NQF Reflection Tool - CELA · edible gardens, rocks, mud, water and other elements from nature. Design of environment considers staff supervision Fencing ... NQF Reflection Tool

The National Quality Framework aims to raise quality and drive continuous improvement and consistency in education and care services.

How to Use the Reflection ToolThis NQF Reflection Tool has been designed for early education and care services to use to

guide their preparation for meeting the requirements of the National Quality Standard. This can

be used in conjunction with the Compliance Tool found in Community Early Learning Australia’s

Member Resource Library.

The Reflection Tool highlights some important considerations in each of the seven Quality

Areas. The overall purpose is for the checklist to be used to prompt and engage all educators

in the self-assessment process. Reflective questions have been included to help services to

think critically about whether their practices are meeting the elements in each of the standards

and to identify areas to develop or improve.

No two education and care services are identical; every service will have different requirements

and needs, therefore the Reflection Tool is designed to be a guide only. It is also important to

note that completing this Reflection Tool cannot guarantee that your service will meet all of the

requirements under the NQF.

ProvocationHave you engaged all educators, staff, families and children at your service to be involved in

your continuous improvement process?

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NQF Reflection Tool

TEAM RESOURCE KIT

CELA IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY COMMUNITY CHILD CARE CO-OPERATIVE

PAGE 2

Where to from here?Once you have completed the Reflection Tool, it is strongly recommended that items you have

identified as needing to be completed should be added to your Quality Improvement Plan as

goals for improvement.

DID YOU KNOW...ACECQA has developed a series of guides to support services in reflecting and assessing their practices against each of the elements in the 7 Quality Areas. The Guide to the National Quality Standard (Book 3) includes reflective questions and gives examples of what the assessor may want to observe, sight or discuss.

TEAM RESOURCE KIT

NQF will have changes

legislated in October

2017, to come into

effect February 2018.

We will provide updated

resources and guides to

help you take advantage

of the changes.

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NQF Reflection ToolThis tool has been designed to assist the self-assessment process. The “Y or N” column can be ticked to indicate a practice occurring with follow up comments in the “Comments/Action Required” column. The Regulation column can be used to record the specific regulation the issue applies to or what work needs to be completed to satisfy the regulation.

Requirements Y or N Questions for Reflection Comments/Action Required Regulations

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Program and documentation How do we gather information about each child and family?

Do we support every child to participate in the program?

Do we demonstrate that we value each child’s ideas, thinking and interests?

Do we provide a good balance of planned and spontaneous experiences for children?

How easily can we explain how we document and develop our program?

What do we do to ensure we critically reflect and evaluate the program?

Do families have an understanding of the EYLF/MTOP frameworks?

Philosophy

Framework – EYLF/MTOP

Interactions between staff and children

Transitions

Daily routines

Information available to families on program

Information exchange between educators and families

Any additional support provided for children with additional needs and how this is managed within the service

How the program allows for children to make their own decisions about their learning

How educators make decisions about designing and delivering the program

How the children’s learning and progress is communicated

An ongoing cycle of programming – planning, documenting and evaluation of the program

Evidence of reflective practice

Children’s perspectives in the program

Intentional teaching and scaffolding, extending children’s learning

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NQF Reflection Tool


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Effective health and hygiene practices are in place to control the spread of infectious diseases

How do we support every child’s health needs?

How is health and nutrition information communicated to families?

Have children been grouped to allow for adequate supervision and to minimise the risk of overcrowding?

How does the service keep up to date with information from relevant and recognised authorities for health and nutrition?

What processes are in place to manage the authorisation, administering and storage of medication?

How is each child’s sleep, rest and relaxation needs supported?

Do educators have first aid, anaphylaxis and asthma training?

How are children encouraged to be physically active?

How do educators manage the safe storage, preparation and handling of food?

Are both the indoor/outdoor environments set up to promote physical play?

What processes are in place to ensure that indoor and outdoor environments are maintained and safe?

