This policy is applicable to any visitor to, or guest at, a carer’s home during any time that the home is a workplace and Family Day Care children are in care, in compliance with the Child Care Act 2002, 97, (1) to (5):

‘(1) A carer in a licensed home based service must not provide child care in the carer’s home, in the course of the service, unless each adult occupant of the home has a current positive suitability notice.’

For the purpose of this policy and procedure, the following definitions will apply:

Guest:

An adult staying overnight at a carer’s home.

Visitor:

An adult who visits the home for any purpose whilst care is occurring.

Regular Visitor:

Once per week over the course of one month
Once per fortnight over two months
Once per month over six months

PROCEDURES

a) Carers must notify the scheme in writing in advance, of any or all guests staying in the home. The information required includes name and number of persons, age, gender, usual residential address and relationship to carer. An assessment will be made as to whether the physical and recreational space available is appropriate to the numbers of people in the home. Care may be temporarily suspended if it is assessed that the number of people in the home precludes the provision of quality child care.

b) The approved carer must certify in writing as part of the prior notification, that to the best of his/her knowledge, any guest staying at the home is a fit and proper person of good moral character.

c) Guests from overseas who are direct relatives of the carer may stay for a period/s not exceeding three (3) weeks within a year without having a Suitability Card. Guests from overseas who are not direct relatives of the carer may stay for a period/s not exceeding two (2) weeks within a year without having a Suitability Card

d) Guests who normally reside within Australia and who are direct relatives of the carer, may stay for a period/s not exceeding two (2) weeks within a year without having a Suitability Card. Guests who normally reside within Australia who are not direct relatives of the carer, may stay for a period/s not exceeding seven (7) days within a year without having a Suitability Card.

e) Guests whose stay exceeds the times specified above must be in possession of a Suitability Card.

f) Visitors to a carer’s home must be in possession of a Suitability Card if their visit pattern falls within the parameters of ‘Regular Visitor’ as defined.