New transport-related amendments to the Education and Care Services National Regulations have been introduced to drive greater protection for children during transportation.
The following new regulatory requirements apply to centre-based services that provide regular transportation. Approved providers and nominated supervisors must ensure:
- a staff member or nominated supervisor (other than the driver) accounts for children as they get in or out of a vehicle at an education and care service
- records are made showing children are accounted for as they get in or out of a vehicle at the education and care service
- records are made confirming a check of the inside of a vehicle was completed at the service after all children have left to ensure no children remain.
Approved providers must also notify the regulatory authority when they start providing or arranging regular transport, and again when they finish. This can be done through the National Quality Agenda IT System (NQA ITS).
The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) has released communications providing
full details of these new amendments, and the
new regulations (PDF, 600KB) are also now available.
These amendments align with the Look Before You Lock campaign, an important safety reminder for anyone who transports children to check their vehicle to ensure no child is every left unattended, even for moment.
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