Acceptance and refusal of authorisation policy

Early Learning Victoria partners with families to make decisions about their child’s education and care.

Sometimes, we need authorisation (permission) from families. For example, for a child to take part in an excursion, or to be given medication.

We make sure our processes for gaining authorisation are effective, clear and meet all requirements.

1. Scope

This policy applies to children, families, staff, management and visitors of Early Learning Victoria centres. This includes volunteers, students on placement and contractors or labour-hire employees of Early Learning Victoria.

2. Policy statement

The purpose of this policy is:

to inform families and centre staff about activities and actions that require a parent or carer’s authorisation
to inform families and centre staff about how some authorisations are recorded before enrolment
to inform families about an Early Learning Victoria centre’s right to refuse authorisation.

2.1 Requirements

Early Learning Victoria must follow the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010(opens in a new window) (the National Law) and Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011(opens in a new window). These require Early Learning Victoria to have policies and procedures for the acceptance and refusal of authorisation.

Early Learning Victoria must get authorisation from parents or carers in relation to:

administering medication to children
children leaving the premises in the care of the parent, carer or authorised nominee
excursions and regular outings
seeking medical treatment for children and transportation by an ambulance.

Other legal requirements or quality practices may also involve authorisations. For example, in relation to photos of children and privacy (see the Privacy policy and the Electronic devices and photography policy).

3. Actions and procedures

3.1 Responsibilities of families

Families need to provide certain authorisations when they enrol. This includes nominating appropriate people who can drop off and collect their child, and who can be contacted in an emergency (see the Drop off and collection of children policy and procedure).

Families need to:

complete and sign authorisations in the enrolment record and medication record (if relevant) before their child starts at the Early Learning Victoria centre (see the Enrolment and orientation policy)
complete and sign any authorisations for their child to attend an excursion and/or to be transported by the centre (see the Excursions, incursions and regular outings policy and procedure)
record their child’s attendance in Kidsoft when their child arrives at and departs from the centre
provide authorisations for staff to administer their child medication. The signed and dated form is kept in the child’s medication record (see the Administering medication procedure)
make sure they make any changes needed, so authorisations and contact details are always up to date
make sure the nominated supervisor is aware of any child-related court order, parenting order, parenting plan or other legal documentation prohibiting an adult from contacting their child. A copy of any order must be given to the centre, to be kept with the child’s enrolment record
understand the reasons authorisations may be refused or not applicable.

3.2 Responsibilities of staff

All centre staff must:
- implement this policy
- make sure no child is transported by the centre without authorisation from their parent or carer in their enrolment record (see the Excursions, incursions and regular outings policy and procedure and the Drop off and collection of children policy and procedure)
- make sure that children only leave the centre with a parent or carer, or an authorised nominee named in the enrolment record who can be verified by photo identification (see the Drop off and collection of children policy and procedure)
- make sure children do not leave the centre on an excursion or regular outing without appropriate authorisation (see the Excursions, incursions and regular outings policy and procedure)
- put systems in place for other legal requirements or quality practices, such as photos of children and privacy (see the Privacy policy and the Electronic devices and photography policy).
All centre staff must make sure medication is only administered or self-administered if authorised by:
- a parent or carer named in the enrolment record as authorised to consent to the administration of medication
- in an emergency, a registered medical practitioner or an emergency service if the parent or person named in the enrolment record cannot be contacted
All centre staff must also be aware that in the case of an anaphylaxis or asthma emergency, medication can be administered without authorisation, as directed by emergency services or indicated in a medical condition plan (see the Management of medical conditions policy).
As well as the above, the nominated supervisor and approved provider must:
- make sure the Acceptance and refusal of authorisations policy is followed
- make sure the child’s parent or carer completes and signs authorisations in the enrolment record and medication record (if relevant) before the child starts at the centre (see the Enrolment and orientation policy)
- make sure staff do not administer medication without the authorisation of a parent or carer, except in the case of an emergency, including an asthma or anaphylaxis emergency (see the Management of medical conditions policy)
- make sure authorisations are kept up to date
- make sure that parents and carers are given permission forms for excursions in advance (see the Excursions, incursions and regular outings policy and procedure)
- make sure that an attendance record is maintained to account for all children attending the service
- make sure the approved provider is told when a written authorisation does not meet service policies
- make sure children only ever leave the service with their parent, carer or authorised nominee, or with the written authorisation of one of these, except in the case of a medical or other emergency (see the Drop off and collection of children policy and procedure)
- make sure the centre is aware of any contact orders prohibiting a person from contacting an enrolled child. A copy of the court orders must be kept with the child’s enrolment record
- make sure there are procedures in place if an inappropriate person attempts to collect a child from the centre (see the Drop off and collection of children policy)
- make sure all staff know their responsibilities in relation to court orders, parenting plans and parenting orders
- make sure all staff know the procedure to follow if an unauthorised person attempts to collect a child.
The nominated supervisor and approved provider must refuse authorisation when:
- the centre is asked to administer medication that is not in its original container
- someone who has not been listed to authorise medication asks the centre to administer medication to a child
- the sibling or older child authorised to take another child out of the centre does not appear capable.
The nominated supervisor and approved provider are responsible for consulting local schools and other co-located services about Early Learning Victoria’s process for refusing authorisations.
They must also document all refused authorisations, noting the details of the authorisation, why it was refused and the action taken. A copy of this must be stored with the child’s enrolment record.

