Supervision audit

Quality Education and Care NT (QECNT) commenced a supervision audit across all approved early childhood education and care services in the Northern Territory. The intention of the audit is to proactively monitor services who may be operating with supervision ‘blind spots’ and to support providers to mitigate any risks associated with this, including with consideration to Regulation 115 – Premises designed to facilitate supervision.

The audit focused on:

• reviewing and mapping service premises and environments
• identifying blind spots and high-risk areas
• discussing strategies that each provider and service has put in place to effectively manage any risks
• ensuring that the provider has considered adequate supervision the service is operating.

Service providers are required to submit evidence to QECNT for all services currently approved under their provider approval.

In addition to the supervision audit being conducted across all approved early childhood education and care services in the Northern Territory, QECNT has recognised through the recent coronial inquest in relation to the death of a child at an early childhood education and care service in the NT that occurred in August 2023, that low height loop-top fencing appears to have contributed to the tragic outcome.

As such, it has been determined that removal of or rectification of fencing of this nature will contribute to ensuring that every reasonable precaution is taken to protect every child being educated and cared for by the service from harm and from any hazard likely to cause injury, in line with Section 167 of the National Law.

Now that this risk has been identified it is important that every effort is taken to protect all children from harm and any hazard. As such QECNT are issuing a letter to any service that is currently operating with fencing of certain heights, and types in areas accessed by children aged between 0-3 years of age.

As such QECNT will be contacting services individually if it is identified that you are operating with fencing that is:

• 1200mm in height or less
• is not flat top in profile (it may be currently either loop top, spike or similar)
• is in areas accessed currently by children 0-3 years of age.

QECNT are also encouraging services to also self-identify if they have fencing of this nature at their service and take pro-active action to mitigate any risks. Services are encouraged to contact QECNT to discuss their individual circumstances if they believe this applies at their service. It is important to note that further fencing reform may take place at a later date also, with regards to fencing of other heights and accessed by children of all ages.

For more information and details about fencing play spaces, go to the Kidsafe Australia website.