Communication with families about children’s health requirements

Following appropriate practices when administering medication

Written authorisations from parent/guardian

Safe storage of medication

Conversations about health issues with children

Communication between educators about individual children’s health requirements

Evidence of consultation with relevant authorities for current health information

Management of children’s sleep, rest and relaxation

Accommodation of different needs of children/families

Safe sleeping practices (babies)

Management of nappy-changing and toileting routines

Privacy arrangements for children’s toileting and personal hygiene requirements

Process for cleaning toys and equipment

Hand washing procedures

Incident, injury and illness management/procedures

Records of immunisation

Accident forms

First aid qualifications including anaphylaxis and asthma management

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NQF Reflection Tool


Children’s nutritional and physical health needs are met

Have we completed a risk assessment before going on an excursion? What processes are in place to encourage sun safety? Are all educators aware of their responsibilities with child protection?

Food handling and storage

Information available to families on healthy nutritious food and drinks

Cultural consideration in providing food to children

Access to drinking water

Furniture and utensils that are age appropriate and developmentally suitable to encourage children to be positively involved in mealtimes

Promotion of physical activity with children through different means like dance, creative movement and drama

Indoor and outdoor environments set up to promote safe physical play

Spontaneous and planned physical activities

Management of supervision

Risk management/hazard management

Emergency evacuation procedures

Risk assessment

Management of excursions

Staffing arrangements

Storage of equipment

Storage of chemicals

Maintenance of building, equipment and general environment

System for monitoring children entering and leaving premises

Sun safety

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NQF Reflection Tool


Child protection awareness, training and understanding of obligations

Access to community resources, information and support for families in matters relating to risk of abuse or neglect

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NQF Reflection Tool


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Environments designed to foster children’s learning and development

How do we ensure that the indoor and outdoor environments contribute to each other and provide variety? What are the strengths of our environments? What barriers need to be overcome? Is the environment welcoming and respectful of all children, families and the wider community’s cultural beliefs? Does the physical environment allow the children to be autonomous and develop independence? Are children and families safe when entering and leaving the environment? How are children encouraged to participate in planning and setting up the environment? Does the environment support children’s interests and abilities? Does the environment allow children to explore, create, problem solve and develop environmental awareness? What environmentally sustainable practices exist within the service? How do we model environmentally and sustainable practices to the children, families and wider community? Does the environment promote developmental life skills for the children?

Appropriately sized and equipped indoor and outdoor space

Challenging elements of outdoor and indoor environments

Safe physical environments

Outdoor spaces that include plants, trees and edible gardens, rocks, mud, water and other elements from nature. Design of environment considers staff supervision

Fencing

Furniture, materials, resources, toys and equipment

Consideration of group sizes

Natural and artificial lighting, good ventilation and fresh air

Appropriate areas for food preparation and storage

Quiet areas for resting or sleeping

Appropriate access for toileting and hand washing

Appropriate space for administration and private conversations and consultations with parents and staff

Cleaning schedules for toys, furniture and equipment

Procedures for building and equipment maintenance

Safety checks

Documents confirming equipment meets

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NQF Reflection Tool


Australian Standards How do we promote interdependence between people, plants, animals and the land? Risk assessments of the physical environment

Appropriate access for children with additional needs

Balance of natural and man-made materials

Toys and resources readily accessible for children to access

Engaging environments and inviting experiences for children

Sustainable practices being practiced and explained to children

Focus on environmental sustainability. Children respecting the environment

Program fostering and encouraging caring for the environment

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Management of adequate supervision – staff: child ratios

Does staffing arrangements enable children to feel a sense of ‘being’ and ‘becoming’? How do we ensure that the service philosophy reflects all of the different views, beliefs and values of staff, children and families? Are educators’ professional experiences and diversity acknowledged? What strategies have been developed to ensure accurate information is shared with all parties involved? Do we have records of changes to position descriptions and minutes of meetings available?

