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Excursions Policy

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1. Overview

1.1. Purpose

The Excursion Policy outlines the approach taken by Junior Adventures Group (JAG) to ensure excursions are planned, risk assessed, authorised and supervised in a manner that protects the health, safety and wellbeing of children and complies with the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations.

1.2. Scope

All JAG People are required to comply with the provisions set out in this policy, their contract of employment and all other relevant policies, procedures and legislation.

1.3. Legislative Requirements

Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, Junior Adventures Group is required to have policies and procedures in place to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of the children in care.

2. Policy Statement

JAG is committed to providing opportunities for excursions and regular outings as part of our educational program. Excursions provide opportunities to build connection with the environment and the local community and contribute to a child's sense of identity and belonging to the world around them. We are committed to the safety, health and wellbeing of children and staff during excursions.

3. Principles

3.1. Sense of Belonging

Children's sense of belonging is linked to their connection with the world around them. Excursions and regular outings promote opportunities to connect with the local community and the environment.

3.2. Safety, Health and Wellbeing

All experiences at our service, including during excursions, will be planned and delivered in a way that identifies and minimises risk and promotes wellbeing and safety.

3.3. Excursion Planning

The Service Leader will complete an excursion planning and excursion risk assessment and submit them to their line manager for further review and approval. The excursion risk assessment will include two parts, a venue risk assessment and a transportation risk assessment. Any changes to the plan or the assessed risk will be reviewed by the Service Leaders.

Risk assessments for excursions will include the following information:
(a) the proposed route and destination for the excursion; and
(b) any water hazards; and
(c) any risks associated with water-based activities; and
(d) if the excursion involves transporting children—
   (i) the means of transport; and
   (ii) any requirements for seatbelts or safety restraints under a law of each jurisdiction in which the children are being transported; and
   (iii) the process for entering and exiting—
      (A) the education and care service premises; and
      (B) the pick-up location or destination (as required); and
   (iv) procedures for embarking and disembarking the means of transport, including how each child is to be accounted for on embarking and disembarking; and
(e) the number of adults and children involved in the excursion; and
(f) given the risks posed by the excursion, the number of educators or other responsible adults that is appropriate to provide supervision and whether any adults with specialised skills are required; and
(g) the proposed activities; and
(h) the proposed duration of the excursion; and
(i) the items that should be taken on the excursion.

3.4. Regular Outing Planning

Where a service visits a destination regularly as part of its educational program, and the circumstances of the event are substantially the same on each outing, the visit is deemed a regular outing as defined in legislation and regulations. Authorisation forms obtained for regular outings must be reviewed annually or if the risk assessment changes, as outlined in principle 3.3 Excursion Planning.

Risk assessments for regular outings are required to be conducted under regulation 100(4) within the 12 month period prior to the outing, however best practice recommends these are reviewed regularly to ensure a service's risk assessment and management strategies remain updated, accurate and reflect actual practice, and that any substantial changes to identified risks are managed.

Accompanying authorisations are required to be obtained at least once in a 12 month period regulation 102(5), and should include all requirements as outlined in regulation 102(4).

3.5. Child Authorisation

Consent must be received in writing prior to a child attending an excursion from an authorised nominee as recorded in the child's enrolment form. Authorisation for excursions will be sought prior to the excursion and will include the following information:
(a) the child's name; and
(b) the reason the child is to be taken outside the premises; and
(c) if the authorisation is for a regular outing, a description of when the child is to be taken on the regular outings; and
(ca) if the authorisation is for an excursion that is not a regular outing, the date the child is to be taken on the excursion; and
(d) a description of the proposed destination for the excursion; and
(e) if the excursion involves transporting children—
   (i) the means of transport; and
   (ii) any requirements for seatbelts or safety restraints under a law of each jurisdiction in which the children are being transported; and
   (iii) the process for entering and exiting—
      (A) the education and care service premises; and
      (B) the pick-up location or destination (as required); and
   (iv) procedures for embarking and disembarking the means of transport, including how each child is to be accounted for on embarking and disembarking; and
(f) the proposed activities to be undertaken by the child during the excursion; and
(g) the period the child will be away from the premises; and
(h) the anticipated number of children likely to be attending the excursion; and
(i) the anticipated ratio of educators attending the excursion to the anticipated number of children attending the excursion; and
(j) the anticipated number of staff members and any other adults who will accompany and supervise the children on the excursion; and
(k) that a risk assessment has been prepared and is available at the service.

