This page is designed to provide families with up-to-date information about COVID-19 and education and care services. We’re frequently updating this page, so please check back regularly to make sure you’re getting the most current information.
Close contacts
Services need to notify the ECU of cases when 20 per cent or more children and/or educators in a group test positive within 48 hours of their last attendance at the service within a 7-day period.
A group is considered to be where the children spend the majority of their day. For example, if the service is vertically grouped in one room, the group is all educators and children at the service. If a service has five rooms and indoor space is not shared the majority of this time, the group is 20 per cent or more of the educators and children in that room.
This guidance is based on where the children spend the majority of their day and therefore it is not impacted if they have visited another room for a short period for transitions or to visit a sibling.
The 20 per cent or more room calculation is intended to be used for indoor grouping only and does not apply if children share an outdoor environment.
In FDC the threshold for reporting positive COVID-19 cases is 50 per cent or more children and/or educators per family day care premise in a 7-day period.
NQF Services may notify us:
- initially through the NQAITS; and
- notify every subsequent case within a 7 day period to your point-of-contact officer.
- note: after the 7 day window, a new notification in the NQAITS must be made.
Licensed Services may notify us:
- by email to ecu.comment@decyp.tas.gov.au and your point-of-contact officer.
Note:
Refer to page 7 of the TAS ECEC COVID-19 Outbreak Management Guidelines for immediate actions services should take in the event a case is discovered in an ECEC setting.
Please NOTE the following:
- Unless otherwise advised by Public Health, services no longer have to send Public Health line lists if a case is in identified in an ECEC setting.
- If a child or staff member tests positive but were NOT at the service within the last 48 hours you are not required to notify the ECU.
- If the positive test result was obtained as part of testing in the service, you must also notify Public Health by registering the positive test result online – Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) – Positive Result Declaration Form (health.tas.gov.au)
Depending on circumstances, RAT Testing of children might be conducted by parents, ECEC staff or childhood educator.
Public Health advises in their fact sheet – Best Practice Early Childhood under the heading ‘Public Health recommendations for people with symptoms‘ – If a positive test result is obtained, Public Health should be notified immediately.
Services should not be concerned about overlaps in reporting as Public Health is prepared to receive multiple notifications from various sources.
Public Health has a process to streamline multiple notifications (whether registered by schools, parents and education and care services) and determine if they are part of the same outbreak.
Testing
Services need to notify the ECU of cases when 20 per cent or more children and/or educators in a group test positive within 48 hours of their last attendance at the service within a 7-day period.
A group is considered to be where the children spend the majority of their day. For example, if the service is vertically grouped in one room, the group is all educators and children at the service. If a service has five rooms and indoor space is not shared the majority of this time, the group is 20 per cent or more of the educators and children in that room.
This guidance is based on where the children spend the majority of their day and therefore it is not impacted if they have visited another room for a short period for transitions or to visit a sibling.
The 20 per cent or more room calculation is intended to be used for indoor grouping only and does not apply if children share an outdoor environment.
In FDC the threshold for reporting positive COVID-19 cases is 50 per cent or more children and/or educators per family day care premise in a 7-day period.
NQF Services may notify us:
- initially through the NQAITS; and
- notify every subsequent case within a 7 day period to your point-of-contact officer.
- note: after the 7 day window, a new notification in the NQAITS must be made.
Licensed Services may notify us:
- by email to ecu.comment@decyp.tas.gov.au and your point-of-contact officer.
Note:
Refer to page 7 of the TAS ECEC COVID-19 Outbreak Management Guidelines for immediate actions services should take in the event a case is discovered in an ECEC setting.
Please NOTE the following:
- Unless otherwise advised by Public Health, services no longer have to send Public Health line lists if a case is in identified in an ECEC setting.
- If a child or staff member tests positive but were NOT at the service within the last 48 hours you are not required to notify the ECU.
- If the positive test result was obtained as part of testing in the service, you must also notify Public Health by registering the positive test result online – Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) – Positive Result Declaration Form (health.tas.gov.au)
Depending on circumstances, RAT Testing of children might be conducted by parents, ECEC staff or childhood educator.
Public Health advises in their fact sheet – Best Practice Early Childhood under the heading ‘Public Health recommendations for people with symptoms‘ – If a positive test result is obtained, Public Health should be notified immediately.
Services should not be concerned about overlaps in reporting as Public Health is prepared to receive multiple notifications from various sources.
Public Health has a process to streamline multiple notifications (whether registered by schools, parents and education and care services) and determine if they are part of the same outbreak.
All service providers are different
Services need to notify the ECU of cases when 20 per cent or more children and/or educators in a group test positive within 48 hours of their last attendance at the service within a 7-day period.
A group is considered to be where the children spend the majority of their day. For example, if the service is vertically grouped in one room, the group is all educators and children at the service. If a service has five rooms and indoor space is not shared the majority of this time, the group is 20 per cent or more of the educators and children in that room.
This guidance is based on where the children spend the majority of their day and therefore it is not impacted if they have visited another room for a short period for transitions or to visit a sibling.
The 20 per cent or more room calculation is intended to be used for indoor grouping only and does not apply if children share an outdoor environment.
