Preparing for an assessment and rating visit

Blue Bay Early Learning Centre is preparing for its third assessment and rating visit. The sixty six-place service is situated in a coastal town. The service is ten years old and is due to be repainted. The outdoor area has recently been upgraded to reflect current best practice in relation to a natural play environment.

The service offers extended hours of care for up to twenty two children from 7am-8.30am and 3pm-5.30 pm. The remaining children attend between 8.30am-3pm. The families are mainly middle class, single income with stay-at-home mothers.

Over the week, one hundred and forty children (two years nine months - six years) attend the service. There are nine educators and two trainees:

Two EC teachers (Director and Educational Leader - over twenty years experience).

Four Diploma educators (seven years' experience, five years' experience, two years' experience and one new graduate).

Three Certificate III educators (each educator has approximately twelve months' experience).

Two Certificate III trainees.

The service has a continuous improvement strategy and works regularly on updating the QIP document.

The QIP is used as a continuous improvement guide. Areas for improvement include:

a.Upgrade of the outdoor environment (this has just been completed) but the QIP has not been updated to reflect these changes (3.1.2 Upkeep).

This process involved seeking ideas, comments, feedback form educators, families and children.

The service also consulted with their local landscaper to determine the best types of materials to use to support the children's safety and opportunities for learning. Written and verbal feedback was sought throughout each stage of the process in meeting the project goals and how it linked to the National Quality Standards and the service QIP. This evidence was kept, showing how goals were measured.

b. Painting the interior and exterior of the building - a quote has been accepted and the maintenance schedule shows that the work is scheduled for the Christmas break (3.1.2 Upkeep).

A number of mood boards with various colour pallets has been on display - educators, families and children were asked to vote on their favoured pallet.

c.Review of the service's Sustainability Policy, including a Sustainability Review (currently being undertaken). The Sustainability Review is due for completion by next week. So far it has revealed improvements could be made in reducing water wastage and reducing energy use (3.2.3 Environmentally responsible). This process has involved consultation with educators, families and community experts.

d.Review of the current induction process for new employees, trainees and students This review is scheduled to commence the week after next. The review document includes goals and actions to identify areas that can be streamlined and explores the use of technology (such as webinars) as part of the induction process (7.1.2 Management systems).

This process will include a review of best practices and expert advice.

Completing the QIP

The QIP is now completed and has been sent to the regulatory authority in preparation for the assessment and rating visit.

The final QIP was a result of a collaborative process with all stakeholders. A QIP team, consisting of the Director and senior educators, finalised the key areas of strengths and were able to identify any key improvements.

The team documented evidence of the steps taken, including surveys, agenda /minutes of meetings and formal and informal feedback gathered and reflected upon.

The team analysed this information to ensure accuracy and were able to update the QIP.

The team found this process relatively easy as the consultation process had clearly allowed for the collection of valid evidence/data to support the final QIP report.

For each part of the key improvements, the committee described the current practice, the goals for improvement, the strategies that would be used, the personnel involved and a timeframe for completion.

Preparing the Team

The service has been notified by the Regulatory Authority that the service is scheduled for an assessment and rating visit within the next four weeks. While all the educators have contributed to the QIP, they are extremely anxious about the impending visit.

The Director has scheduled meetings on Tuesday night next week from 6.30-7.30pm and Wednesday the following week to focus on what to expect from the visit and invited all key stakeholders to ensure that they are prepared and to answer any concerns.

Over the weekend, you work on a plan to coordinate the site visit and update the QIP to reflect the upgrade of the outdoor play spaces. You know that over the last 12 months the team (management, educators and interested parents) have met regularly to ensure the QIP reflects the practices of the service and is used as a tool for guiding continuous improvement.

You feel that the service is ready for assessment and rating, but you are aware that the impending visit is generating a great deal of anxiety among the team.

1

What strategies has the service used to ensure the collaboration of staff, children, families and communities when analysing/evaluating practices for the purpose of continuous improvement?

2

Explain why the QIP team were able to easily finalise the QIP.

3

What process was used by the QIP Team to determine how key improvements were reflected in the QIP.

4

What strategies/documents did the service use to gather the evidence

5

What strategies could you put in place to reassure the team that the service is ready and understand the processes for the assessment and rating visit?

6

While most educators have experience of an assessment and ratings visit, there are five junior educators/trainees who have no experience. Explain what you could do to prepare these educators for the visit?

7

The five junior educators are worried about being asked a question by the assessor that they may not feel confident in answering. What advice would you give these educators?

8

Write an email you could send to all staff and stakeholders in relation to the upcoming assessment and rating visit and the scheduled meetings.

9

For each area identified for improvement list two types of evidence that could be provided to demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in each area.

Upgrade of the outdoor environment has just been completed but the QIP has not been updated to reflect the changes (3.1.2 Upkeep).

List two types of evidence that could be provided to demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement.

10

For each area identified for improvement listtwo typesof evidence that could be provided to demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in each area.

Painting the interior and exterior of the building - a quote has been accepted and the maintenance schedule shows that the work is scheduled for the Christmas break (3.1.2 Upkeep)

List two types of evidence that could be provided to demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement.

11

For each area identified for improvement listtwo typesof evidence that could be provided to demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in each area.

Sustainability Policy and Sustainability Review- The Sustainability Review is due for completion by next week. So far it has revealed improvements could be made in reducing water wastage and reducing energy use (3.2.3 Environmentally responsible).

List two types of evidence that could be provided to demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement.

12

For each area identified for improvement listtwo typesof evidence that could be provided to demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in each area.

Induction Policy and processes for new educators, trainees and Students- This review is scheduled to commence the week after next. The review document includes goals and actions to identify areas that can be streamlined and explores the use of technology (such as webinars) as part of the induction process (7.1.2 Management systems).

List two types of evidence that could be provided to demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement.

13

With reference to the scenarios, explain how using committees and teams to review processes and documentation reduces the risk of error and ensures accuracy and completion of all documentation required for ratings and assessment.

14

How could you continue the collaboration with stakeholders to review the QIP on a regular basis?

thankyou.