We had a virtual coffee recently with Michelle McEwan from Michelle McEwan Consultancy. A seasoned professional in the sector, she shares her insights on the importance of maintaining up-to-date policies and procedures, the pressures on providers, and how these documents ultimately safeguard both children and educators. In this conversation, we explore her passion for the topic and the real-world challenges faced by those responsible for ensuring compliance.

What are you most passionate about at the moment in your work?

Right now, my focus is on policies and procedures. I’ve been heavily involved in reviewing and updating these documents for several services. I’m passionate about empowering educators to be the best they can be, and I support approved providers and managers in doing just that. Clear, current policies and procedures are crucial because they reflect the actual practices within a service. With the ever-changing regulatory landscape in Australia, it’s important to align policies with those updates to ensure compliance and, most importantly, child safety.

Why is maintaining up-to-date policies and procedures more important now than it has been in the past?

Children’s safety is paramount, and with the introduction of the national child safe principles last year, services and organisations are being held to a higher standard in how they protect children. Many policies fall under Quality Area 2 of the National Quality Framework, which deals with children’s health, safety, and well-being. For example, sleep and rest policies must consider not only regulatory requirements like natural light and ventilation but also the ambiance of the environment. Noise levels and comfort play a role in children’s ability to rest. It’s these finer details that services must consider to create safe, nurturing environments.

Moreover, regulatory changes, particularly those introduced late last year, are still not fully reflected in some services’ policies. Approved providers must be vigilant in ensuring their documents meet these new standards, especially since they bear much of the regulatory burden. Nominated supervisors are also heavily involved in this process, though they often juggle multiple responsibilities, making it challenging to stay on top of policy updates.

Are children becoming more unruly, or is the world simply more unsafe, prompting these regulatory changes?

I think it’s a bit of both. The increased focus on child safety standards is in response to real-world issues, including high-profile cases of child abuse, even within childcare settings. These cases, and the resulting Royal Commission into institutionalised sexual abuse, have shaped many of the regulatory frameworks we see today. The goal is to ensure services provide more oversight and protection than ever before.

As for children’s behaviour, I believe there are multiple contributing factors. We are more aware of neurodiverse conditions, which can manifest in challenging behaviours. Parenting practices, particularly around screen time, can also influence children’s behaviour in care. Some educators may lack the necessary knowledge or support to manage these behaviours effectively, and there can be a reluctance at the service level to address them. I often hear educators express frustration about behaviour issues not being dealt with adequately, sometimes due to a hesitancy to involve parents or suspend children, which brings workplace health and safety into the equation.

What pressures do providers and leaders face when it comes to policies and procedures, and how can they navigate these challenges?

Time is the biggest pressure, hands down. Larger providers may have teams dedicated to policy management, but even they face challenges. There can be a disconnect between what’s written in a policy and what actually happens on the ground. Policies need to be customised to reflect the specific practices of a service, even if a provider operates multiple sites.

For smaller services or single-site providers, the challenge is even greater because they don’t have the same resources. Many turn to pre-written policies from external organisations, but these documents still need to be reviewed and customized. You can’t just download a policy, slap your service’s name on it, and call it a day. It takes time to ensure the policy reflects the real-life operations of the service.

Can you share an example of where customisation is particularly important?

Health and safety policies are a great example. Take incident and accident reporting or managing challenging behaviours. A service needs to have clear procedures in place for what constitutes an acceptable behavior, how to manage minor versus extreme behaviours, and when to report incidents. These guidelines help educators know how to respond in various situations, whether it’s simply speaking with a child or taking more serious action if there’s a risk to other children or staff.

Having detailed, step-by-step procedures provides educators with the clarity they need, especially in high-stress situations. If these procedures aren’t outlined clearly in the policy, educators might not know how to react, which can lead to inconsistencies in practice.

For someone new to managing policies and procedures, what advice would you offer?

My biggest piece of advice is to always ask yourself, “Is this what we actually do?” when reviewing a policy. You need to visualize how the procedure plays out in real life. Are the steps practical? Do they reflect the current operations of the service? If not, the policy needs to be adjusted.

It’s also important to understand that policies are governed by more than just the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations. There are other pieces of legislation that come into play, such as child protection laws or workplace health and safety laws. Not every policy will touch on these areas, but it’s crucial to know where they fit into the bigger picture.

It sounds like continuous improvement is a theme in managing policies. Is that correct?

Absolutely. Policies and procedures should be viewed as part of a continuous improvement process. Services should have a regular policy review schedule. Some policies, particularly those related to health and safety, need to be reviewed annually, while others may only require attention every two years. But it’s important to remember that any incident or issue should prompt a policy review to ensure that what’s written aligns with the service’s response.

In my work, I often see services with an overwhelming number of policies—sometimes as many as 150! Often, this leads to confusion and makes it harder to keep track of which policies need to be reviewed. I help services streamline by amalgamating policies, reducing the total number while ensuring all critical areas are still covered. This helps save time in the long run.

What role do policies play during a regulatory authority investigation?

Policies are the first thing a regulatory authority will ask for during an investigation, whether it’s following a complaint or a serious incident. They’ll compare the actions taken by the service against what’s outlined in the policies to ensure consistency. This is why it’s so important to have well-maintained and regularly reviewed documents. If your policies aren’t aligned with your actual practices, it could lead to significant issues during an investigation.

Any final thoughts on policy management?

I think it’s important to remember that policies are living documents. They need to be flexible enough to evolve with your service and the regulatory environment. Avoid creating unnecessary policies—focus on ensuring your existing ones are comprehensive and practical. And always keep that continuous improvement mindset. Policies should guide your practice, not be a burden.

In early childhood education, policies and procedures are more than just paperwork. They are essential tools for ensuring child safety, supporting educators, and complying with regulations. As Michelle explains, the key to success lies in customising these documents to reflect real-life practices and maintaining a focus on continuous improvement. Whether you’re a large provider or a single-site service, the process of managing policies is ongoing—but with the right approach, it can make all the difference in delivering quality care.

We loved speaking to Michelle. If you or someone you know has a story to share, we’d love to have a discussion. Let us know via the website, Facebook or LinkedIn.