In FDC the threshold for reporting positive COVID-19 cases is 50 per cent or more children and/or educators per family day care premise in a 7-day period.
NQF Services may notify us:
- initially through the NQAITS; and
- notify every subsequent case within a 7 day period to your point-of-contact officer.
- note: after the 7 day window, a new notification in the NQAITS must be made.
Licensed Services may notify us:
- by email to ecu.comment@decyp.tas.gov.au and your point-of-contact officer.
Note:
Refer to page 7 of the TAS ECEC COVID-19 Outbreak Management Guidelines for immediate actions services should take in the event a case is discovered in an ECEC setting.
Please NOTE the following:
- Unless otherwise advised by Public Health, services no longer have to send Public Health line lists if a case is in identified in an ECEC setting.
- If a child or staff member tests positive but were NOT at the service within the last 48 hours you are not required to notify the ECU.
- If the positive test result was obtained as part of testing in the service, you must also notify Public Health by registering the positive test result online – Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) – Positive Result Declaration Form (health.tas.gov.au)
Depending on circumstances, RAT Testing of children might be conducted by parents, ECEC staff or childhood educator.
Public Health advises in their fact sheet – Best Practice Early Childhood under the heading ‘Public Health recommendations for people with symptoms‘ – If a positive test result is obtained, Public Health should be notified immediately.
Services should not be concerned about overlaps in reporting as Public Health is prepared to receive multiple notifications from various sources.
Public Health has a process to streamline multiple notifications (whether registered by schools, parents and education and care services) and determine if they are part of the same outbreak.
Financial information and support
Services need to notify the ECU of cases when 20 per cent or more children and/or educators in a group test positive within 48 hours of their last attendance at the service within a 7-day period.
A group is considered to be where the children spend the majority of their day. For example, if the service is vertically grouped in one room, the group is all educators and children at the service. If a service has five rooms and indoor space is not shared the majority of this time, the group is 20 per cent or more of the educators and children in that room.
This guidance is based on where the children spend the majority of their day and therefore it is not impacted if they have visited another room for a short period for transitions or to visit a sibling.
The 20 per cent or more room calculation is intended to be used for indoor grouping only and does not apply if children share an outdoor environment.
In FDC the threshold for reporting positive COVID-19 cases is 50 per cent or more children and/or educators per family day care premise in a 7-day period.
NQF Services may notify us:
- initially through the NQAITS; and
- notify every subsequent case within a 7 day period to your point-of-contact officer.
- note: after the 7 day window, a new notification in the NQAITS must be made.
Licensed Services may notify us:
- by email to ecu.comment@decyp.tas.gov.au and your point-of-contact officer.
Note:
Refer to page 7 of the TAS ECEC COVID-19 Outbreak Management Guidelines for immediate actions services should take in the event a case is discovered in an ECEC setting.
Please NOTE the following:
- Unless otherwise advised by Public Health, services no longer have to send Public Health line lists if a case is in identified in an ECEC setting.
- If a child or staff member tests positive but were NOT at the service within the last 48 hours you are not required to notify the ECU.
- If the positive test result was obtained as part of testing in the service, you must also notify Public Health by registering the positive test result online – Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) – Positive Result Declaration Form (health.tas.gov.au)
Depending on circumstances, RAT Testing of children might be conducted by parents, ECEC staff or childhood educator.
Public Health advises in their fact sheet – Best Practice Early Childhood under the heading ‘Public Health recommendations for people with symptoms‘ – If a positive test result is obtained, Public Health should be notified immediately.
Services should not be concerned about overlaps in reporting as Public Health is prepared to receive multiple notifications from various sources.
Public Health has a process to streamline multiple notifications (whether registered by schools, parents and education and care services) and determine if they are part of the same outbreak.
Safety measures
Services need to notify the ECU of cases when 20 per cent or more children and/or educators in a group test positive within 48 hours of their last attendance at the service within a 7-day period.
A group is considered to be where the children spend the majority of their day. For example, if the service is vertically grouped in one room, the group is all educators and children at the service. If a service has five rooms and indoor space is not shared the majority of this time, the group is 20 per cent or more of the educators and children in that room.
This guidance is based on where the children spend the majority of their day and therefore it is not impacted if they have visited another room for a short period for transitions or to visit a sibling.
The 20 per cent or more room calculation is intended to be used for indoor grouping only and does not apply if children share an outdoor environment.
In FDC the threshold for reporting positive COVID-19 cases is 50 per cent or more children and/or educators per family day care premise in a 7-day period.
NQF Services may notify us:
- initially through the NQAITS; and
- notify every subsequent case within a 7 day period to your point-of-contact officer.
- note: after the 7 day window, a new notification in the NQAITS must be made.
Licensed Services may notify us:
- by email to ecu.comment@decyp.tas.gov.au and your point-of-contact officer.
Note:
Refer to page 7 of the TAS ECEC COVID-19 Outbreak Management Guidelines for immediate actions services should take in the event a case is discovered in an ECEC setting.
Please NOTE the following:
- Unless otherwise advised by Public Health, services no longer have to send Public Health line lists if a case is in identified in an ECEC setting.
