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Carers room guidelines

About the carer’s room
Accessing the carer’s room
Use of the carer’s room
Infectious diseases excluded
Carer’s room equipment
Baby change and breastfeeding room

About the carer’s room

The carer’s room is intended for short-term use in emergency situations where a member of staff is unable to arrange alternative care for a family member. For example, circumstances may arise where childcare arrangements have suddenly broken down or an older member of the family requires support. The carer’s room has been established to enable staff to carry out their normal duties while caring for dependants as an alternative to taking leave and is part of Victoria Legal Aid’s equal employment opportunity strategy.

The carer’s room has a desk, PC and telephone, so staff can continue their work while caring for their dependant. The room could be used in the following situations:

  • a child recovering from an illness which is not/no longer contagious
  • in an emergency situation such as the breakdown of normal child care arrangements
  • ad hoc use during school breaks, correction days etc
  • instances when an employee’s parent or family member requires assistance to attend an appointment or needs support for a short period of time
  • for mothers returning to work and wishing to breastfeed or express milk (please note, a separate baby change/breastfeeding room is also available).

The carer’s room is available for the use of all VLA staff and their dependants. A dependant is defined in these guidelines as “any person who is partially or wholly dependent upon the staff member for support, care or assistance”. This may include children, teenagers and adult dependants.

The carer’s room is intended for use only on a short-term basis when a staff member is unable to arrange alternative care for a dependant. It is not intended for use on a regular basis as a permanent care arrangement (e.g. on a regular weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis).

Any staff member wanting to use the carer’s room must abide by these guidelines and sign the Carer’s room disclaimer before using the room. Failure to observe these guidelines may result in a staff member losing access to the carer’s room.

Accessing the carer’s room

The carer’s room is located in the amenities area of the 1st floor of 350 Queen Street, Melbourne.

While usage of the carer’s room is managed and monitored by the Human Resources Division, bookings for the room can be made through Ground floor reception. Staff wishing to book the carer’s room should contact the receptionists to check the room’s availability. Prior to making the booking staff members must seek the approval of their supervisor to work in the carer’s room. Once approval has been given the booking can be made. If prior supervisor approval is not possible (in the case of emergency requirement for the room), approval should be obtained from the supervisor on the day of use of the carer’s room.

In an emergency situation, staff should contact reception as close to 8.45 am as possible to determine whether the room is free or has a prior booking. If free, the staff member requiring use of the room can book the room for the duration of the day. The staff member should also contact their supervisor to let them know of their arrangement to work from the carer’s room.

Staff must read, complete and sign the disclaimer form. This form will need to be signed by a witness or supervisor. Disclaimer forms are available from Reception and also on Intranet under Human Resources. The form must be given to Reception at the time of collecting the key to open the room.

Use of the carer’s room

When using the carer’s room the following conditions apply:

Illness

  • any person who has a contagious illness is not eligible to use the carer’s room. If doubt exists regarding the nature of the illness a doctor should be consulted. A list of infectious diseases to be excluded from the carer’s room is included in these guidelines
  • Human Resources can request that a doctor’s certificate be provided if any reasonable doubt exists
  • a child who has been excluded from school or a childcare facility due to a contagious illness is also excluded from the carer’s room.

Supervision

  • children aged 12 and under must be supervised at all times
  • children over the age of 12 years should not be left unsupervised for extended periods (i.e. more than 30 minutes)
  • anyone left unsupervised for any period of time should be aware of the staff member’s whereabouts and contact telephone number if available. They should also be shown the location of the toilet and kitchen facilities
  • the carer’s room is equipped for one parent/guardian and a maximum of two children, or two other family members, at any one time.

Room allocation

The room should only be booked for one day at a time. It cannot be booked for a block of time to cover school holidays or extended periods of illness. Employees will only be allocated the room on a second subsequent day if there is no other prior booking.
Should two members of staff need to use the carer’s room, the room will be allocated to the staff member who asks first. A prior booking takes precedence. A compromise arrangement may be negotiated between staff members regarding access to the room on a particular day. Any disputes regarding allocation of the room will be arbitrated by Human Resources.

Car parking

Employees booking the carer’s room can also inquire about booking one of VLA’s limited spare car parks if available on the day the room is required. If the car park is available, staff are required to contact Works and Services to arrange collection and return of the car park pass. Staff will be required to pay $6.00 per day for the use of the car park. The car parking fee must be paid to reception at the time of collecting the key to use the room.

