Accepting responsibility Accepting responsibility for your own actionsfor your own actions

As well as international, national and As well as international, national and state legal responsibilities within state legal responsibilities within

children’s services environments there children’s services environments there are also individual responsibilities are also individual responsibilities

expected of childcare workers.expected of childcare workers.

Occupational health and safety Occupational health and safety in the workplacein the workplace

• Removal or reduction of potential Removal or reduction of potential risks for all persons in the workplacerisks for all persons in the workplace

• Responsibilities in relation to Responsibilities in relation to yourself, fellow workers, visitors and yourself, fellow workers, visitors and the communitythe community

• Responsibilities for the health, safety Responsibilities for the health, safety and care of the children to whom you and care of the children to whom you have legal obligationshave legal obligations

Duty of careDuty of care

• A legal obligation that relates to your A legal obligation that relates to your role as an individual working as a role as an individual working as a child care workerchild care worker

• It is mandated by law and is a very It is mandated by law and is a very important responsibilityimportant responsibility

Duty of care cont.Duty of care cont.

• We all have a duty of care (or a We all have a duty of care (or a responsibility) to avoid responsibility) to avoid acts acts and and omissions omissions which can be which can be reasonably reasonably foreseen foreseen to beto be likely to likely to injure other injure other people. people.

Policies, protocols and Policies, protocols and proceduresprocedures

• Written policies and procedures Written policies and procedures document how individual children’s document how individual children’s services operateservices operate

• They cover all aspects of the day to They cover all aspects of the day to day operation of the serviceday operation of the service

• You are required to understand and You are required to understand and meet the policies and proceduresmeet the policies and procedures

• Policies will protect youPolicies will protect you

Keeping the work area well Keeping the work area well organised and safeorganised and safe

• The work environment must be safe The work environment must be safe for yourself and fellow workersfor yourself and fellow workers

• Duty of care also extends to being Duty of care also extends to being legally responsible for the injury of legally responsible for the injury of other people – children, families, other people – children, families, visitors and staffvisitors and staff

Managing resourcesManaging resources

• Resources can be catagorised as:Resources can be catagorised as:

• Human resourcesHuman resources

• Material resourcesMaterial resources

• Adequate timeAdequate time

Human resourcesHuman resources

• You can make some contribution to You can make some contribution to human resource management by:human resource management by:

• Completing all tasks assigned to you Completing all tasks assigned to you to the best of your abilityto the best of your ability

• Taking a positive and cooperative Taking a positive and cooperative approach to your workapproach to your work

Human resources cont.Human resources cont.

• Promptly reporting any difficulties Promptly reporting any difficulties that arise due to staff shortages to that arise due to staff shortages to your supervisoryour supervisor

• Undergo training or retraining to Undergo training or retraining to improve your skills regularlyimprove your skills regularly

• Being prepared to be flexibleBeing prepared to be flexible

Material resourcesMaterial resources

As a worker your responsibilities are:As a worker your responsibilities are:• Take care of and maintain any Take care of and maintain any

materials and equipment that are materials and equipment that are providedprovided

• Use materials and equipment in a safe Use materials and equipment in a safe and ethical mannerand ethical manner

• Promptly report any shortages of Promptly report any shortages of materials or problems with equipment materials or problems with equipment to your supervisorto your supervisor

Material resources cont.Material resources cont.

• Be aware of ordering, inventory and Be aware of ordering, inventory and storage systems in the workplacestorage systems in the workplace

• Make sure that any materials and Make sure that any materials and equipme t needed on a day to day equipme t needed on a day to day basis are prepared, in place or easily basis are prepared, in place or easily accessibleaccessible

• Appropriately store materials and Appropriately store materials and equipmentequipment

Adequate time – being Adequate time – being organisedorganised

• Having adequate time to complete Having adequate time to complete you work is a joint responsibility of you work is a joint responsibility of the worker and the organisationthe worker and the organisation

• As a worker you have a responsibility As a worker you have a responsibility to manage your work time and stay to manage your work time and stay on taskon task