4. Resources

Legislation and standards

Relevant legislation and standards include:

Children, Youth and Families Act 2005
Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005
Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
Family Law Act 1975.

Administration of first aid policy and procedure
Administering medication procedure
Child safety and wellbeing policy
Drop off and collection of children policy and procedure
Enrolment and orientation policy
Excursions, incursions and regular outings policy and procedure
Incident, injury, trauma, and illness policy
Governance and management policy
Management of medical conditions policy and procedure

Definitions

Authorised nominee: A person with written authority from the parent or carer of a child to collect that child from the education and care service. These details will be on the child’s enrolment form.

Attendance record: Kept by the service to record details of each child attending the service. The record includes the child’s name and time of arrival and departure. It also has the signature of the person delivering and collecting the child, or of the nominated supervisor or educator.

Excursion: An outing organised by an education and care service. This does not include an outing organised by an education and care service provided on a school site if:

the child or children leave the education and care service premises in the company of an educator; and
the child or children do not leave the school site.

Regular outing: In relation to an education and care service, this means a walk, drive or trip to and from a destination:

that the service visits regularly as part of its educational program; and
where the circumstances relating to the risk assessment are the same on each outing. For example, the same location, same number of children and/or the same activities for each outing.

Medication: Medicine within the meaning of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. Medicine includes prescription, over-the-counter and complementary medicines. All therapeutic goods in Australia are listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, available on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website.

Inappropriate person: A person who may pose a risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of any child attending the education and care service. Or a person whose behaviour or state of mind make it inappropriate for them to be on the premises. For example, a person under the influence of drugs or alcohol (National Law: Section 171(3)).

Parent or carer: In relation to a child, this can include:

a parent of the child
a person who has parental responsibility for the child under a decision or order of a court
a guardian of the child
any person with whom the child ordinarily resides.

Transport: Transportation is part of an education and care service if the service remains responsible for children during the time of transportation. The responsibility for, and duty of care owed to, children applies in scenarios where services are transporting children, or have arranged for the transportation of children, between an education and care service premises and another location. For example, their home, school, or a place of an excursion or regular outing.

5. Authorisations and review

This policy is the responsibility of Early Learning Victoria. Contact: ELV@education.vic.gov.au

It was approved by the CEO, Early Learning Victoria on 13 March 2026.

Early Learning Victoria regularly reviews its policies and procedures. This policy is due for review on 13 March 2028 unless changes in legislation or Department of Education policy require it to be reviewed sooner.

Reviewed by Director, Early Learning ELV and Director, Quality ELV.

Education & training

Updated 31 March 2026