Supervision of Volunteers and Students Policy

Name of Child Care Centre: Kinder Learning Centres
Date Policy and Procedures Established: June 10, 2021
Date Policy and Procedures Updated: January 4, 2024

Purpose

Kinder Learning Centres welcomes both placement students and volunteers into the various programs offered in our child care program. We believe it is a valuable part in gaining experience in a child care environment. Volunteers and students also play an important role in supporting staff in the daily operation of child care programs.

This policy will provide supervising staff, students and volunteers with a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

This policy is intended to fulfill the obligations set out under Ontario Regulation 137/15 for policies and procedures regarding volunteers and students for child care centres.

Policy

General

  • Students and volunteers will always be supervised by an employee and never permitted to be alone with any child or group of children who receive child care.

  • Students and volunteers will not be counted in staff to child ratios.

Additional Policy Statements

  • All students, volunteers are required to read and sign off on all policies and procedures

  • All students and volunteers also need an updated vulnerable sector check prior to starting

  • All students and volunteers also need a health assessment and all Immunization records need to be up to date prior to start date as directed by the local medical office of health.

Student and Volunteer Supervision Procedures: Roles and Responsibilities

The licensee/designate must:

  • Ensure that all applicable policies, procedures and individual plans are reviewed with students and/or volunteers before they start their educational placement or begin volunteering, annually thereafter and when changes occur to the policies, procedures and individualized plans to support appropriate implementation.

  • Ensure that all students and/or volunteers have been trained on each child’s individualized plan.

  • Ensure that a vulnerable sector check (VSC) and annual offence declarations are on file for all students and/or volunteers in accordance with the child care centre’s criminal reference check policy and procedures and Ontario Regulation 137/15.

  • Ensure that expectations are reviewed with students and/or volunteers including, but not limited to

    • how to report their absence;

    • how to report concerns about the program

    • work that student has to accomplish is presented to the staff educator in a timely manner

  • Inform students and/or volunteers that they are never to be included in staff to child ratios or left alone with children.

  • Appoint supervising staff to the students and/or volunteers, and inform them of their supervisory responsibilities.

  • Inform students and/or volunteers of their duty to report suspected child abuse or neglect under the Child and Family Services Act

The supervising staff must:

  • Ensure that students/volunteers are never included in staff to child ratios.

  • Ensure that students/volunteers are supervised at all times and never left alone with children.

  • Ensure students create an introduction letter for parents or guardians to be posted outside the classroom they are participating

  • Provide an environment that facilitates and supports students’ and/or volunteers’ learning and professional development.

  • Provide students and/or volunteers with clear expectations of the program in accordance with the established program statement and program statement implementation policy.

  • Provide students and/or volunteers with feedback on their performance.

  • Work collaboratively with the student’s practicum supervising teacher.

  • Monitor and notify the centre supervisor/director of any student and or volunteer misconduct or contraventions with the centre’s policies, procedures, prohibited practices or individual plans (where applicable) in accordance with the child care centre’s written process for monitoring compliance and contraventions.

Students and/or volunteers must:

  • Maintain professionalism and confidentiality at all times, unless otherwise required to implement a policy, procedure or individualized plan.

  • Notify the supervisor or designate if they have been left alone with children or have any other concerns about the child care program (e.g. regarding staff conduct, program statement implementation, the safety and well-being of children, etc.).

  • Submit all required information and documentation to the licensee, supervisor or designate prior to commencing placement or volunteering, such as a valid VSC.

  • Review and implement all required policies, procedures and individualized plans, and sign and date a record of review, where required.

  • Review allergy lists and dietary restrictions and ensure they are implemented.

  • Respond and act on the feedback and recommendations of supervising staff, as appropriate.

  • Report any allegations/concerns as per the “Duty to Report” under the Child and Family Services Act

  • Complete offence declarations annually, no later than 15 days after the anniversary date of the last VSC or offence declaration (whichever is most recent) in accordance with the child care centre’s criminal reference check policy.

  • Provide an offence declaration to the supervisor/designate as soon as possible any time they have been convicted of a Criminal Code (Canada) offence.

Additional Procedures
All students and volunteers who fail to adhere to the policies and procedures of the centre may face disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. Kinder learning centres believes in fairness and openness. Our students and volunteers can expect a commitment to resolve conflict and receiving supportive and constructive criticism. If disciplinary action is required, the organization follows the same steps as in its staff policies.

  • Verbal warning

  • Written warning

  • Dismissal