Our Response to COVID-19

The health and safety of our Educators and Families remain at the top of our minds during these challenging times.   The information provided below is designed to answer some common questions on how Young Academics is managing the Health and Safety of children, families, and educators.   Essential Services   It can be challenging for families to decide whether they should send their child to care at this time. The Government have stated that Early Childhood Services are an essential service and as such we remain open and available to families who need access to care.   The Government has stated that only workers who are not able to perform their work from home should send their children to care. Each family will need to make their own decision on balancing the need to attend care and work commitments. We do ask however if you are able to please keep your children at home.   How we’re doing our part at Young Academics   Young Academics continues to respond to ongoing changes as they are released by NSW Health and NSW Education Department.   To ensure that we are able to keep our families, children and our team members safe and healthy we have implemented a range of strategies to further reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Young Academics has a COVID Risk Assessment that is reviewed as information changes and shared will all our teams and families.   Some of our additional health and hygiene strategies we have implemented based on recommendations from NSW Health include:   Drop off & pick-up procedures:   Parents are asked to:  

• Drop off and collect their child from the front door of the service and not to enter the centre.
• Sanitise hands prior to signing in and out
• Wear a mask
• Scan in via the Service NSW QR code check-in

Visitor Protocol:   For the time being we have closed our centres to all visitors. Only visitors providing essential services or maintenance will be able to enter the centre.   Additional hygiene measures:     Services will increase the cleaning schedules of all surfaces, make available hand sanitisers in all areas of the centre, including the entrance, increase air flow and ventilation and increase the cleaning of toys and resources.   Educator Health Measures:  

• Upon arrival at the centre, all educators are required to sign in via the Service NSW app..
• All team members will be required to wear a mask both indoors and outdoors.

Educators Vaccinations – required to attend work

  NSW Government has mandated that:  

•  All educators working or living in one of the 12 LGA’s of concern are required to receive their first COVID-19 vaccination by the 6^{th of} September 2021.
• Educators working in other LGA’s are required to have received their first Vaccintaiton by the 8^th November, 2021

Waiving of the gap fee:   The Federal Government announced that it will provide additional support for New South Wales, by allowing childcare services to waive gap fees for parents who are keeping their children at home due to the current COVID-19 restrictions.     This will apply to instances where:

• Your family has been instructed by the NSW Health Department to self-isolate as you are a close/casual contact.
• A family has notified Young Academics that they will not be attending the centre during the lockdown period.

Please note, your child will need to attend the service on both their first and last day to be eligible for CCS entitlements. If you do not attend on these days your CCS entitlements will be removed by the Government and full fees will be payable. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact your Centre Manager. Young Academics reserves the right to review its policy on waiving the gap fee and will provide families with notice if this is to change.