Information for living with and managing COVID-19 in ECEC settings

Updated 7 July 2022

 ECU COVID-19 Resources

The following documents may assist you with responding to the risks of COVID-19:

1. The ECU has collaborated with Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) to develop the Covid-19 Case and Outbreak Management Guidelines for the Tasmanian Early Childhood Education and Care Settings.
   This guidance document describes the step-by-step process service providers must take when determining and managing an outbreak at their facility. The ECU will support providers and services to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of children and quality educational outcomes for children and follow government advice in response to COVID-19.
2. The Education and Care Unit Living with COVID-19 Response Plan is a one-page diagram that outlines ECU’s general approach to undertaking regulatory work as our services face the challenges of community transmission.
3. The Living with COVID-19 Guidance document provides further information for services on COVID-safe practices, meeting regulatory responsibilities and managing positive cases of COVID-19.
4. Our COVID-19 Enquiry Process informs services of the immediate steps to take when a positive case has been identified at an education and care setting.
5. Public Health has released a guidance note for Best Practice: Ventilation. The ECU has also published an Information on Ventilation in ECEC Services information booklet suggests ways to improve ventilation in an education and care setting to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 virus.
6. The Information for families – Outbreaks in ECEC is a simple guidance document for parents/carers on the steps taken to care for children if they are ECEC contacts and the appropriate response to take if an outbreak is declared.
7. This draft letter may assist services in communicating to parents/carers about the next steps after a positive case at an ECEC setting has occurred.
   – Letter for parents/carers –Isolated Case at ECEC  – Note: if Public Health declares an outbreak, your letter to parents of children must be tailored to include information/direction as directed by Public Healthwdwd
8. Services may use this information sheet to inform families about changes to Public Health’s mask mandates at ECEC services.

  Other Resources

• The Australian Government Department of Health guidance on Environmental cleaning and disinfection principles for COVID-19.
• The Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidance: Staying Healthy, Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services.
• Safe Work Australia  information, resources and links.
• The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) statement on Statement on early childhood and learning centres.
• Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) support, guidance and Coronavirus (COVID-19) information
• The COVID-19 Safe Workplaces Framework supports businesses and workplaces in Tasmania to continue to operate, or reopen, while protecting Tasmania’s health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is made up of three key parts:
  • Minimum Standards to manage the ongoing risk of COVID-19 in workplaces.
  • COVID Safe Guidance to provide more detail on how sectors and workplaces can meet the Minimum Standards.
  • COVID-19 Safety Plans to outline how each workplace complies with the Minimum Standards.

  At this time, Work Safe Tasmania is no longer offering information specific to the education and care sector, but is providing a range of workplace tools, resources and templates to help workplaces and businesses to develop and review their COVID-19 Safety Plans.

  For general information about COVID-19:

• Tasmanian Government Coronavirus website
• Australian Government Coronavirus website

 

  If you have any questions, please contact the ECU on 6165 5425 or via ecu.comment@decyp.tas.gov.au or call your point of contact authorised officer directly.

• The Tasmanian Public Health Hotline if you have concerns about contact or symptoms – 1800 671 738
• National Coronavirus Information Line For general information about coronavirus on 1800 020 080 (24 hours, 7 days)

If you require translating or interpreting services, call 131 450.

If you have any questions, please contact the ECU on 6165 5425 or via ecu.comment@decyp.tas.gov.au or call your point of contact authorised officer directly.