Macgregor Primary School Out of School Hours Care

25 Hirschfeld Crescent
PO Box 372 Kippax
Macgregor, ACT 2615
ph: 0401211308
mpsoshc@outlook.com

Sun Protection Policy

When used in its entirety, this policy ensures your service is following current evidence-based Cancer Council sun protection guidelines and recommendations. Any changes or adjustments to the policy may mean it no longer meets SunSmart guidelines. (August 2019)

Macgregor Primary School Outside school hours care service’s SunSmart / Sun protection / UV Protection Policy

This policy applies to all service events on and off-site.

Purpose

This Sun Protection policy provides guidelines to:

ensure all children, educators and staff are protected from over-exposure to UV radiation;
ensure the outdoor environment provides shade for children, educators and staff;
ensure children are encouraged and supported to develop independent sun protection skills;
support duty of care and regulatory requirements; and
support appropriate WH&S strategies to minimise UV risk and associated harms for educators, staff and visitors.

Background

Too much of the sun’s UV radiation can cause sunburn, skin and eye damage and skin cancer. Infants and toddlers up to four years of age are particularly vulnerable to UV damage due to lower levels of melanin and a thinner stratum corneum (the outermost layer of skin). UV damage accumulated during childhood and adolescence is strongly associated with an increased risk of skin cancer later in life.

By teaching sensible sun protection habits from an early age and implementing best-practice sun protection measures, early childhood services can play a significant role toward reducing the lifetime risk of skin cancer.

Our Sun Protection policy has been developed to ensure that all children, employees and visitors attending our service are protected from skin damage caused by harmful UV radiation from the sun.

Legislation and Standards

Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011

Part 4.2: Children’s health and safety
Reg 100	Risk assessment must be conducted before excursions
Part 4.3: Physical Environment
Reg 113	Outdoor space: natural environment
Reg 114	Outdoor space: shade
Part 4.7: Leadership and service management
Reg 168 (2)(a)(ii) (2)(a)(ii)	Policies and procedures: Sun protection
Reg 170	Policies and procedures to be followed
Reg 171	Policies and procedures to be kept available
Reg 172	Notification of change to policies or procedures

Procedures

To assist with the implementation of this policy, educators and children are encouraged to access their local sun protection times via the SunSmart widget on the service’s website, the free SunSmart app, myUV.com.au or at the Bureau of Meteorology.
The sun protection measures listed are used for all outdoor activities during the daily local sun protection times, when the UV Index is 3 or above. The sun protection times are a forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology for the time of day UV levels are forecast to reach 3 or higher. At these levels, sun protection is recommended for all skin types.

ACT

Sun protection is necessary for part or most of each day between August to May when UVR levels reach 3 and above. Minimise outdoor activities and events as much as reasonably practicable between 11am and 3pm during the daylight saving/summer period.

Parents who would like their children to wear hats during the warmer months even when the UV is below 3 should advise the service.

1. Seek shade

Management makes sure there is a sufficient number of shelters and trees providing shade in the outdoor area particularly in high-use areas.
The availability of shade is considered when planning all outdoor activities.
Children are encouraged to choose and use available areas of shade when outside.
Play activities will be set up in the shade and moved throughout the day to take advantage of shade patterns.
Children who do not have appropriate hats or outdoor clothing are asked to choose a shady play space or a suitable area protected from the sun.
In consultation with the service’s committee, shade provision is considered in future plans and upgrades.
A shade assessment is conducted regularly to determine the current availability and quality of shade.

2. Slip on sun-protective clothing

Children are required to wear loose-fitting clothing that covers as much skin as possible. Clothing made from cool, densely woven fabric is recommended. Families are asked to choose tops with elbow-length sleeves, higher necklines (or collars) and knee-length or longer style shorts and skirts for their child. If a child is wearing a singlet top or shoestring dress, they will be asked to choose a t-shirt/shirt to wear over this before going outdoors.

3. Slap on a hat

All children are required to wear hats that protect their face, neck and ears (legionnaire, broad-brimmed or bucket style). Peak caps and visors are not considered a suitable alternative.

4. Slop on sunscreen

SPF30 (or higher) broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen is supplied by the service and/or families.
Sunscreen is applied in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions (which state to apply at least 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every two hours, or more frequently if sweating or swimming).
To help develop independent skills ready for school, children from three years of age are given opportunities to apply their own sunscreen under supervision of staff, and are encouraged to do so.
Sunscreen is stored in a cool place, out of the sun and the expiry date is monitored.

5. Slide on sunglasses [if practical]

Where practical, children are encouraged to wear close-fitting, wrap-around sunglasses that meet the Australian Standard 1067 (Sunglasses: Category 2, 3 or 4) and cover as much of the eye area as possible.