- If a child or staff member tests positive but were NOT at the service within the last 48 hours you are not required to notify the ECU.
- If the positive test result was obtained as part of testing in the service, you must also notify Public Health by registering the positive test result online – Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) – Positive Result Declaration Form (health.tas.gov.au)
Depending on circumstances, RAT Testing of children might be conducted by parents, ECEC staff or childhood educator.
Public Health advises in their fact sheet – Best Practice Early Childhood under the heading ‘Public Health recommendations for people with symptoms‘ – If a positive test result is obtained, Public Health should be notified immediately.
Services should not be concerned about overlaps in reporting as Public Health is prepared to receive multiple notifications from various sources.
Public Health has a process to streamline multiple notifications (whether registered by schools, parents and education and care services) and determine if they are part of the same outbreak.
Family Day Care
Services need to notify the ECU of cases when 20 per cent or more children and/or educators in a group test positive within 48 hours of their last attendance at the service within a 7-day period.
A group is considered to be where the children spend the majority of their day. For example, if the service is vertically grouped in one room, the group is all educators and children at the service. If a service has five rooms and indoor space is not shared the majority of this time, the group is 20 per cent or more of the educators and children in that room.
This guidance is based on where the children spend the majority of their day and therefore it is not impacted if they have visited another room for a short period for transitions or to visit a sibling.
The 20 per cent or more room calculation is intended to be used for indoor grouping only and does not apply if children share an outdoor environment.
In FDC the threshold for reporting positive COVID-19 cases is 50 per cent or more children and/or educators per family day care premise in a 7-day period.
NQF Services may notify us:
- initially through the NQAITS; and
- notify every subsequent case within a 7 day period to your point-of-contact officer.
- note: after the 7 day window, a new notification in the NQAITS must be made.
Licensed Services may notify us:
- by email to ecu.comment@decyp.tas.gov.au and your point-of-contact officer.
Note:
Refer to page 7 of the TAS ECEC COVID-19 Outbreak Management Guidelines for immediate actions services should take in the event a case is discovered in an ECEC setting.
Please NOTE the following:
- Unless otherwise advised by Public Health, services no longer have to send Public Health line lists if a case is in identified in an ECEC setting.
- If a child or staff member tests positive but were NOT at the service within the last 48 hours you are not required to notify the ECU.
- If the positive test result was obtained as part of testing in the service, you must also notify Public Health by registering the positive test result online – Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) – Positive Result Declaration Form (health.tas.gov.au)
Depending on circumstances, RAT Testing of children might be conducted by parents, ECEC staff or childhood educator.
Public Health advises in their fact sheet – Best Practice Early Childhood under the heading ‘Public Health recommendations for people with symptoms‘ – If a positive test result is obtained, Public Health should be notified immediately.
Services should not be concerned about overlaps in reporting as Public Health is prepared to receive multiple notifications from various sources.
Public Health has a process to streamline multiple notifications (whether registered by schools, parents and education and care services) and determine if they are part of the same outbreak.
More information
Services need to notify the ECU of cases when 20 per cent or more children and/or educators in a group test positive within 48 hours of their last attendance at the service within a 7-day period.
A group is considered to be where the children spend the majority of their day. For example, if the service is vertically grouped in one room, the group is all educators and children at the service. If a service has five rooms and indoor space is not shared the majority of this time, the group is 20 per cent or more of the educators and children in that room.
This guidance is based on where the children spend the majority of their day and therefore it is not impacted if they have visited another room for a short period for transitions or to visit a sibling.
The 20 per cent or more room calculation is intended to be used for indoor grouping only and does not apply if children share an outdoor environment.
In FDC the threshold for reporting positive COVID-19 cases is 50 per cent or more children and/or educators per family day care premise in a 7-day period.
NQF Services may notify us:
- initially through the NQAITS; and
- notify every subsequent case within a 7 day period to your point-of-contact officer.
- note: after the 7 day window, a new notification in the NQAITS must be made.
Licensed Services may notify us:
- by email to ecu.comment@decyp.tas.gov.au and your point-of-contact officer.
Note:
Refer to page 7 of the TAS ECEC COVID-19 Outbreak Management Guidelines for immediate actions services should take in the event a case is discovered in an ECEC setting.
Please NOTE the following:
- Unless otherwise advised by Public Health, services no longer have to send Public Health line lists if a case is in identified in an ECEC setting.
- If a child or staff member tests positive but were NOT at the service within the last 48 hours you are not required to notify the ECU.
- If the positive test result was obtained as part of testing in the service, you must also notify Public Health by registering the positive test result online – Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) – Positive Result Declaration Form (health.tas.gov.au)
Depending on circumstances, RAT Testing of children might be conducted by parents, ECEC staff or childhood educator.
Public Health advises in their fact sheet – Best Practice Early Childhood under the heading ‘Public Health recommendations for people with symptoms‘ – If a positive test result is obtained, Public Health should be notified immediately.
Services should not be concerned about overlaps in reporting as Public Health is prepared to receive multiple notifications from various sources.
Public Health has a process to streamline multiple notifications (whether registered by schools, parents and education and care services) and determine if they are part of the same outbreak.