3.6. Accountability

All Team Members supporting excursions will be allocated specific roles and tasks for the duration of the excursion and will be responsible for performing their role during the excursion.

All Team Members responsible for supervising children must stay within their allocated group and close to the activity, including when led by a venue employee.

A delegated Responsible Person will hold the overall responsibility for the excursion and will have decision-making authority while the excursion is taking place. The leader on the excursion and their line manager must take reasonable steps to ensure policies and procedures are followed while planning and delivering an excursion.

3.7. Child-to-Educator Ratios

Services will maintain an appropriate child-to-educator ratio at all times during operating hours, including when on excursions. The minimum staff-to-child ratio will be determined during the planning and risk assessment of the excursion and will be dependent on the length, location and nature of the excursion. When determining the ratios required, the needs of the children attending and the risks posed by the excursion will be considered.

All children will be assigned to a Team Member, and each child must stay in their assigned group for the duration of the excursion.

3.8. Children's Knowledge of the Environment

All Team Members must reinforce the importance of remaining within the excursion boundaries and staying with the group at all times.

Team Members will discuss excursion safety with the children. This includes, but is not limited to, discussing safe play, food and other products, equipment, items on site, road and traffic safety and safe meeting point.

Team Members will identify any hazards and obstacles that might require cooperation and communication to reduce risks when sharing equipment.

3.9. Lost Child

An attendance list and regular counts of children will occur during all excursions. In the event that a child is lost during an excursion, the wellbeing and safety of the other children in the group will be considered, and at least one Team Member will remain with the group while procedures are followed. Team Members will instigate the Missing Child Procedure and associated procedures.

3.10. Water Safety

Where an excursion involves water, the excursion planning will detail how risks around water will be managed. The risk assessment will identify any water hazards and associated risk. The supervision plan and service procedures will outline what steps JAG People will take while on an excursion to mitigate risks.

3.11. Excursions Involving Water

The regulations do not specify a specific educator-to-child ratio for activities where water is a feature. The number of educators present is to be determined by a risk assessment of the proposed activity. It must also be noted that in Sections 165, 167 and 169 of the National Law, there are clear statements about adequate supervision. For detailed information, refer to the Water Safety and Swimming Policy.

3.12. Emergency Procedures

Relevant procedures, information and equipment are displayed and regularly referred to. Regular practice sessions and reviews occur following legislated requirements.

3.13. First Aid

At least one Team Member will hold current first aid qualifications. Any children attending an excursion that requires/may require medication must be known to all attending Team Members, and the medication and any documentation must be brought with them on the excursion.

The excursion first aid pack will be checked to ensure the pack is completely stocked. Team Members will ensure that the first aid pack is held by the assigned first aid officer for the excursion. Emergency first aid numbers will be in the first aid pack.

The requirements of this policy apply at all times children are in the care of Junior Adventures Group, including during excursions and regular outings.

Medical management practices, documentation, medication access, supervision, and emergency response procedures must be applied consistently whether care is delivered at the service premises or offsite. These requirements are supported through excursion preparation procedures and risk assessments, in line with the Excursions Policy (SD 1.3).

Where children attend excursions or regular outings, services must ensure medical management planning aligns with approved excursion procedures and does not result in any reduction or variation to a child's standard of care.

