centre-based services

A centre-based service must comply with the requirements of the Regulation. You can download the Act and Regulation as PDF documents from the resources & links section of this website.

Many of the Regulation’s requirements apply to all children’s services. Some requirements apply specifically to centre-based services. On this page, references are provided to help you locate them within the Regulation.

licensing procedures and licences

Information about the licensing procedure and licences is provided in the Regulation.

Requirement	Part, Division & Clause	Page
LICENSING PROCEDURES Applications for licences	Part 2 Division 1	11-26
Who may apply for a licence?	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 7	11
How is an application made?	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 8	11
Personal information to be contained in application	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 9	12-13
Identity documents to accompany application	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 10	13-15
Documents showing applicant is a fit and proper person	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 11	15-16
Information to be provided by applicant who is neither a natural person nor a public authority	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 12	16
Information about training and development	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 13 (1)	17
Authorised supervisor	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 15	18-20
Information about premises to accompany application – centre based or mobile service	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 16	20-22
Statements and undertakings about facilities and equipment, administration and policies to accompany application	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 18	23-24
Advertising of application and copy of advertisement to accompany application	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 20	24-25
Further licences	Part 2 Division 1 Clause 21	25-26
Licences	Part 2 Division 2	26-28
Grant of licences	Part 2 Division 2 Clause 22	26
Form of licence	Part 2 Division 2 Clause 23	27
Term of licence	Part 2 Division 2 Clause 24	27
Licence conditions generally	Part 2 Division 2 Clause 25	27-28
Variation, suspension and revocation of licences	Part 2 Division 3	28-30
Grounds for variation, suspension or revocation of licences	Part 2 Division 3 Clause 26	28
Variation, suspension or revocation of licence	Part 2 Division 3 Clause 27	29
Notice to parents of variation, suspension or revocation of licence	Part 2 Division 3 Clause 28	30

facilities and equipment requirements

The requirements for the facilities and equipment of a centre-based service are detailed in the Regulation under the following sub-headings. You need to provide information and documentation about these when you apply for your licence.

Requirement	Part, Division & Clause	Page
FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS Facilities	Part 3 Division 1	31-36
Space requirements: centre based children’s services	Part 3 Division 1 Clause 30	31-32
Laundry	Part 3 Division 1 Clause 31	32
Craft Preparation Facilities: centre based or mobile children’s service	Part 3 Division 1 Clause 32	32
Food Preparation Facilities	Part 3 Division 1 Clause 33	32
Toilets and Washing Facilities	Part 3 Division 1 Clause 34	33
Nappy Change Facilities	Part 3 Division 1 Clause 35	33-34
Sleeping Facilities	Part 3 Division 1 Clause 36	35-36
Storage Facilities	Part 3 Division 1 Clause 37	36
Swimming Pools	Part 3 Division 1 Clause 38 (1), (2)	36
Equipment	Part 3 Division 2	37-39
telephone	Part 3 Division 2 Clause 39	37
Development and Play Equipment	Part 3 Division 2 Clause 40 (1)-(7)	37-38
First Aid Kits	Part 3 Division 2 Clause 41	38
Fire Safety Equipment	Part 3 Division 2 Clause 42 (1)-(3)	38-39
General	Part 3 Division 3	39-42
Ventilation, Light and Heating	Part 3 Division 3 Clause 43	39
Hot Water	Part 3 Division 3 Clause 44 1	40
Fencing	Part 3 Division 3 Clause 45	40
Glass	Part 3 Division 3 Clause 46	41
Cleanliness, Maintenance and Repairs	Part 3 Division 3 Clause 47	41
Safe Environment	Part 3 Division 3 Clause 48	42
Repair of premises	Part 3 Division 3 Clause 49	42

staffing requirements

Certain staffing requirements apply, including:

Requirement	Part, Division & Clause	Page
STAFFING REQUIREMENTS Staff of centre based and mobile children’s services	Part 4 Division 1	43-47
Employment of staff	Part 4 Division 1 Clause 51	43
Qualified staff	Part 4 Division 1 Clause 52	44
Staff to child ratios	Part 4 Division 1 Clause 53	45-46
Cooking staff	Part 4 Division 1 Clause 54	46
Additional staff	Part 4 Division 1 Clause 55	46
Supervision by authorised supervisor – centre based children’s service	Part 4 Division 1 Clause 56	46-47
Use of volunteers	Part 4 Division 2 Clause 57	47

child number requirements

There are also requirements in the Regulation regarding the number of children for whom care may be provided.

Requirement	Part & Clause	Page
CHILD NUMBER REQUIREMENTS	Part 5	48-51
Number of children	Part 5 Clause 58 (1), (2)	48
Director-General may approve emergency child care arrangements	Part 5 Clause 59 (1), (2)	48-49
Requirements for approval of emergency child care arrangements	Part 5 Clause 60	49-50
Group size – centre based or mobile children’s service	Part 5 Clause 61	50
Caring for school children at service – centre based or mobile children’s service	Part 5 Clause 62	50-51
Services to be provided only to children enrolled at service	Part 5 Clause 63	51

operational requirements

The requirements regarding the way a centre-based service is operated are detailed the Regulation, including:

