We've put together a list of documents that will assist you in administering and running your playgroup smoothly.  These documents are available for FREE download by our members.  Membership is also free - click here to register!

The points below are intended to help you organise (or reorganise) your playgroup to run smoothly.  Most of mentioned forms are available for download by members of our website. These documents are in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel format allowing you to customise them to suit your needs.

• If you haven't already done so, you should consider writing a purpose / mission statement for your playgroup.  This might seem unnecessary, yet it gives everyone involved a clear picture of why your playgroup exists.

• Once you know where and when you are meeting, create an information flyer for distribution. You should also register with child health centres, the local council and the local playgroup association. From our experience, most referrals will come from:
  (a) Maternal & child health nurses
  (b) Local council playgroup listings
  (c) The state playgroup association
  (d) Your website
   
• Create a detailed Registration Form - this is very important.  This form collects all the relevant information regarding playgroup participants, communicates your privacy policy and indemnity statement and asks participants to sign that they will comply with playgroup procedures and policies.
   
• Create a 'How Can I Help?' Form. This form politely implies that all playgroup participants must volunteer to help in key areas. Have this form completed as part of the registration process to prevent having to chase people after they have joined. The 'How Can I Help?' form involves responsibilities over a term (eg. fundraising), whereas the Duty Roster (see below) assigns tasks for each session (eg. vacuuming).  

• Develop a list of Playgroup Procedures. These procedures cover all the key areas that participants need to know in regards to your playgroup. They will sign the Registration Form (see above) acknowledging they have read this. If, at a later date, a participant should say that they were not informed regarding certain procedures, you simply refer to the guidelines they were given when they registered.
   
• Create a Behaviour Policy. Firstly, a Behaviour Policy helps to create a safer environment for all participants. Secondly, parents/carers have different boundaries for their children - behaviour that one parent/carer considers acceptable, may be considered inappropriate by another parent/carer. In addition, the written policy will assist you when it is necessary to advise a participant that a child's behaviour is not appropriate and that action should be taken.
   
  By having a Behaviour Policy in place everyone understands the consequences should their child exhibit inappropriate behaviour. If another participant asks for the policy to be enforced, they are not seen as confronting the carer of the child in question but simply following policy to which everyone agreed.
   
• An Emergency Fire Evacuation Procedure is a must! Everyone attending playgroup needs to be aware of emergency procedures. We have provided some guidelines to assist in the creation of your own emergency procedures in conjunction with your venue's established policy for emergency response.
   
• Sign In/Out Sheets serve a dual purpose. Firstly, so you know who has attended each week. Secondly, in case of a any emergency, you have a record of who was in the rooms at that time.
   
• Incident / Accident Forms should always be completed, whether due to a scraped knee that required a bandage or knocked heads that were soothed with an ice pack. Check with the building manager to determine if they have already created such a form that you are required to use. The completed forms are kept in the case of future claims based on that accident / incident. The form should detail both what happened and how it was treated.
   
• A Duty Roster prevents some people from doing all the work while others do as little as possible. Again, clearly state in your Playgroup Procedures (see above) that participants must help with the daily duties.  The 'How Can I Help?' form involves responsibilities over a term (eg. fundraising), whereas the Duty Roster assigns tasks for each session (eg. vacuuming).
   
• A police check (known as the "Working with Children Check" here in Victoria) may be necessary or recommended in your state.  Please contact the relevant government department to ensure you comply with local legislation.

Our documents are available for FREE download for members on the Downloads page via the Member Menu (the Member Menu can only be accessed after login).  Membership is also free - click here to register!

For those of you who have not yet started a playgroup, click here to visit the Playgroup Victoria’s Ten Steps to Starting a New Playgroup.