New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

CHILDREN'S SERVICES REGULATION 2004 - REG 79

79 Conduct of excursions: water hazards

(1) All children’s services The authorised supervisor of a children’s service must ensure that:

(a) children provided with the service are taken on an excursion to swim for the purpose only of learning water safety or learning to swim, and

(b) when children are taken on such an excursion, the minimum adult to child ratio of participants in the excursion is one adult for each child.

(2) The authorised supervisor of a children’s service must ensure that if children provided with the service are taken on any excursion to a beach, river, lake or other place where there is a significant water hazard (otherwise than for the purpose of learning water safety or learning to swim), the minimum adult to child ratio of persons participating in the excursion is:

(a) one adult for each child who is under 3 years of age, and

(b) one adult for each 2 children who are 3 or more years of age but who do not normally attend school, and

(c) one adult for each 5 children who normally attend school.

(3) The licensee of a children’s service (other than a home based children’s service) must develop and maintain procedures and policies to ensure that the authorised supervisor, primary contact staff or family day care carers comply with the requirements of this clause that apply to them.

(4) Centre based or mobile children’s services The authorised supervisor of a centre based or mobile children’s service must ensure that children are not taken on an excursion to a beach, river, lake or other place where there is a significant water hazard unless 2 of the adult persons accompanying the children have:

(a) a certificate issued on completion, within the period of 12 months immediately before the excursion, of a senior first aid course that relates to resuscitation approved by the WorkCover Authority under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 , and

(b) a Bronze Medallion Award, or award given on completion of a water rescue test, issued by the Royal Life Saving Society-Australia, and

(c) the knowledge and ability to implement water safety procedures.

(5) Family day care or home based children’s service A family day care carer or home based licensee must ensure that the person in charge of any excursion to a beach, river, lake or other place where there is a significant water hazard has a current approved first aid qualification and the knowledge and ability to implement water safety procedures.