Policy Adherence: Navigating Complaints in Child Care Essay

Olivia, the Nominated Supervisor and her team are committed to serving nutritious food and providing healthy choices for the children. For that reason the service does not regularly serve foods full of sugar, fats, or preservatives. The service’s family handbook describes these policies. It states clearly that birthday cakes are not allowed. Policies strongly encourage families to celebrate special events with healthy foods such as sliced fruit and vegetable plates.
One morning, a mother who is new to the service, quite shy and who the Educators have had difficulty engaging with, arrives with a large cake and lolly bags to celebrate her child’s birthday. The Lead Educator believes that it won’t harm the children to occasionally have a special treat and decides to give the children the cake and the lolly bags. You are unsure about this as you do not want to go against the service’s policy. The next morning a parent approaches you and complains that her child was given cake and lollies without her permission.

In your workplace or on vocational placement; access the early childhood education and care services policy on Dealing with Complaints (this may be called the Grievance Policy) and answer the following:

1.    In keeping with the policy, how would you respond to the parent who complains to you?

2.    What service policies and practices would you need to be aware of when dealing with this situation?

3.    The parent is not happy with your response; based on your service policy what do you do next?

4.    What personal values and attitudes need to be considered in this scenario?