Documentation is a key part of the Reggio Emilia approach. It is important for educators to have something to refer back to, and for children to reflect upon. The educator may take photos, videos or voice recordings of the children or their work while they are attending Discovery Time. If you would like access to these, please tick “Yes, I would like to see documentation of my child’s learning” upon signing up. The documentation will be uploaded to a secure area of the website only accessible by that session’s attendees with a passcode.

Occasionally we may ask to use a child’s work, a recording of a child, or the words of a child. This might be for display, professional development or for advertising purposes. You will be contacted prior to this information being used and asked for explicit permission.

The key concept for us in Reggio Emilia is the concept of “child as citizen” right from birth. Not just the child as a private subject (the son or daughter of....) but as a citizen. We declare the competence of the child, of all children, to learn, and at the same time the inseparability of the right to life and the right to education, affirming education as a responsibility and duty of the society in which the child lives, and not just the family into which he or she is born. The child is an expression of the identity of humanity, of a human being who knows how to ask questions and ask themself questions. In Reggio Emilia, ours is a different idea and attitude toward the young child, who we see as active and who, along with us, searches every day to understand something, to draw out a meaning, to grasp a piece of life.

The hundred languages are understood as having the potential to be transformed and multiplied in the cooperation and interaction between the languages, among the children, and between children and adults. It is the responsibility of Discovery Time and the adults within it to give value and equal dignity to all the verbal and non-verbal languages.

The Code

• Children are responsible for their own learning and their own bodies.
• All children should respect themselves, others and the environment of Discovery Time, recognising that at all times their words and actions are an example to others.
• All children are expected to demonstrate respectful behaviour when interacting with other children, adults or caregivers, volunteers and educators.
• All children should take all care and consideration of the buildings, facilities and equipment which Discovery Time uses for its activities and events.

Bullying is repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a person or group of persons. It includes behaviour that could be expected to intimidate, offend, degrade, humiliate, undermine or threaten.

Disrespectful behaviours for the purpose of this policy includes:

• Behaviours which inconvenience or annoy another attendee repeatedly, preventing them from accessing learning or impeding on their health, safety or wellbeing.
• Repeatedly disrespecting the environment by purposefully breaking, throwing, hiding or otherwise misusing materials and tools. **

Harassment is uninvited, unwelcome behaviour, which does not have any group function. Harassment includes any written, physical, or verbal conduct that from the perspective of a reasonable person is intimidating, offensive or humiliating against another person. Harassment is any behaviour, which is not asked for and not wanted and that happens **because of a person’s sex, race, age, pregnancy, marital status, disability, transgender (transsexuality) or sexuality. Harassment can include:

• Sexual or suggestive remarks or gestures
• Displaying or circulating sexually suggestive, offensive or degrading/insulting material
• Making fun of someone, imitating someone’s accent, spreading rumours, unwelcome practical jokes
• Obscene or unsolicited telephone calls, letters, faxes, texts or E-mail messages
• Invasion of personal space, unnecessary physical contact
• Continually ignoring or dismissing someone’s contribution in a meeting/discussion.
• Pushing, shoving or jostling or assault
• Threats, insults, name calling, inappropriate language

Unreasonable behaviour is behaviour that is offensive, humiliating, intimidating, degrading or threatening. It includes, but is not limited to:

• Verbal abuse
• Unwelcome pranks
• Excluding or isolating members
• Giving a person the majority of an unpleasant or meaningless task
• Humiliation through sarcasm, or belittling someone’s opinions
• Constant criticism or insults
• Spreading misinformation or malicious rumours
• Deliberately setting routines or procedures to inconvenience certain members
• Displaying written or pictorial material which may degrade or offend certain members

Logical Consequences means the logical consequence of an action e.g. if a full paint pot is pushed over, someone needs to clean it up. Usually the child or children involved are invited to make amends, but if they are unable to (developmentally or physically) then a staff member or adult is expected to assist.

Natural Consequences is the natural consequence of an action e.g. pushing over a full paint pot means the paint is spilled and no longer usable.

Discipline

At the core of the Reggio Emilia philosophy is the image of children as competent. Discovery Time believes that the quality of their education results in large part from this image of a competent child who has rights, especially the right to outstanding care and education, rather than only needs.

Discovery Time works to maintain an environment conducive to each child’s growth and independence. Kindness, honesty, respect and consideration of others will be modelled and expected of all. Positive attention and natural or logical consequences are the primary disciplinary strategies we choose to adopt. We set very clear, firm safety limits and allow freedom within those boundaries to develop self-regulation. Through compassionate conversation and community building, children balance independence with accountability to their community and the Discovery Time environment. When a child is consistently crossing necessary safety and respect boundaries, we work with them and their parents to find positive solutions that take into account the needs of the individual child, in harmony with the needs of the group as a whole.

Discovery Time takes preventative measures by discussing expectations each session during Tuning In; providing a clear outline for children.

Procedures

Parent / Guardian / Carer Discretion

Where a parent/guardian wishes to address their child(ren)’s behaviour, this should be dealt with discreetly as it arises (please ensure this is done calmly, quietly and away from others).

If you have any repetitive/continual issues and concerns with any aspect of Discovery Time and/or its members (adults and children), please ensure you report your concerns to the Educators or Director as soon as the issue arises. The Educators and Director will respect your privacy and investigate any issues and concerns discreetly.

Discovery Time Discretion

Where an Educator deems it appropriate, developmentally and physically, for a child to make amends they may request the child to do so. This might include requests to clean up spills, discuss issues with any other affected party to come to a resolution, or move away from an area.

If the Educator deems it appropriate, or after several requests and redirection attempts the child is still uncooperative or displaying disrespectful behaviours, the Educator may request the parent to attend to their child. Should the parent not be on-site, the Educator or Director may contact the parent and subsequently any listed contact on the booking form to attend Discovery Time.

