Bank of Questions for Reflective Practice

As we mentioned in our free webinar on Critical Reflection, having a bank of questions is very helpful in your reflective practice.
We collected questions you can ask yourself or working in a group to address each quality area of the National Quality Standard.
Use this bank of questions for reflective practice as a guide to recognise what is working well and what needs improvement. You can always extend it based on your service’s approach and philosophy.
The bank of questions can also be used as part of Self-Assessment or Quality Improvement Plan.

Bank of questions for reflective practice

QUALITY AREA 1: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND PRACTICE / possible reflective questions

1. How do we gather information about each child and family?
2. How easily can we explain how we document and develop our program?
3. Do we support every child to participate in the program?
4. Do we demonstrate that we value each child’s ideas, thinking and interests?
5. Do we provide a good balance of planned and spontaneous experiences for children?
6. What do we do to ensure we critically reflect and evaluate the program?
7. Do families understand the EYLF frameworks?
8. How do we support all children to progress towards the learning outcomes?
9. How do we learn about each child’s knowledge, strengths, ideas, culture, abilities and interests?
10. How do we make decisions about children’s daily experiences and routines, and who is involved in making these decisions?
11. How do we use the learning outcomes to guide our goals and subsequent planning for individual children and groups of children?
12. How do we plan and implement educational programs that are relevant and engaging for children?
13. How do we ensure that experiences and routines are child-centred rather than adult-directed or clock-driven?
14. How do we support every child’s participation in the program?
15. What experiences do we provide for children to work independently and collaboratively?
16. How do we use conversations and interactions with children to make routine times enjoyable and meaningful learning opportunities?
17. How do we ensure that children develop strong attachments and a sense of belonging in our service?
18. How do we apply our knowledge of learning and development, and the content of the learning framework to this age group?
19. How do we provide problem-solving, inquiry and challenge-based learning experiences for children to support their prior learning?
20. How do we provide a differentiated curriculum that supports children’s varying capabilities, learning styles and interests?
21. How do we incorporate the learning outcomes into everyday activities that children experience in the residence?

QUALITY ARE 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY / possible reflective questions

1. How does the service keep up to date with information from relevant and recognised authorities for health and nutrition?
2. Have children been grouped to allow for adequate supervision and to minimise the risk of overcrowding?
3. How do we support every child’s health needs?
4. How is health and nutrition information communicated to families?
5. What processes are in place to manage the authorisation, administering and storage of medication?
6. How is each child’s sleep, rest and relaxation needs supported?
7. Do educators have first aid, anaphylaxis and asthma training?
8. How are children encouraged to be physically active?
9. How do educators manage the safe storage, preparation and handling of food?
10. Are both the indoor/outdoor environments set up to promote physical play?
11. What processes are in place to ensure that indoor and outdoor environments are maintained and safe?
12. Have we completed a risk assessment before going on an excursion?
13. What processes are in place to encourage sun safety?
14. Are all educators aware of their responsibilities with child protection?
15. How do we identify potential supervision risks in the service?
16. How do we plan to ensure that all areas used by children are effectively supervised, including when children are participating in high-risk activities or varying their activities?
17. How do we identify, assess, manage and record hazards and potential risks for children, such as potentially dangerous products, plants, objects and animals at the service, and how often do we do this?
18. How do we ensure children are alerted to safety issues and encouraged to develop the skills to assess and manage risks to their own safety?
19. How do we ensure that all equipment and materials used in the service meet relevant safety standards, including bedding and sun protection resources and equipment?
20. How do we conduct risk assessments for potential excursions and plan for children’s safety during excursions?
21. How do we identify which emergency procedures and specific action plans are required for our service and how often do we practise these? What recognised authorities are consulted in the development of these plans?
22. How do we maintain an awareness of the people who have contact with children at the service and/or who collect children from the service?
23. How do we keep up to date with current legislation in our state or territory in relation to child protection, and ensure that all staff understand how to report their concerns about child protection issues?
24. How do we discuss and manage supervision risks associated with working in isolation?
25. How do we discuss and manage transport arrangements, including supervision and safety considerations (for example, child safety in educators’ vehicles and safe fitting of car seats)?
26. How do we keep up to date with current information on travelling safely, such as bus travel and bike safety?

QUALITY AREA 3: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT / possible reflective questions

1. Does the physical environment allow the children to be autonomous and develop independence?
2. How do we ensure that the indoor and outdoor environments contribute to each other and provide variety?
3. What are the strengths of our environments?
4. What barriers need to be overcome?
5. Is the environment welcoming and respectful of all children, families and the wider community’s cultural beliefs?
6. Are children and families safe when entering and leaving the environment?
7. How are children encouraged to participate in planning and setting up the environment?
8. Does the environment support children’s interests and abilities?
9. Does the environment allow children to explore, create, problem solve and develop environmental awareness?
10. What environmentally sustainable practices exist within the service?
11. How do we model environmentally and sustainable practices to the children, families and wider community?
12. Does the environment promote developmental life skills for the children?

