• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Part A - Children on Campus
• Class attendance
• The Workplace
• Access to Other Areas and Use of Equipment
• Part B - Limits of Responsibility
• Parents and guardians
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Part C - Child Care
• Part D - Flexible Work Practices
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) The University of Western Sydney, in promoting equal opportunity in employment and education, is committed to supporting policies and practices which assist staff and students with family responsibilities. The University of Western Sydney recognises the need for children to occasionally be on campus, and provides guidance for these occurrences.

Section 2 - Definitions

(2) Nil.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

Part A - Children on Campus

Class attendance

(3) There may arise occasions when child care arrangements have broken down, or there may be a pupil free day for school age children. Students should make their best endeavours to seek permission from the lecturer concerned prior to bringing a child/children into class. These requests will be considered sympathetically and will be dependant upon the location and type of activity involved, and the need to ensure that the class is not disrupted by the child/children.

The Workplace

(4) Staff may need to occasionally bring their children to work for reasons such as the breaking down of normal child care arrangements and where alternative arrangements are not available, such as the relevant flexible work practices. Staff members must request permission from their Supervisor. Such requests will be treated sympathetically whilst at the same time ensuring that a work location is not disrupted.

Access to Other Areas and Use of Equipment

(5) Parents and guardians are permitted to occasionally take children into the Computer Laboratories, Libraries or any other non-teaching area subject to any particular regulations which may apply to the specific area.

(6) Generally, children are not permitted to use any equipment at the University including University IT systems. Access to the University's IT systems in accordance with the IT Acceptable Use of Resources Policy.

Part B - Limits of Responsibility

Parents and guardians

(7) Parents and guardians maintain ultimate responsibility for the safety of children in their care, and are required to have continued supervision of their children when their children are on campus. The University cannot accept liability for the consequences when children are allowed on campus and are not supervised by their parent or guardian.

Occupational Health and Safety

(8) The University recognises its responsibilities for protecting non-employees, including children, from exposure to risks to their health and safety arising out of University activities, in accordance with Section 8(2) Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000. Given this legislation, children are not allowed in areas which have any identifiable hazards such as laboratories, machinery areas, production plants, workshops, storage facilities and art studios.

(9) Supervisors can refuse permission for parents and guardians to bring a child into any area within the University because of concerns related to health and safety issues.

(10) Parents and guardians should not expose the University community to health risks by bringing a child with an infectious disease onto the campus.

Part C - Child Care

(11) The University supports the availability of child care facilities to meet a range of needs including vacation care programs for school age children, appropriate temporary or emergency and long day care. The need for affordability and availability of child care facilities is recognised.

(12) The University of Western Sydney has some child care facilities available for staff and students on campus. These child care facilities complement and supplement other community, Government and private facilities, with fees for child care services at the University comparable with community standards.

Part D - Flexible Work Practices

(13) The University also assists staff with family responsibilities through reasonable accommodations in the family leave provisions and other flexible work practices. This assists in enabling staff with family responsibilities to meet their needs to care for their children when childcare arrangements have broken down. Refer to the Academic Staff Agreement 2006-2008 or the General Staff Agreement 2006-2008.

Section 4 - Procedures

(14) Nil.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(15) Nil.