Learning and skills

Sun protection is incorporated into the learning and development program.
The SunSmart policy is reinforced by educators and through children's activities and displays.
Educators are encouraged to complete Cancer Council’s free Generation SunSmart online learning modules.

Engaging children, educators, staff and families

Educators, staff and families are provided with information about sun protection through family newsletters, service handbooks, noticeboards and the service’s website.
When enrolling their child, families are:

informed of the service’s Sun Protection policy;
asked to provide a suitable sun protective hat, covering clothing and sunscreen for their child;
required to give permission for educators to apply sunscreen to their child; and
encouraged to use SunSmart measures themselves when at the service.

As part of WH&S UV risk controls and role-modelling, educators, staff and visitors:

wear a suitable sun-protective hat, covering clothing and, if practical, sunglasses;
apply sunscreen; and
seek shade whenever possible.

Monitoring and review

All staff, including management and educators, monitor and review the effectiveness of the Sun Protection policy and revise the policy when required (at least once every two/three years) by completing a policy review and membership renewal with CC A.C.T / SunSmart at cancer.org.au
MPSOSHC Sun Protection policy updates and requirements will be made available to educators, staff, families and visitors.

Next policy review: December 2022

Relevant documents / links

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) – Standard 4.4 and 7.2
ARPANSA Radiation Protection Standard for Occupational Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation (2006)
Safe Work Australia: Guidance Note – Sun protection for outdoor workers (2016)
AS 4174:2018 Knitted and woven shade fabrics
AS/NZS 1067.1:2016, Eye and face protection - Sunglasses and fashion spectacles
AS/NZS 4399:2017, Sun protective clothing - Evaluation and classification
AS/NZS 2604:2012 Sunscreen products - Evaluation and classification
Australian Government Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) – Australian regulatory guidelines for sunscreens: 4. Labelling and advertising – directions for use of the product
AS/NZS 4685.0:2017, Playground equipment and surfacing - Development, installation, inspection, maintenance and operation.6.2.1 General considerations, 6.3.9 Shade and sun protection, Appendix A Shade and sun protection

National Quality Standards

Quality Area (QA) / Standard (S) / Element (E)

QA 1	Educational program and practice
S 1.1 Program	The Educational program enhances each child’s learning and development.
E 1.1.1	Curriculum decision making contributes to each child’s learning and development outcomes in relation to their identity, connection with community, wellbeing, confidence as learners and effectiveness as communicators.
E 1.1.3	All aspects of the program, including routines, are organised in ways that maximise opportunities for each child’s learning.
S 1.2 Practice	Educators facilitate and extend each child’s learning and development.
E 1.2.2	Educators respond to children’s ideas and play and extend children’s learning through open-ended questions, interactions and feedback.
E 1.2.3	Each child’s agency is promoted, enabling them to make choices and decisions that influence events and their world.
QA 2	Children’s health and safety
S 2.1 Health	Each child’s health and physical activity is supported and promoted
E 2.1.1	Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s need for sleep, rest and relaxation.
E 2.1.2	Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
E 2.1.3	Healthy eating and physical activity are promoted and appropriate for each child.
S 2.2 Safety	Each Child is protected
E 2.2.1	At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
QA 3	Physical environment
S 3.1 Design	The design of the facilities is appropriate for the operations of a service
E 3.1.1	Outdoor and indoor spaces, buildings, fixtures and fittings are suitable for their purpose, including supporting the access of every child.
S 3.2 Use	The service environment is inclusive, promotes competence and supports exploration and play-based learning.
E 3.2.1	Outdoor and indoor spaces are organised and adapted to support every child’s participation and to engage every child in quality experiences in both built and natural environments.
QA 5	Relationships with children
S 5.2 Relationships between children	Each child is supported to build and maintain sensitive and responsive relationships
E 5.2.1 Collaborative learning	Children are supported to collaborate, learn from and help each other.
QA 6	Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
S 6.1 Supportive relationships with families	Respectful relationships with families are developed and maintained and families are supported in their parenting role.
E 6.1.2	The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected, and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing.
E 6.1.3	Current information is available to families about the service and relevant community services and resources to support parenting and family wellbeing.
S 6.2 Collaborative partnerships	Collaborative partnerships enhance children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing.
QA 7	Governance and Leadership
S 7.1 Governance	Governance supports the operations of a quality service.
E 7.1.2	Systems are in place to manage risk and enable the effective management and operation of a quality service

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25 Hirschfeld Crescent
PO Box 372 Kippax
Macgregor, ACT 2615
ph: 0401211308
mpsoshc@outlook.com