Kidzone Public Servants Childcare Centre - 12/11/2019

• On this page:

• ERO’s Judgement
• Background
• Summary of Review Findings
• Actions for Compliance
• Recommendation to Ministry of Education
• Next ERO Review
• Information About the Service
• General Information about Assurance Reviews

At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.

Background

Kidzone Public Servants Childcare Centre is a not-for-profit, community-based service. The March 2018 ERO report found that the service required further development to promote positive outcomes for children. The centre manager has responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the service.

The centre serves a culturally diverse community. It provides education and care for up to 25 children from infants to school age.

Summary of Review Findings

The service’s curriculum provides children with a wide range of activities and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development. The design and layout of the premises includes quiet spaces, areas for physically active play and space for a range of individual and group learning activities.

Governance and management should develop, use and review policies and procedures to know that process is followed, particularly in employment and attendance. Leaders should develop an in-depth understanding of and implement the requirements of the relevant legislation to promote the good health and safety of children enrolled in the service.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

• emergency drills being regularly evaluated, and information used to inform an annual review of the service’s emergency plan
• ensuring daily sleep charts show clearly the checks made by adults on sleeping children
• daily checking of equipment, premises and facilities to identify and record hazards to children which are then eliminated, isolated or minimised
• ensuring a comprehensive risk assessment and parental consent to ratios are completed when undertaking excursions
• clearly identifying on induction documentation how far the children are travelling for regular excursions
• ensuring older children can independently access water to drink
• keeping a record of training and/or information provided to adults who administer medicine to children at the centre
• administering medication not provided by the parent and with no written authority prior to administration
• suitable human resource management practices are implemented that ensure job descriptions provided are signed and dated
• ensuring the attendance register includes notes and explanations about attendance such as when a child is away sick or has attended for more/less hours than they were enrolled
• registers must be marked by staff daily.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS8, HS9, HS12, HS17, HS18, HS21, HS28, HS29, GMA7, GMA11.

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• prominently displaying The Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008 for parents and visitors
• providing a policy that refers to all safety checks required to meet the Childrens Act 2014
• securing equipment that could fall and topple and cause serious injury or damage
• ensuring the child protection policy contains provision for the identification of child abuse and neglect
• having a policy and procedure that identifies actions that will be taken if a parent/caregiver or staff member is under the influence of alcohol or any other substance.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA1, GMA7A, HS6, HS31, HS33.

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence of Kidzone Public Servants Childcare Centre. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review of Kidzone Public Servants Childcare Centre will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

12 November 2019

Information About the Service

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

• having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
• previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
• that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
• that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
• where an Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration.

As part of an Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

As part of an Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

• discussions with those involved in the service
• consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
• observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.