Smoke Free Environment Policy

Policy Number

Link to CCQA Principles Family Day Care Quality Assurance (FDCQA) Quality Practices Guide (2004) - Principle 4.6 / Outside School Hours Care Quality Assurance (OSHCQA) Quality Practices Guide (2003) - Principle 7.2 / Quality Improvement and Accreditation System (QIAS) Quality Practices Guide (2005) – Principle 5.5

Policy statement

 Passive smoking (the inhalation of environmental tobacco smoke) increases risks to health (Cancer Council Australia, 2004).

 has a duty of care under occupational health and safety legislation to provide a safe and healthy environment for all persons1 who utilise the service for child care requirements or employment.

 does not permit the smoking of any substance in any areas it utilises for child care requirements or employment of persons.

 has adopted a Smoke Free Environment Policy to protect all persons from the effects of environmental tobacco smoke.

 The ‘environment’ refers to: building and outdoor areas located at and the service’s car park.

Rationale

The rationale represents a statement of reasons that detail why the policy and/or procedures have been developed and are important to the service.

Promoting a safe environment for all persons means ensuring that the areas utilised by are free of smoking, and satisfy legal duty of care requirements under the Occupational Health and Safety Act2.

A smoke free environment policy is vital because children model adult behaviour (Cancer Council NSW, 2004). Children are prone to the harmful effects of environmental tobacco smoke because:

 Their lungs and body weight are small so the dangerous substances in smoke are more harmful.

1 Persons – is defined as an individual, regardless of age or gender, who accesses the children’s service for any reason. 2 There are legislative Acts and regulations for each state and territory that address the issue of Occupational Health and Safety. Services are advised to seek information that is relevant to their jurisdiction. Page 1 of 4  Children are not always able to move away from a smoker as adults are able to.

Please refer to:  National Childcare Accreditation Council Inc. (2006). NCAC Smoke free environments for children: Position statement October 2006. Retrieved April 18, 2007, from http://www.ncac.gov.au/about_ncac/smoke_free_position_statement.html  The service is encouraged to refer to legislation in their state or territory that specifies legal requirements in relation to smoking in open and enclosed spaces, and the sale or provision of cigarette or tobacco products to minors.3

Strategies and practices

These are examples. Services are encouraged to develop and adapt the following strategies and practices as required to meet their individual circumstances and daily best practices.

 From smoking will not be permitted in any enclosed areas utilised by .  By consensus, staff/carers employed by may declare the workplace to be totally smoke free prior to this date.  From smoking will not be permitted in any open space 10 metres from the outdoor area or fence line.  From staff/carers employed by will not smoke in front of, or in the sight of, children in their care.  Cigarette/tobacco availability will cease from . This means, no persons will be allowed to promote cigarette smoking in the workplace, or advertise the fact they smoke to other staff/carers, children or families.  Staff/carers who wish to smoke during work hours may do so outside the workplace and in their scheduled lunch break, or approved breaks.  Students, volunteers and visitors to the service will not be permitted to smoke on the premises and will adhere to the Smoke Free Environment Policy.  It is illegal to provide smoking or tobacco products to persons under the age of .  Parents, family members or relatives of children enrolled at the service will not be permitted to smoke on the premises and will adhere to the Smoke Free Environment Policy.  will actively support and provide assistance for smokers to quit smoking.  The responsibility for enforcing this policy rests with managers and staff/carers. All are obliged under the occupational health and safety legislation to protect the health of their fellow staff/carers, and visitors, while at the service.

Communication with different stakeholders

Children  Brief and concise detail of the service’s strategy.

Families  Brief and concise detail of the service’s strategy.

3 Services should be aware that legislation regarding the sale or provision of tobacco or cigarette products to minors varies between states and territories. Services are encouraged to contact their state or territory Health Department or WorkCover agency. Page 2 of 4 Staff/Carers  Brief and concise detail of the service’s strategy.

Management/Coordination unit staff  Brief and concise detail of the service’s strategy.

Experiences

 Brief and concise detail of the service’s strategy.

Excursions  Brief and concise detail of the service’s strategy.

Community  Brief and concise detail of the service’s strategy.

Policy review

 The service will review the Smoke Free Environment Policy and procedures, and related documents including behaviours and practices every .  Families are encouraged to collaborate with the service to review the policy and procedures.  Staff/carers are essential stakeholders in the policy review process and will be encouraged to be actively involved.

Procedures

The following are examples of procedures that a service may employ as part of its daily practices. Examples:  Employee induction procedure.  Procedure for ensuring the service is a smoke free environment.  Procedure for non-compliance of Smoke Free Environment Policy and procedures by: o child o staff/carer o parent or family member o student/volunteer, or o visitor.  Student and volunteer induction procedure.

Measuring tools

Service may further specify tools that assist in measuring the effectiveness of the policy.

Links to other policies

The following are a list of examples:  Occupational health & safety  Staff/carers as role models

of 4 Sources and further reading

 Centre for Community Child Health (2006). Preventing passive smoking effects on children: Practice resource. Retrieved September 18, 2006, from http://www.rch.org.au/ccch  National Childcare Accreditation Council. (2006). NCAC Smoke free environments: Position statement October 2006. Retrieved October 31, 2006, from http://www.ncac.gov.au/about_ncac/smoke_free_position_statement.html  National Occupational Health & Safety Commission. (2003). Australian workplaces free from injury and disease: Guidance note on the elimination of environmental tobacco smoke in the workplace [NOHSC:3019(2003)]. Retrieved September 18, 2006, from http://www.ascc.gov.au/ NR/rdonlyres/7479E22B-EC1D-41D2-B939-657775661681/0/GNNOH SC30192003.pdf  Occupational Health and Safety Act4  Owen, A. (2007). Smoke free environments. Family Day Care Quality Assurance Factsheet #15. NSW: National Childcare Accreditation Council Inc.  The Australian Safety and Compensation Council. (2006). Environmental tobacco smoke. Retrieved September 18, 2006, from http://www.ascc.gov.au/ascc/AboutUs/Publications/NationalStandards/IndexofNationa lStandardsCodesofPracticeandrelatedGuidanceNotes.htm  The Cancer Council Australia. (2004). Position statement: Passive smoking. Retrieved September 18, 2006, from http:// www.cancer.org.au/documents/Position %20Statement%20Passive%20Smoking.PDF )  The Cancer Council Australia. (n.d.). Smoking position statements. Retrieved October 31, 2006, from http://www.cancer.org.au/content.cfm? randid=344445  The Cancer Council NSW. (2004). Smoke-free playgrounds: Fact sheet 5. Retrieved September 1, 2006, from http://www.cancercouncil.com.au

Policy created date:

Policy review date:

Signatures:

4 There are legislative Acts and regulations for each state and territory that address the issue of Occupational Health and Safety. Services are advised to seek information that is relevant to their jurisdiction. Page 4 of 4