The advice below applies to early childhood teachers and educators.
This page has been superseded. The most recent FAQs can be found here.
Are early childhood services remaining open?
Early childhood education and care services are essential services providing important learning and care including for children of essential workers and vulnerable children. Services can continue to be provided with appropriate strategies adopted to minimise the risk of the virus spreading.
What are the obligations of employers to keep staff safe?
Worksafe has developed specific advice for employers for employers about their obligations to provide a safe working environment. The advice also includes information about employees’ responsibilities.
Employers and employees should discuss what measures are being implemented to ensure any risk to health and safety is addressed as far as reasonably practicable and any outstanding concerns.
Elected Health and Safety Representatives (HSR) play an important role in this process of consultation. Both employers and employees have a responsibility to adhere to the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, with a focus on genuine consultation and finding solutions to the concerns raised.
What steps should services take to manage risk?
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) provided updated advice on 3 April 2020 for early childhood education services.
Risk mitigation measures include:
- exclusion of unwell staff, children and visitors
- reducing mixing of children by separating cohorts (including the staggering of meal and play times)
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enhancing personal hygiene for children, staff and parents
- make sure liquid soap and running water, or alcohol-based hand sanitiser is available at the entrance of the facility and throughout
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NHMRC childcare cleaning guidelines, in addition:
- clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces at least daily (e.g. play gyms, tables, hard-backed chairs, doorknobs, light switches, remotes, handles, desks, toilets, sinks)
- wash and launder play items and toys including washable plush toys as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, launder items using the warmest appropriate water setting for the items and dry items completely.
How can we enact social distancing?
Social distancing measures require each person to have 4 square metres when gathering indoors. On the recommendation of AHPPC, the National Cabinet has determined that early childhood settings, schools and higher education institutions remain exempt from these requirements. In early childhood, this means that regulatory space requirements have not changed.
Additional social distancing strategies could include sitting further away from children whilst engaged in play, or at meal times. Group times should not occur and consider how you might limit physical contact, understanding that children will still need comfort and support with their learning. Apply your best professional judgement.
The virus is more easily spread via 15 minutes of close contact with an infected person. The risk increases where people are in a confined space for 2 hours or more. Take advantage of learning opportunities across indoor and outdoor environments.
How do we maintain health and hygiene practices?
Early childhood settings are already used to good health and hygiene practices. Staff will continue to work with children on good hand washing practices (and perhaps asking children to wash their hands more frequently) as well as good cough and sneeze etiquette.
The AEU has developed a Covid-safe plan for cleaning in early childhood settings. Click here to download it. [PDF]
The Victorian Government has announced $2.6 million in grants for all early childhood services delivering a funded kindergarten program to support their cleaning and hygiene during the coronavirus pandemic. It will provide $900 for kindergarten services with fewer than 50 enrolments and $1,500 for those with 50 or more enrolments.
To provide a safe environment, essential resources must be available including: soap, hand sanitiser (60% alcohol), toilet paper, hand towels and tissues. If adequate supplies are not available, the service will be in breach of safety regulations under the National Quality Standards and the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Any provider that cannot source the supplies they need should contact DET’s dedicated early childhood coronavirus (COVID-19) phone advice, available during business hours on 1800 338 663. Childcare services seeking health and other up-to-date information can also contact the Victorian coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline on 1800 675 398.
What if staff have concerns about attending the workplace?
In the first instance, a conversation should be had between the employer and staff about any safety concerns and how these can be addressed in line with advice from DET. Where staff express a preference to work from home, or are a vulnerable worker and need to work from home, early childhood services and staff are encouraged to discuss what duties may be undertaken from home.
If a staff member refuses to attend the workplace and also refuses to work from home, due to concerns related to COVID-19, then they may access their personal leave as well as any other leave entitlements, such as long service leave. If the staff member exhausts their paid personal leave entitlement, and any other paid leave available, they can be placed on unpaid personal leave.
Who meets the definition of a vulnerable employee?
The AHPPC has released advice on groups who are at greater risk if they contract coronavirus.
AHPPC recommends that where vulnerable workers undertake essential work, a risk assessment must be undertaken. ELAA and the AEU recommend that due to early childhood educators working in close proximity to others, the risk is such that these employees should be directed to work from home. Appropriate home-based duties should be assigned and OHS advice from Worksafe Victoria on working from home should be followed.
