Incursion permission.

Throughout the year, our centres host special activities at the centre that go beyond the regular program: visiting performers, animal experiences, special workshops. These are called incursions (the program comes to us, rather than the children going on excursion). Here's how they work and how we obtain consent.

Examples of incursions we run

• Visiting musicians and performers (children's concerts, percussion shows)
• Animal experiences (farm animals, reptile demonstrations)
• Cultural celebrations and performances
• Sports skill sessions (gymnastics, tennis incursions)
• Science workshops and STEM activities
• Author visits and storytellers
• NAIDOC Week and reconciliation activities

What incursions cost

Some incursions are absorbed into our daily fee, but many are charged separately. The fee depends on the program, the provider, and how the centre runs it. Common examples that carry a separate cost include multi-week sports or music courses, specialist performers, and animal experiences.

Whenever an incursion has a separate fee, we send written notice with a permission form before it runs. The activity is opt-in, and no child is excluded for not participating in an opt-in activity.

How we obtain consent

Permission for incursions is part of your enrolment paperwork. The general permission you sign at enrolment covers routine on-site activities including most incursions. For activities involving:

• Animal contact
• Photography that may be used externally
• Travel beyond the centre grounds (excursion, not incursion)
• Specific sports or physical activities involving safety equipment

...we send a separate consent form, which must be returned signed before the child can participate.

Visitor and contractor protocols

All visitors to our centres, whether running an incursion or carrying out maintenance, are subject to our visitor protocol:

• Sign in at reception, with name, organisation, time of arrival
• Display a visitor badge while on site
• Working with Children Check (WWCC) verified for any visitor having direct contact with children
• Always supervised by an educator while around children
• Sign out and surrender badge on departure

Photography during incursions

Educators may take photos during incursions for the centre's documentation system (Owna or similar). These photos are only shared with the relevant family. External photographers (the visitor's own crew) are not permitted to photograph children at any of our centres without the explicit written consent of each individual family.

If you'd prefer your child not to participate

Tell your centre director. Children who don't participate in a particular incursion are looked after by an educator on site, with normal program continuing. There's no judgment and no follow-up.