3.14. Incident Reporting

Any incidents occurring during an excursion will be responded to according to JAG's incident management policy and procedures. The incident reporting will be completed once Team Members have returned to the Service site.

3.15. Risk Assessment

All excursion venues will be risk assessed by a representative of the approved provider to determine if the venue is safe and suitable for the children in our care. A Risk assessment must be conducted prior to the excursion occurring but only remains valid for the intended and planned holiday period. Future excursions to recurring venues will require an updated risk assessment. The required ratios for the excursion will be determined based on the risks posed, including consideration of the needs of the children, and supervision requirements.

3.16. Safe Transportation of Children

To ensure the safety of children being transported as part of the excursion, part two of the excursion risk assessment will include procedures for the following:

  • Departing the service and getting on the bus;

  • Arriving at the venue and getting off the bus;

  • Departing the venue and getting on the bus;

  • Arriving at the service and getting off the bus.

3.17. Child Safety

We safeguard children through our procedures and practices, with particular attention to their health and wellbeing. Policies and practices reflect the relevant legislation, including the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. JAG provides policies and procedures to equip JAG people with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children safe. Service Practice are continuously reviewed and improved to ensure current legislation is in effect throughout the business.

3.18. Supervision

Team Members ensure that active supervision of children is maintained throughout the excursion, particularly when children are moving through venues as well as embarking and disembarking transportation. All Team members and JAG people will work together to ensure that they are actively supervising all children and maintaining open communication with all team members to ensure the health and safety of all children. Team members will conduct headcounts every 30 minutes, and at every transition. Service leaders will take into consideration the needs of the children, and experience of team members when assigning roles such as supporting with toileting transitions to team members while on excursions. If a team member is assigned to take a group of children of mixed genders to the toilets, the team member will ensure all children remain supervised at all times. This may require one gender entering the toilets after the other, instead of at the same time.

4. Key Terms

5. References

Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations

  • National Quality Standards for Early Childhood Education and Care and School Care

  • Children Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

  • Educational and Care Services National Regulations

Other Relevant Legislation

  • Section 165 – Offence to inadequately supervise children

  • Regulation 89 – First aid kits

  • Regulation 90 – Medical conditions policy

  • Regulation 99 – Children leaving the education and care services premises

  • Regulation 100 – Risk assessment must be conducted before excursions

  • Regulation 101 – Conduct of risk assessment for excursions

  • Regulation 102 – Authorisation for excursions

  • Regulation 122 – Educators must be working directly with children to be included in ratios

  • Regulation 123 – Educator to child ratios—centre-based services

  • Regulation 136 – First aid qualifications

  • Regulation 168 – Education and care service must have policies and procedures

  • Regulation 170 – Policies and procedures to be followed

  • Regulation 171 – Policies and procedures to be kept available

  • Regulation 172 – Notification of change to policies or procedures

Related Policies

  • Safeguarding Children and Young People

  • Risk Management

  • 6.2 Acceptance and Refusal of Authorisations

  • 2.12 Water Safety and Swimming Activities

  • 2.2 Absent and Missing Children

  • 2.7 Emergency and Risk Management

  • 2.4 Medical Conditions

  • 2.5 Incident Management

  • 2.8 First Aid

  • 2.11 Sun Protection

  • 2.14 Transition and Transport

Related Procedures

  • 01P001 Programming Guidelines

  • 01P002 Holiday Program and Pupil Free Day

  • 02P003 Absent and Missing Children

  • 02P004 Medical and Health Management

  • 02P005 Incident Management

  • 02P008 Emergency and Risk Management

  • 02P010 Water Safety and Swimming Activities

  • 02P012 Safe Transportation of Children

  • 07P012 Risk Assessments

Other

Version: 4.2
Change History: JAG Policy Change Register
Date Approved: 08/05/2025
Date Implemented: 22/05/2026
Document Owner: Quality Service Development
Document Approvers: CEO / Approved Provider
Next Review: 12 months