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The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education







Full & Part-time Day Care

Standard 12: Communication

Communicating effectively in the best interests of the child requires policies, procedures and actions that promote the proactive sharing of knowledge and information among appropriate stakeholders, with respect and confidentiality.

Component 12.1 | Component 12.2 | Component 12.3 | Component 12.4

Component 12.1 - The setting undertakes the collection of relevant and appropriate information on all children and stores it in a safe manner.

Signposts for Reflection - General

12.1.1

How does your setting collect information on individual children (both formally and informally)? See 3.1 See 7.6 See 10.6

Think about (e.g.)

  • Nature of information sought and stored
  • Ensuring that information is recorded correctly and accurately
  • Facilities for the safe storage of this information
  • Access to this information
  • Access to records in an emergency situation
  • Ensuring that the information gathered is regularly reviewed and kept up-to-date
  • Sharing information (formally and informally) between all relevant stakeholders
  • Use of child observation records
  • Involving parents

Component 12.2 - The setting is proactive in sharing information, as appropriate, in the best interests of the child, with other stakeholders.

Signposts for Reflection

12.2.1

How do you decide who has access to information and how it is shared?

Think about (e.g.)

  • Parental access to information See 3.1 / 3.3
  • Relevant information/stakeholders
  • Child's best interests
  • Being proactive

12.2.2

How is information shared?

Think about (e.g.)

  • Adults within the setting
  • Appropriate stakeholders outside the setting
  • Regular feedback to parents regarding their child
  • Dissemination of information from other relevant organisations to parents See 16.1
  • Provision of information to other organisations and services in the area on the services the setting provides
  • Promoting easy access for children and families to other services within the community
  • Making information available to persons who speak other languages (e.g., parents whose first language is not the language of your setting) or who have disabilities (e.g., parents who are deaf or hard of hearing, parents who are blind or partially sighted, parents who have other disabilities that impact on their ability to receive or understand information, etc.) See 14.2

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Component 12.3 - Confidentiality is a feature of the way staff record, store and share information in the best interests of children.

Signposts for Reflection

12.3.1

How is information shared in a confidential manner? See 14.3

Think about (e.g.)

  • Assurances to parents
  • Compliance with relevant data protection legislation
  • Consulting with parents regarding consent for the sharing of information about their child
  • How the recording and storage system promotes confidentiality
  • Secure storage facilities for records

Component 12.4 - The setting has written records of all policies, procedures and actions regarding communication within the setting, and makes them available to all stakeholders.

Signposts for Reflection

12.4.1

What policies within your setting relate to the recording and sharing of information in the best interests of children? See 10.2

Think about (e.g.)

  • How the policies and procedures promote the sharing of knowledge and information in the best interests of the child
  • Range of stakeholders involved in the processes of devising, implementing and reviewing policies and procedures See 4.1
  • Implementation of policy
  • Documenting procedures
  • Ensuring that relevant staff/adults understand and follow these procedures


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