Responsibilities

Staff members using the carer’s room are responsible for the following conditions and items:

  • a booking to use the carer’s room is necessary
  • prior approval from the staff member’s supervisor and return of completed disclaimer form to Ground floor reception is mandatory
  • users of the carer’s room are responsible for their dependants at all times
  • users of the carer’s room should ensure that noise levels are kept to a reasonable level and other workers are not disturbed
  • the room must be left clean and tidy with any spills or other accidents taken care of before leaving. Cleaning equipment is located in the Works and Services area
  • the carer is responsible for informing Works and Services that they have used the room so that cleaners are aware that the room has been used and will require servicing.
  • the carer must dispose of any waste material. A nappy disposal bin is provided in the room
  • carers are responsible for any private property brought into the carer’s room.
    VLA will not be responsible for any loss, damage or theft of private property brought into the room;
  • all users must bring linen and bedding for the cot and other requirements relating to the care of their dependant’s (medication, meals, videos etc). Care must be taken to protect furnishings in the carer's room as much as possible.

Infectious diseases to be excluded

Dependants with the following medical conditions are excluded from the carer’s room. Please contact your doctor if there is any doubt regarding an illness.

  • Amoebiasis (Entamoeba histolytica) Exclude until diarrhoea has ceased
  • Campylobacter (food poisoning) Exclude until diarrhoea has ceased
  • Chicken Pox Exclude until fully recovered, or at least five days after the eruption first appears
  • Conjunctivitis Exclude until discharge from eyes has ceased
  • Cytomegalovirus Infection Exclusion not necessary
  • Diarrhoea Exclude until diarrhoea has ceased
  • Diphtheria Exclude until a medical certificate of recovery is received following at least two negative throat swabs, the first not less than 24 hours after finishing a course of antibiotics and the other 48 hours later
  • Glandular Fever (mononucleosis) Exclusion is not necessary
  • Hand, Foot and Mouth disease Until all blisters have dried
  • Haemophilus type b (Hib) Exclude until medical certificate of recovery is received
  • Hepatitis A Exclude until receipt of a medical certificate of recovery, but not before seven days after the onset of jaundice or illness
  • Hepatitis B Exclusion is not necessary
  • Hepatitis C Exclusion is not necessary
  • Herpes (“cold sores”) Young children unable to comply with good hygiene practices should be excluded while the lesion is weeping. Lesions to be covered by dressing, where possible
  • Hookworm Exclusion is not necessary
  • HIV-AIDS Virus Exclusion not necessary unless child has a secondary infection
  • Impetigo Exclude until appropriate treatment has commenced. Sores on exposed surfaces must be covered with a watertight dressing
  • Influenza and influenza-like illnesses Exclude until well
  • Leprosy Exclude until approval has been given by appropriate health authority
  • Measles Exclude for at least four days after onset of rash
  • Meningitis (bacterial) Exclude until well
  • Meningococcal Infection Exclude until adequate carrier eradication therapy has been completed
  • Molluscum contagiosum Exclusion is not necessary
  • Mumps Exclude for nine days or until swelling goes down 
  • Parvovirus (erythema infectiousum fifth disease) Exclusion not necessary
  • Poliomyelitis Exclude for at least 14 days from onset. Medical certificate required
  • Ringworm, Scabies, Pediculosis (lice),Trachoma Exclude until the day after treatment has commenced
  • Rubella (German measles) Exclude until fully recovered, or for at least four days after the onset of rash
  • Salmonella, Shigella Exclude until diarrhoea ceases
  • Streptococcal infection (including Scarlet Fever)
  •  Exclude until antibiotic treatment has been received for at least 24 hours and the person feels well
  • Tuberculosis Exclude until a medical certificate from an appropriate health authority is received
  • Typhoid fever (including paratyphoid fever) Exclude until approval has been given by an appropriate health authority
  • Whooping cough Exclude for five days after starting antibiotic treatment
  • Worms (intestinal) Exclude if diarrhoea present

Source: Recommended minimum periods of exclusion from school, pre-school and child care centres for cases of and contact with infectious diseases – National Health and Medical Research Council – January 1997.

Carer’s room equipment

  • desk
  • personal computer (PC)
  • telephone
  • visitors chairs
  • table and chairs
  • bed settee
  • portable cot
  • baby changing mat
  • nappy disposal unit
  • TV/VCR/Nintendo
  • child’s table and chairs
  • extra computer for child’s use
  • limited selection of toys
  • fridge and microwave are in the amenities area

What to bring

  • linen and bedding as required
  • videos

Baby change and breastfeeding room

Victoria Legal Aid recognises the importance of breastfeeding for both mother and baby and provides facilities to enable women returning from maternity leave to balance breastfeeding and work.

A separate baby change/breastfeeding room is available for women wishing to breastfeeding or express milk. The room is situated on the ground floor near the reception area. It does not need to be booked in advance and may be used if the carer’s room is already occupied. The room contains:

  • baby change table
  • breastfeeding chair
  • sink
  • power point
  • storage area
  • lockable door for privacy