Education Standards Board comments on compliance trends over past 12 months

The Education Standards Board (ESB) which serves as the Regulatory Authority (RA) for South Australia has commented on trends in compliance over the past 12 months, noting that the most reported serious incident was children being unaccounted for or going missing, followed by risks to the health, safety or wellbeing of children within the learning environment.

Incidents related to the physical environment within an education and care setting are “increasing steadily,” the information goes on to note, with the ESB reminding approved providers that “adequate supervision remains a high priority,” and that supervision “is found to be a key issue leading to incidents where children are missing and unaccounted for.”

The RA noted that the physical environment includes spaces for outdoor play, noting that these also need to meet the National Quality Standard, urging providers to consider what dangers may be introduced when consideration is not given to design and maintenance of these areas. 

Some common examples which the ESB has noted of late include:

• bushes and gardens becoming overgrown, presenting a supervision issue

• trees and tree stumps located next to fences, becoming a climbing hazard gardening equipment like hoses being left out and accessible to children

• unchecked fence lines.

The ESB has outlined better practice principles for creating and maintaining optimal outdoor learning environments, also providing information about Under the Roof provisions and ratios.

The following resources from the Australian Children’s Education and Care Authority (ACECQA) and the NSW Department of Education also provide education and guidance:

• QA2 Active supervision – Ensuring safety and promoting learning (ACECQA)
•  Educator to child ratios (ACECQA)
•  Information sheets (ACECQA)
•  Compliance focus – educator ratios and adequate supervision (NSW).

To access this information in its original form please see here.