions
Following the centre’s policies on conducting safety assessments,
survey the children’s learning and play environments including all
toys and equipment for safe use, as well as the general environment
in the centre as a safe workplace for you. Once completed, write the
relevant safety assessment report.
To ensure successful completion of this step, your report must include
the following information:
 Existing hazards identified
 Potential hazards identified
If the centre’s standard template for safety assessment reports do not
include the required information listed above, use the space provided
below:
Existing and potential hazards identified:
Safety assessment: Children’s learning
and play areas
The centre as a safe
workplace
environment

Existing hazards
identified
(list at least two)
 Fall from high
ground
 Accident from the
unsafe
equipments
 Proper
guidance from
the parents
 Timely
monitoring
process
Potential hazards
identified
(list at least two)
 Spreading of fire
 Spreaing of viral
infection
 Proper cleaning
of the
environment
Toys and equipment:
Are toys and equipment safe for children? Yes No
If answer is yes: Describe how toys
and equipment are kept safe for
children
If answer is no: Describe why the toys
and equipment are not safe for
children?
The toys are of old age and can cause
accidents
Are toys and equipment safe to use in their
proposed areas? Yes No
If answer is yes: Describe how toys
and equipment are kept safe to use in
their proposed areas
The toys and equipments need to be
cleaned regularly and sterilized with
child friendly disinfectants to avoid
bacterial contamination.
If answer is no: Describe why the toys
and equipment are not safe for use in
their proposed areas
PART 3 : Report safety assessment result to designated person

Create an email reporting your safety assessment findings to the
designated personnel indicated in the centre’s WHS policies. If there
are no provisions in the centre’s WHS policies on who to report your
safety assessment findings to, address the email to your vocational
workplace supervisor.
To ensure successful completion of this step, your email must include:
 A summary of your safety assessment findings including:
o Safety assessment findings on the children’s learning and
play areas
o Safety assessment findings on the centre as a safe
workplace
 Recommendation to help improve safe workplace policies and
procedures
Write your email in the space provided below:
You do not need to send an actual email to your supervisor.
To:
Subject: Safety Assessment Guidelines
Attachments:
Message: Maintaining the efficacy of childcare centre is very
important and many safety measures need to be addresses.
Superviosn has to be strict at all times, making sure no child
is under harm at any point of time. No hazardous, choking,
heavy or swallowable toys should be provided. The
equipements and toys need to be cleaned and sterilized
regularly. No smoking zone should be aanounced in the care
centre. If, any cchild with infectious diseases is
encountered, then they have to either sent home of kept in
isolated supervision until their parent/guardian arrives.