The Department of Education and Training (DET) has provided resources to support kindergarten programs to be delivered remotely.
Alternatively, a worker could access any accumulated leave entitlements, such as long service leave or be placed on personal leave if their medical circumstances are such that they cannot work from home.
What resources are available to help services communicate information about the virus to children and families?
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services has a range of resources, including:
- Factsheets providing information and advice for families and staff in English and other languages
- Posters about hygiene such as handwashing and covering when coughing and sneezing.
What financial support will be provided for kindergarten-funded services?
The Victorian Department of Education and Training has confirmed that existing state kindergarten funding streams, including school readiness funding, will continue as usual, even if there are service interruptions for families or services.
There may be periods when it is not possible to deliver the scheduled funded kindergarten program hours. In these circumstances, the Department is relaxing the requirement to deliver 600 hours across the year and services will not be required to provide make up sessions.
To ensure kindergarten services receive their maximum eligible funding, DET strongly encourages service providers to complete their Annual Confirmation through KIM as soon as possible.
If the impacts of the Coronavirus are causing financial hardship for your service, ELAA advises, depending on your circumstances to:
- Contact your DET Early Childhood Performance and Planning Advisor to discuss your concerns.
- Contact ELAA by emailing [email protected] for financial advice.
- Contact your bank. Download the factsheet about the ways your bank may be able to assist. Check the list of Australian bank hardship team contact details.
If there is a reduction in the numbers of children attending, can the service require staff to go home?
No. Contracted hours of employment continue to apply. Any changes to contracts must occur via genuine consultation (Clause 12 of the VECTEA). If your service has experienced any decline in funding, they should immediately contact ELAA for advice by emailing [email protected].
Can children be excluded from the centre?
In the first instance, refer to your service's policy. In accordance with Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care Services, send unwell children or staff home. Unwell children and staff should remain at home until symptoms resolve and seek medical assistance as required.
Are there other restrictions on entry?
The AHPPC advise that the following visitors and staff (including visiting workers) should not be permitted to enter the facility:
- Those who have returned from overseas in the last 14 days.
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Those who have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
- A contact is defined as anyone who has been in contact with a known case, including the 24 hours before the case became symptomatic.
- Those with fever or symptoms of acute respiratory infection (e.g. cough, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath).
Does the service provider need to advise the kindergarten community if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus at the service?
Services should follow procedures set out in their Infectious Diseases Policy.
If you have purchased ELAA’s PolicyWorks subscription and don’t have an Infectious Diseases Policy you can access a policy template through PolicyWorks by logging into the member’s section of the ELAA website. If you don’t have a PolicyWorks subscription you can subscribe here. As required by the National Law and Regulations governing all early childhood education and care services, you must report a confirmed case of Coronavirus at your service.
In accordance with Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care Services, send unwell children or staff home. Unwell children and staff should remain at home until symptoms resolve and seek medical assistance as required.
A template letter has been developed to advise parents and guardians if there has been any exposure of children or staff to the coronavirus and how parents and guardians can help.
What if a service can’t meet ratio requirements?
Updated advice about meeting educator-to-child ratios and qualification requirements is available on the DET Coronavirus webpage. Safety and supervision are the number one priority for children and staff.
Will assessment and rating visits to services still proceed?
In order to ensure resources are best focused on responding to and managing coronavirus, DET postponed assessment and rating visits scheduled for March and we are awaiting advice to be provided about visits scheduled for April.
DET will continue to send commencement letters to services, noting that the visit date range may be subject to change. It will follow the usual timeframes for commencing and providing visit dates to services. Check the DET Coronavirus webpage for updated information.
What if I have been in close contact with a person who is a confirmed case?
You are to be excluded from your workplace for a period of 14 days if you have been in close contact with a person who has a confirmed case of novel coronavirus.
Close contact is defined as having at least 15 minutes face-to-face contact or the sharing of a closed space for more than two hours with a person who has a confirmed case.
Actions:
- Advise your employer that you are required to self-isolate.
- Call the AEU on 1800 AEU VIC (1800 238 842) or 03 9418 2822 for any further advice you may need.
