Elanora Heights Community Preschool (previously know as Elanora Heights Community Kindergarten) is a not-for-profit community based preschool catering for 3-6 year old children, established in 1966. It is a co-operative preschool operating in the Community Centre in Elanora Heights which was built by the community and  is now owned by Pittwater Council.

Our preschool is available to all members of the community. Priority of entry is given to four year old children eligible to attend school the following year, children with additional needs, children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds or children at risk.

Our preschool is licensed and partly funded by Community Services and operates under their regulations.

We cater for forty children aged 3-6 years who attend three days per week (Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday) and another forty who attend two days per week (Thursday & Friday).

The forty children in each group are divided chronologically into two separate classes.  The oldest twenty are in the Koala group, and the younger twenty in the Possum group.

We have a comprehensive Policy Manual which is available to parents on request.

We also have a Parent Handbook which is given to parents prior to their child starting preschool. It contains lots of information and is a very handy reference booklet especially for the start of the preschool year when routines are not yet established.

We provide a secure and stimulating environment in which children are given the opportunities to develop their full potential.

OUR PRIVACY POLICY

Elanora Heights Community Preschool requires certain information be collected in accordance with the regulatory framework of operating a children’s service.

Collecting Information

• Personal information must only be collected and used specifically for the purpose of the organisation’s function. Personal information should be collected in a fair and unobtrusive way.
• Persons providing the information should be given appropriate access to their information and be advised about the purpose for the collection of the information.
• Collection of information is limited to only the amount of information that is necessary for the organization’s activities. It is generally only collected with the consent of the individual.
• The primary purpose for collecting information is to enable Elanora Heights Community Preschool to provide each child with an individual developmentally appropriate program that is educational, stimulating, nurturing and safe.
• Elanora Heights Community Preschool will only collect personal information after providing our Privacy Policy to the family about the reason the information is being collected.
• Elanora Heights Community Preschool will take steps to ensure the personal information collected, used or disclosed, is accurate, complete and up to date. Parents will be required to update their enrolment details annually, or whenever there is a change in their circumstances. Computer records will be updated as soon as new information is provided.
• Confidential conversations that staff members have with parents or the Nominated Supervisor has with staff members will be conducted in a quiet area away from other children, parents and staff. Such conversations are to be minuted and stored in a confidential folder.

Use and Disclosure

• Disclosure of personal information will only be for the purpose for which it has been collected. This is with limited exceptions and can only be used for a secondary purpose when it relates specifically to the primary purpose of the collection of the information.
• Elanora Heights Community Preschool discloses personal and sensitive information to the centre’s staff for the specific purpose of administration and education of each child.
• Sensitive information can only be used when informed consent is obtained at the time the information was collected.
• Elanora Heights Community Preschool will obtain parent/guardian permission before disclosing a child’s personal and sensitive information to a professional attending the centre for the specific purpose of providing a service to the child. This includes early intervention teachers, speech and occupational therapists, doctors and counselors.
• Staff will be required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement.
• Parents, Board and Committee members will be given a copy of our Confidentiality Policy.
• Students, volunteers and work experience students will be informed of our confidentiality protocols and directed to never divulge the names of children and their families.
• Students, volunteers and work experience students will not make educators, children or families at the service the object of discussion at tutorials, colleges or school unless written consent has been given.
• On occasion photos of the children involved in the preschool program may be included in a class photo or small group. Individual photos of a child may be used in the child’s portfolio, daily journal or displayed on the digital photo frame. The photos in the daily journal or digital photo frame can be viewed by the preschool community.
• With the permission of parents a list of children’s names, their parents and contact phone numbers is published each year to encourage friendships within the preschool community.
• All matters discussed by the Board of Directors are to remain confidential.
• Elanora Preschool from time to time engages in fundraising activities. Information received from parents may be used to make an appeal to them. We will not disclose personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes without consent or for any other reason than the purpose in which it was collected.
• Elanora Preschool may include emergency contact details in a class list and in Elanora Preschool’s contact directory. Access to these is limited to the staff of Elanora Preschool.
• In the case of an emergency, medical treatment plan information will be given to medical or rescue authorities.
• With parental consent Elanora Preschool may disclose some information to other sources. This may include government departments as required by any Act or Law, medical practitioners or individuals authorised by the parent or guardian.
• If Elanora Preschool is provided with the personal information of others, such as doctor’s or emergency contacts, we encourage parents to inform them that this information is being disclosed to the centre and why. Parents will also need to inform them that they can access that information if they wish to do so.
• Individual portfolios for each child are made available to parents at any time on request. They are often made available in the classroom and parents are request to only look at their child’s portfolio.
• The Nominated Supervisor will ensure that information kept is not divulged or communicated, directly or indirectly, to anyone other than a parent or guardian responsible for the child.
• Information may be denied under the following conditions:

* access to information that could compromise the privacy of another                           individual

* the request for information is frivolous or vexatious

* the information relates to legal issues, or there are legal reasons not to                    divulge the information such as in cases of custody and legal                                        guardianship

Data Quality

• Elanora Preschool takes all reasonable precautions to ensure that any personal information collected, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up to date. However, the accuracy of the information depends to a large extent on the information that is provided by the individuals.
• Individuals are required to advise of nay changes that may affect the initial information provided.
• The licensee of the service will ensure information is collected and maintained in accordance with the Education & Care National Services Regulations 2011.

Data Security

• Elanora Preschool will protect personal information from misuse, loss, change & unauthorised access or disclosure.
• The licensee of the service will ensure personal information is stored in accordance with the Education & Care National Services Regulations 2011 ie. in locked storage areas and in accordance with administrative protocols.

Openness, Access and Correction

• Parents/guardians may seek access to the personal information collected about them and their child by contacting the centre. Children may also seek access to personal information about themselves. However, there will be occasions when access is denied. Such occasions would include where access would have n unreasonable impact on the privacy of others, where access may result in a breach of the service’s duty of care to the child or where children have provided information in confidence.
• Information is collected in a variety of ways. These include, but are not limited to, enrolments forms, face to face discussions, use of daily diaries, meetings, personal correspondence, use of electronic mail & telephone calls.

Anonymity

• Elanora Preschool will offer anonymous transactions within the organisation wherever possible.

Transfer Data Flows

• Elanora Preschool will not transfer personal information outside of Australia.

Sensitive Information

• Elanora Preschool respects the rights of an individual’s sensitive information.
• A high level of privacy protection applies to sensitive information.
• Semsitive information relates to information about a person’s religious beliefs, racial or ethnic origin, philosophical beliefs, political opinions, membership of a political association, membership of a trade union, sexual preferences or practices, criminal records or health information.
• Sensitive information will only be collected with an individual’s consent to do so.
• Sensitive information will only be used when informed consent is obtained at the time the information is collected.
• Sensitive information will only be sighted by the child’s parent or caregiver, some centre staff or authorised Department of Education and Communities.
• In matters regarding duty of care, the interest of any child will take priority over considerations of confidentiality.