The Australian Government’s Health Department and Department of Education have advised the running of early childhood services is essential to families. Aligned with the Government’s recommendation, we will continue to operate safely and support the community.

Where we are advised of confirmed cases at one of our centres, our protocol is to immediately alert and work closely with the Victorian Government’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to complete detailed close contact tracing and close the centre for deep cleaning. We will also notify families identified as close contacts as soon as possible and pass on any information or public health advice we are provided by the Government. Based on advice from DHHS, centres will only reopen when it is safe to do so.

In the situation where there are multiple cases at a site, we may take the precautionary and proactive step to close the centre and instruct all of our staff to get tested. Again, we’ll endeavour at all times to keep families at each centre updated in line with DHHS public health advice

• Sanitisation units have been installed throughout all our centres for all families and visitors to use.
• Social distancing signs have been placed on the floor of the foyer for parents.
• Government COVID-19 posters have been placed on the entrance doors and throughout each centre
• Screen wipes are available at all ipad kiosks.
• Families are only allowed to enter the foyer to drop off and collect children and must obey social distancing guidelines at all times.
• Deliveries to centres are dropped to the door and no others visitors are allowed to the centres.
• If workmen need to attend, they are required to sign in to register and temperatures are taken and recorded.
• Our families are provided regular updates via our app and via direct email of any Government public health information.

• A COVID-19 Guidelines Link has been sent to all families and educators.
• Temperature checks are conducted for all children, educators and staff on arrival to the service at each centre.
• Attendance records are recorded to ensure we have a record of all attending each day.
• Our educators encourage all children to practice good personal hygiene routines, including washing their hands frequently with soap and water, before and after eating, and after going to the toilet, and covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing.
• Children, educators or staff who may become unwell or show any signs or symptoms are sent home immediately.

• A cleaning checklist is completed every 2 hours for touch cleaning and other cleaning throughout all rooms and foyers.
• Full centre cleans are completed twice a week with an external cleaning company.