If the behaviour is still unresolved and provides a health, safety or wellbeing issue for staff or other attendees, the child may be removed from the Discovery Time floor to await their parent or to sit with their parent to work through any issues.

Children are welcome back to the Discovery Time floor once they are able to demonstrate respect for themselves, others and their environment.

Educators and the Director may use their discretion to request a parent work alongside any child who is unable to work independently in the group setting.

Maintaining a child safe environment is paramount for Discovery Time. All adults are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of every child at Discovery Time.

Discovery Time encourages young people to express their views, and make suggestions, especially on matters that directly affect themselves. We encourage all young people who access our services to ‘have a say’ about those things that are important to them. We value diversity and do not tolerate any discriminatory practices. We advise young people about what they can do if they feel unsafe. We listen to and act on any concerns young people, or their parents, raise with us.

Discovery Time will be diligent in the recruitment and screening of educators and volunteers. Our statement of commitment to child safety and our requirements are included in all advertisements. Discovery Time conduct criminal history assessments for people working with children, as required by Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004 and subsequent amendments.

Discovery Time will not tolerate incidents of child abuse. Discovery Time are responsible for ensuring that educators, volunteers, and families are aware of how to make appropriate reports of abuse. All families must read the following website:

https://www.dcp.wa.gov.au/ChildProtection/Pages/Ifyouareconcernedaboutachild.aspxx

Educators, Volunteers, and Participating Families must notify the Department of Child Protection (1800 622 258) as soon as practicable if they have a reasonable suspicion that a young person has been or is being abused or neglected.

A person does not necessarily exhaust his or her duty of care to a child by making a report to the Department of Child Protection – they may still have a role in supporting the child or young person to ensure that Discovery Time take all reasonable steps to keep the child and others safe.

Discovery Time will support any person, volunteer, or family member that makes a report to the Department of Child Protection.

Sickness / Unplanned Leave

Should a child be unable to attend a session on short notice, please notify Discovery Time as soon as practicable. Part refunds are unable to be provided for missed sessions.

Planned Leave

Should a child be unable to attend a session on short notice, please notify Discovery Time as soon as practicable. Part refunds are usually unable to be provided for missed sessions. If there is an extended leave of absence and the space is able to be taken by someone on the waitlist, a partial refund will be issued for sessions missed.

Drop Off and Pick Up

In the event that a child enters Discovery Time after the session start time or is required to leave for any reason before the end of the session, Discovery Time is unable to provide partial refunds.

Children must leave with the adult who dropped them off, or who is listed on their booking as responsible for their care. No child is ever released without their listed adult, unless there is direct and written consent from a listed adult.

Withdrawing from the Program

In the event that a child needs to be withdrawn from the program, Discovery Time requires 2 weeks’ notice. We will endeavour to fill the space with a child from the waitlist, and therefore issue a refund of the difference.

Extenuating Circumstances

Discovery Time acknowledges that occasionally extenuating circumstances may arise (e.g. severe illness). In these cases, Discovery Time reserves the right to exercise discretion as to a full refund of missed sessions.

To ensure the health and well-being of all who attend Discovery Time, parents have a duty of care to ensure that they and their children do not attend group activities or events if they or any of their children are unwell.

Discovery Time has a responsibility to ensure the materials and tools provided are clean, and to minimise the risk of infections or diseases spreading amongst Discovery Time attendees.

General Illness

Every effort should be made to minimise the spread of infection by:

• All adults and children staying at home in the early stages of illness when they are most likely to be shedding the virus or bacteria through coughing and sneezing;
• Parents seeking medical advice if their child has ongoing symptoms of illness;
• If you discover that you and/or your children are unwell with any transmissible ailment including nits, you must advise Discovery Time via email (or phone if and where necessary) as soon as possible so that others may take the necessary precautions and actions to satisfy themselves.

An outline of preventative strategies for preventing transmission of disease and recommendations for cleaning the environment can be obtained from “Staying healthy in Child Care” a government publication that provides comprehensive information about the management of a range of common childhood diseases:

https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/staying-healthy-preventing-infectiousdiseases-early-childhood-education-and-care-services

Many of the childhood infectious diseases require children/adults to be excluded from organized activities for a recommended period of time. For common symptoms and signs of infections in young children see the 2017 Communicable Diseases Guidelines:

https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/Files/Corporate/general%20documents/communic able%20diseases/PDF/2101-communicable-disease-guidelines.pdf

Should a child become ill while at Discovery Time, parents will be contacted to pick up the sick child promptly. If a parent cannot be reached immediately, the educator will call the next emergency contact to arrange pick up.

Discovery Time reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone it deems unwell. A medical certificate clearing the person of contagion can be requested to gain admittance.

Cleanliness

Discovery Time endeavours to ensure all mouthed materials and tools are separated from general use and placed in an area for later cleaning.

Each day, tools and materials that have had heavy use are wiped down with Koh universal cleaner.

Wooden tools that cannot be submerged will be sprayed with disinfectant and placed in the sun to dry.

We would love to hear from you! If you have any ideas, questions or feedback, please send us an email to sally@discoverytime.com.au

A person wishing to make a complaint may do so verbally or in writing. If possible, prior to making a formal complaint the complainant should attempt to resolve the issue with the person with whom they have a problem (be it an educator or another parent), in an amicable and respectful manner.

If you are unhappy with the response to a verbal complaint, please send a written complaint to Sally Robinson at sally@discoverytime.com.au, with the subject heading 'Complaint'. Sally will be responsible for responding to the complaint. The complaint will be managed in accordance with the Discovery Time complaints guideline.

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