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  2. Guide to the NQF
  3. Section 3: National Quality Standard and Assessment and Rating
  4. Quality Area 4: Staffing arrangements
  5. Standard 4.1: Staffing arrangements

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Standard 4.1: Staffing arrangements

Staffing arrangements enhance children’s learning and development.

How Standard 4.1 contributes to quality education and care

Having sufficient educators and staff members available at all times when children are present enables the service to deliver quality education and care programs that respond to and promote children’s learning, development and wellbeing.

Educators are likely to be responsive, purposeful and reflective when staffing arrangements at the service enable them to direct their full attention to their work with children, and when they do not have to attend simultaneously to other tasks. Responsive learning relationships are strengthened as educators and children engage and learn together. The service is encouraged to arrange staff in ways that support positive experiences for all children at the service at all times.

Questions to guide reflection on practice for Standard 4.1 (for all services)

Staffing arrangements

 
  • How do our staffing arrangements support each child’s learning and development?
  • How do our staffing arrangements support educators to direct their full attention to their work with children, including getting to know each child?
  • How do our staffing arrangements support consistent practice, including staff members’ and children’s transitions?
  • How does our staffing roster support continuity of care and positive experiences for children on a day-to-day basis?
  • How do we inform children and families when an educator is on leave and who will be working with them instead?
  • How do we facilitate children’s and families’ familiarity with relief staff?
  • How do we support relief staff to learn about and understand the service’s policies, processes?
  • How do our staffing arrangements support educators to develop positive and respectful relationships with families?
  • How do we provide feedback and support to educators so that they continue to learn and feel fulfilled, resulting in continuity of educators over time?
  • How do we engage in reflective practice to support and encourage each other, support ongoing learning and focus on quality improvement?

Family day care

  • Do our service’s procedures support families to access alternative care when their usual educator is unavailable at short notice?
  • What arrangements are in place to ensure that our principal office can support educators and families when children are in care overnight and at weekends?
  • How do we communicate with educators and with families when there is a change of co-ordinator(s) at the service?