Requirement	Part, Division & Clause	Page
OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS General	Part 6 Division 1	52-60
Programs for children	Part 6 Division 1 Clause 64	52
Interactions with children	Part 6 Division 1 Clause 65	52-53
Supervision of children	Part 6 Division 1 Clause 66	54
Child health	Part 6 Division 1 Clause 67 (1), (2)	54-55
Food and nutrition	Part 6 Clause 68 (1), ( 2)	56-57
Pool safety	Part 6 Division 1 Clause 69	57-58
Storage of dangerous substances and equipment	Part 6 Division 1 Clause 70	58-59
Animals	Part 6 Division 1 Clause 71	59-60
Plants	Part 6 Division 1 Clause 72	60
Information about and access to children	Part 6 Division 2	60-62
Obtaining information about child	Part 6 Division 2 Clause 73	60
Arrival and departure of child	Part 6 Division 2 Clause 74 (1)-(4)	61-62
Access to children	Part 6 Division 2 Clause 75	62
Information and access to be denied to certain persons	Part 6 Division 2 Clause 76	62
Excursions	Part 6 Division 3	63-66
Authority for excursions	Part 6 Division 3 Clause 77	63
Conduct of excursions: general	Part 6 Division 3 Clause 78 (1)-(7)	64
Conduct of excursions: water hazards	Part 6 Division 3 Clause 79 (1)-(4)	65-66
Emergencies	Part 6 Division 4	66-71
Illness, accident and emergency treatment	Part 6 Division 4 Clause 80 (1)-(7)	66-68
Medication	Part 6 Division 4 Clause 81	68
Infectious diseases	Part 6 Division 4 Clause 82 (1)-(3)	68-69
Emergency and evacuation procedure	Part 6 Division 4 Clause 83	70

administrative requirements

The Regulation specifies a number of administrative requirements, including:

Requirement	Part, Division & Clause	Page
ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS Information	Part 7 Division 1	72-74
Policies to be made available	Part 7 Division 1 Clause 85	72
Information or documents required by Director-General	Part 7 Division 1 Clause 86	72
Entry and inspection	Part 7 Division 1 Clause 87	73
Notice of complaint	Part 7 Division 1 Clause 88	73
Public liability insurance	Part 7 Division 1 Clause 89 (1)	73-74
Display of licence and family day care carer’s certificate of registration	Part 7 Division 1 Clause 90 1)	74
Copy of Regulation to be kept on premises of service	Part 7 Division 1 Clause 91	74
Records	Part 7 Division 2	75-81
Records in relation to children	Part 7 Division 2 Clause 92 (1)	75
Records in relation to staff and visitors	Part 7 Division 2 Clause 93	75
Records in relation to attendance at a children’s service	Part 7 Division 2 Clause 94 (1), (2)	76
Records about programs for children, developmental records, daily routine	Part 7 Division 2 Clause 95	76
Retention of records	Part 7 Division 2 Clause 96	76-77
Inspection of records	Part 7 Division 2 Clause 97	77-78
Confidentiality guidelines	Part 7 Division 2 Clause 98	78
Authorised supervisors	Part 7 Division 3	81-82
Change of authorised supervisor	Part 7 Division 3 Clause 102	81
Temporary supervisors	Part 7 Division 3 Clause 103	81-82
Application of licence conditions if no authorised supervisor	Part 7 Division 3 Clause 104	82
Notice of change relating to authorised supervisor	Part 7 Division 3 Clause 105	82
Miscellaneous	Part 7 Division 4	82-85
Notice of proposed change to constitution of licensee	Part 7 Division 4 Clause 106	82
Notice of change in management of licensee: public authorities	Part 7 Division 4 Clause 107	82-83
Notice of change in management of licensee: bodies other than public authorities	Part 7 Division 4 Clause 108	83
Notice of significant change in circumstance of licensee	Part 7 Division 4 Clause 109	83-84
Notice of change in contact information to be notified	Part 7 Division 4 Clause 110	84
Notice of cessation of children’s service	Part 7 Division 4 Clause 111	84
Notice of change to premises – centre based, mobile or home based service	Part 7 Division 4 Clause 112	84
Notice of criminal charges or convictions – licensee	Part 7 Division 4 Clause 114	85

probity checks

Part 8 of the Regulation deals with probity checks. An index to the Regulation is provided in the preparation section on the what criminal history will DoCS undertake? page.

miscellaneous matters

Part 9 of the Regulation contains information about various matters, including:

Requirement	Part, Division & Clause	Page
Review by Administrative Decisions Tribunal	Part 9 Clause 123	89
Original documents may be used instead of certified copies	Part 9 Clause 124	89
Savings and transitional provisions	Part 9 Clause 125	89
SEE ALSO: Savings and transitional provisions	Schedule 2	93-98

records to be kept for each child

Clause 92 of the Regulation requires that certain records be made relating to each child provided with child care service. Schedule 1 of the Regulation specifies what records need to be kept.

Requirement	Schedule & Clause	Page
Records of personal information	Schedule 1 Clause 1	90-91
Records concerning health matters	Schedule 1 Clause 2	91-92
Records of attendance and excursions	Schedule 1 Clause 3	92
Records of complaints	Schedule 1 Clause 4	92

dictionary

A dictionary of terms used in the Regulation is available.

requirements that apply to all children’s services

Be sure to read carefully through the Regulation in order to understand the requirementswhich apply to all children’s services as well as those specific to centre-based services.

The next page summarises the information and documentation required for your licence application for a centre-based service.

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