Staff rosters

Procedures for signing in/out

Staff break, programming and administration times

Staff records of educators with first aid, anaphylaxis and asthma qualifications

Interactions between educators, children and families

Service has a code of conduct/code of ethics in practice

Staff access copies of NQF, Regulations, Frameworks, Service Philosophy, Policies and Procedures as well as other relevant resources

Staff Handbook

Position Descriptions

Evidence of team work

Minutes/Records of team meetings

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Staff interactions and relationships with children How do we ensure children feel a sense of ‘belonging’ at the service?

How do we engage and interact with children to develop their learning?

How do we cater for each child to ensure they have had their voices heard?

How are positive and respectful relationships modelled to the children?

How do we ensure that our policy on interactions with children reflects current information about child development and best practice in guiding young children’s behaviour?

How do we provide a sense of community within the service?

How are situations managed in relation to a child’s challenging behaviour?

How do we work with families and other professionals to ensure behaviour guidance is tailored to each individual child?

Do children have the opportunity to make decisions and influence outcomes regarding their own behaviour?

Arrangements for grouping children

Guiding and supporting children’s behaviour

Inclusion of all children

Using routines as opportunities for learning

Children’s group play and projects

Children being free to make their own play choices

Educators supporting children with challenging behaviour

Additional support sought from outside agencies

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Enrolment and orientation process for children How do we ensure all families feel comfortable and welcome within the service?

How are families’ perspectives included within the program?

Are families’ cultural and religious beliefs and values welcomed within the service?

What role does each family provide in the service?

How is information shared with families and educators during orientation, settling in and on an ongoing basis?

How is family information included in decision making?

How do we find out about what community resources are available to families?

How do we support families who access community resources?

How is communication managed on a daily basis?

How is each child supported through transitions to other education and care environments?

How information is gathered about each child and family

Families having access to policies and procedures

Communication between educators and families

Families being able to contribute to decision making in the program

Families having involvement in the QIP, reviewing policies and the service philosophy

Information displayed for families

Information available in other languages (if appropriate)

How changes to policies are communicated to families

Information exchanged between families and educators

Procedures for illness, accidents and emergencies

Seeking support and advice from external agencies

Positive transitions are promoted between home and service

Every child is encouraged to participate in the program

The service environment reflects the cultural diversity of the community where it is located

Awareness and acknowledgement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities – including connections with the local Aboriginal community

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Governance and management processes How are opportunities for professional conversations created?

How is educators’ knowledge shared within the team?

How do we improve continuity for children through our staffing structure?

Does our statement of philosophy reflect a commitment to continuous improvement?

How are complaints addressed?

How and when are policies and procedures reviewed?

What are the strengths of our management and administration systems?

How can we improve our systems and processes?

How do we ensure educators and families are aware of the NQF?

Do professional development opportunities allow growth for all educators?

Have we selected an educational leader for whom curriculum is their focus and passion?

Was the critical reflection of QIP done in consultation with all stakeholders?

New educators and staff follow an induction process

Confidentiality and proper storage of records

Appropriate governance arrangements

Information to be displayed as required by the National Law and National Regulations

Information available to families about governance structures

All educators and staff are aware of the National Law and National Regulations

All educators and staff are aware of the National Quality Standard

All educators and staff are aware of and are implementing the Early Years Learning Framework/My Time Our Place Framework

Service philosophy

Service has and follows a code of conduct

Adequate process and procedures for dealing with grievances and complaints

Service’s policies and procedures – reviewed on a regular basis and have up to date information/sources

Staff are involved in a performance review process

Staff have access to professional development opportunities

Staff position descriptions are available for their

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NQF Reflection Tool


respective roles

Documented comprehensive self-assessment process.

Defined role for an Educational Leader

All stakeholders have been involved in developing the QIP

QIP is reviewed at least annually

Staff records

Child enrolment forms

Records of volunteers and students

Process for notifying the Regulatory Authority (when required)