- The service must immediately contact the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on 1300 651 160 for advice and lodge a notification with the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD).
- Services can contact ELAA at [email protected] for additional advice.
What if someone at my service has coronavirus?
If early childhood services think a child or staff member is a confirmed case or a contact of a confirmed case, immediately contact the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on 1300 651 160 for advice and lodge a notification with the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD).
Services should follow procedures set out in their Infectious Diseases Policy. If you have purchased ELAA’s PolicyWorks subscription and don’t have an Infectious Diseases Policy, you can access a policy template through PolicyWorks by logging into the member’s section of the ELAA website. If you don’t have a PolicyWorks subscription, you can subscribe here. As required by the National Law and Regulations governing all early childhood education and care services, you must report a confirmed case of Coronavirus at your service.
In accordance with Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care Services, send unwell children or staff home. Unwell children and staff should remain at home until symptoms resolve and seek medical assistance as required.
A template letter has been developed to advise parents and guardians if there has been any exposure of children or staff to the coronavirus and how parents and guardians can help.
Can I attend work if I have been in contact with someone who has been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19?
Yes, there is no need to self-isolate unless you have been identified by health authorities as having been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Who decides if a service closes?
Advice from the Victorian government, with the support of Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, on Monday 23 March 2020 is that early childhood education and care services are permitted to remain open under the shutdown measures being put into place by the Victorian Government to tackle COVID-19.
The Victorian Department of Education and Training’s website has information about service closures.
You will be contacted directly if there is any prospect that your centre or service should close, either as a stand-alone closure or as part of a local area-based closure. You will be provided with detailed advice and communication resources to support you throughout the process.
Closures of kindergarten services will occur in the event that a child or staff member at your service is diagnosed with COVID-19 or is identified by the health authorities as a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19. Before a service closes it must:
- Seek advice from DHHS on 1300 561 160
- Lodge a notification with the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD) at DET.
What are an affected staff member’s leave and pay entitlements?
Close contact
If an employee has been in close contact with a person who has a confirmed case of COVID-19 and needs to self-quarantine, personal (sick) leave applies.
Confirmed case
If the virus was contracted in the community and not when undertaking duties as an employee, personal leave applies.
If the virus was contracted while undertaking duties as an employee, personal leave applies. If an employee has no personal leave left they may request special paid leave from an employer. It will be at the employer’s discretion to grant any additional special paid leave, with the financial circumstances of the service taken into consideration. Other forms of leave may be able to be accessed including long service leave or annual leave – however, annual leave is typically applied to cover term holidays.
If the employee has caring responsibilities, e.g. looking after a family member who needs to self-isolate, carer’s leave applies.
ELAA members can seek advice about their employer responsibilities by emailing [email protected].
Closures
The Department of Education and Training has advised that in the event of service closure, the approved provider will continue to receive all streams of kindergarten funding.
The expectation is that teachers and educators will continue to be employed and paid, unless they are on a form of leave, such as annual, personal, long service, special or unpaid leave.
It is also anticipated that teachers and educators will work from home, delivering an educational program in a modified way via online platforms. If a service has experienced any decline in funding, they should immediately contact ELAA regarding obligations to staff.
Services and staff should currently be preparing for what delivery of education looks like if children are at home. What resources and materials can be shared with families? Is information technology available in all homes? Can resources be posted to families?
This is an excellent opportunity to support parents in the power of play-based learning. Teachers and educators are the experts and families will be looking to staff for lots of ideas and support. The DET’s Learning from Home webpage has useful resources and supports.
Casual staff
Employers should give consideration to casual employees who are booked on a regular basis and how they can be supported during this time. In the event of service closure, consider how casual employees may still be able to engaged and supporting permanent staff. With the virus expected to spread in coming months, there may be a real need to engage these casual staff.
How should staff look after their own wellbeing at this stressful time?
If anyone is experiencing anxiety in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Beyond Blue has some helpful advice.
Some employees will also be able to access their Employee Assistance Program.
My question isn't answered here. Who do I contact?
If ELAA or AEU members have specific inquiries, they should make direct contact:
- ELAA via [email protected]
- AEU via phone on 1800 AEU VIC (1800 238 842) or 03 9417 2822.
Please also check our COVID-19 OHS resource page for early childhood educators.