Managing Covid-19 at Child’s Play ELC

UPDATE 29/09/2020

Current Centre Status

Torquay Centre

Location Classification: Our Torquay centre is classified as a part of Regional Victoria.
Operating Status: Open – normal operating hours.
Permit: Not required.
Fees: Fees are charged as per normal. There are no Covid-19 subsidies being offered by the government to Regional Victoria under the current restrictions stage.

Tarneit Centre

Location Classification: Our Tarneit centre is classified as a part of Metropolitan Melbourne.
Operating Status: Open – normal operating hours.
Permit: From Monday 28th September 2020, a permit is no longer required.
Fees: Gap fees will be waived until a child re-commences care. Bookings will be held until 12th October, it is expected that all children will re-commence care within that period, this aligns with the school holidays and when primary school children are returning back to school. Once a child recommences their care, fees are charged as per normal. Please contact the centre if you have any specific questions about your situation.

Preventative Measures

From March 2020 preventative measures have been put into place at the centres. We will continue to review and update these measures in line with advice from the State Health Department. An overview of the current measures in place for your peace of mind is listed below.

• Sanitiser – We have hand sanitising stations set up in the reception area (next to the iPads) for visitors to use when entering and exiting the centre. Please make use of these as sanitising and handwashing are one of the most effective ways to limit the spread of Covid-19.
• Temperature Checks – Each person who enters the centre is having their temperature checked via infrared thermometers. High temperature is a symptom of Covid-19 and anyone presenting with a fever will be sent home to be cared for. Centre staff taking temperatures are required to wear a mask and visor as an additional preventative measure.
• Facemasks – As per Government requirements, facemasks need to be worn whilst outside of your house. Therefore parents MUST wear a face mask at all times when in the building if you do not have a face-covering we will not allow you to enter the service. Children under the age of 12 do not need to wear a face covering.
• Social Distancing – Additional sign-in stations have been set up so that social- distancing measures can be adhered to by families at drop-off and pick-up times. To limit adult contact in the rooms, where and when required we will implement procedures such as reception area drop-offs where staff will then escort children to their rooms. We will inform families if and when this measure is put into place.
• Contact Tracing Measures – All visitors are required to fill in a questionnaire and a waiver so we have records of everyone in the centre. We are also limiting the number of visitors to the centres.
• Incursions – As a precautionary measure, we have cancelled all incursions to the service for the time being; this is to ensure that we can meet the guidelines of social distances and reduce the risk.  We hope to introduce these back into the service when the time is right and we feel it is safe to do so.
• Education – We will continue to teach the children about germs, how they are spread and prevention methods (coughing, sneezing, handwashing, social distancing, etc.). We have also provided pamphlets in reception which explain some of this information and could be helpful if you require further information to explain to your child at the moment.

Centre Policies

We have updated relevant policies to ensure they are in line with State Government advice. Find copies linked below.

• Sick Children Policy
• Infectious Disease Policy
• Immunisation Policy
• Illness, Incident, Accident and Trauma Policy
• Handwashing Policy
• COVID-19 Management Policy

Thank you

We once again want to say a big thank you to all of our families. Your understanding and support and willingness to keep us up-to-date with open and honest communication have made us thankful to be a part of this amazing community who really care and support for one another.

Keep updated with our blogs, shared on our website. We often share tips on how to communicate sometimes difficult topics and ideas of activities to try at home.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or want to discuss the management of Covid-19 at Child’s Play further.

Much Love and Respect,

Ian and Sam Johnson
Owners and Directors