QUALITY AREA 4: STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS – possible reflective questions

1. Does staffing arrangements enable children to feel a sense of ‘being’ and ‘becoming’?
2. How do we ensure that the service philosophy reflects all the different views, beliefs and values of staff, children and families?
3. Are educators’ professional experiences and diversity acknowledged?
4. What strategies have been developed to ensure accurate information is shared with all parties involved?
5. Do we have records of changes to position descriptions and minutes of meetings available?
6. How are educator strengths utilised as an asset to the service?
7. What challenges do you face as a team regarding; rotating rosters, maintaining ratios, supervision, breaks, programming etc
8. How effective do you supervise and engage as a team?
9. How does the educational team support each other with routine and non-routine events?

QUALITY AREA 5: RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHILDREN – possible reflective questions

1. How do we ensure children feel a sense of ‘belonging’ at the service?
2. How do we engage and interact with children to develop their learning?
3. How do we cater for each child to ensure they have had their voices heard?
4. How are positive and respectful relationships modelled to the children?
5. How do we ensure that our policy on interactions with children reflects current information about child development and best practice in guiding young children’s behaviour?
6. How do we provide a sense of community within the service?
7. How are situations managed in relation to a child’s challenging behaviour?
8. Do children have the opportunity to make decisions and influence outcomes regarding their own behaviour?
9. How do we work with families and other professionals to ensure behaviour guidance is tailored to each individual child?
10. How do you practice being in the moment?
11. What do you value in play?
12. What is your communication style?
13. How do you value children’s rights?
14. How do you promote holistic development in learners?
15. What are your expectations from free play?

QUALITY AREA 6: COLLA BORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES – possible reflective questions

1. How is family information included in decision making?
2. What role does each family provide in the service?
3. How do we ensure all families feel comfortable and welcome within the service?
4. How are families’ perspectives included within the program?
5. Are families’ cultural and religious beliefs and values welcomed within the service?
6. How is information shared with families and educators during orientation, settling in and on an ongoing basis?
7. How do we find out about what community resources are available to families?
8. How do we support families who access community resources?
9. How is communication managed daily?
10. How is each child supported through transitions to other education and care environments?
11. How do we help all families to feel comfortable, welcome and valued at the service?
12. Does our concept of family reflect the diversity of family structures in the service and the wider community?
13. How could we improve our approach to support relationships with all families?
14. How do we promote a common understanding of inclusion?
15. How do we promote the benefits and value of inclusion for all children and families?
16. How can we engage in genuine partnership with families to challenge and address stereotypical or biased views of family compositions?
17. How do we listen to families and include their perspectives in the educational program?
18. What role do families play in the service? How can we recognise their contributions?
19. How do we share decision-making with families? What decisions can we make together with families?
20. How does the information that families provide to the service contribute to operational decision-making?
21. How does the service establish and maintain meaningful partnerships with all families?
22. How can the service be more accessible to families?
23. How do we communicate our philosophy and educational choices with families?
24. What strategies are in place for information sharing between families and the service during orientation, settling in and onwards?
25. What techniques or strategies do we use to communicate with families who have specific or diverse communication preferences?
26. How can we find out if our communication strategies are reaching all families and if they would prefer other methods?
27. How do we encourage families to contribute to their child’s experiences in ways that are meaningful for them?
28. How do we learn about children’s families and others who are important in their lives?
29. How do we respond when families make requests or express concerns?
30. How do we find out and share information about the community resources that are relevant to our service and to the children in the service and their families?
31. How do we support families to access community services and resources? How do we find out what kinds of support would be beneficial to families?
32. How do we support and reassure families whose children are using an education and care service for the first time?
33. How do we seek information that will assist children to manage separation from their primary caregiver without anxiety?

QUALITY AREA 7: LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE MANAGEMENT – possible reflective questions

1. How do we address complaints and feedback?
2. How are opportunities for professional conversations created?
3. How is educators’ knowledge shared within the team?
4. How do we improve continuity for children through our staffing structure?
5. Does our statement of philosophy reflect a commitment to continuous improvement?
6. How and when are policies and procedures reviewed?
7. What are the strengths of our management and administration systems? How can we improve our systems and processes?
8. How do we ensure educators and families are aware of the NQF?
9. Do professional development opportunities allow growth for all educators?
10. Have we selected an educational leader for whom curriculum is their focus and passion?
11. Was the critical reflection on QIP done?
12. What are the strengths of our management and administration systems that contribute to delivering a quality service for children and their families?
13. How does our service’s governance contribute to the development of a service vision and purpose?
14. How do we determine the appropriate management and governance structure at our service?
15. How do we support the development of effective leaders at the service?
16. What is the process for making decisions within the service and is this process fair and equitable?
17. How can we improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our systems and processes?
18. Does our management of confidential information meet requirements?
19. To what extent does our statement of philosophy reflect our purpose, guide our practice and show a commitment to continuous improvement?
20. How and when is our statement of philosophy reviewed?
21. How do we address complaints? How is the complaints management process used to identify strategies for quality improvement?
22. Is our complaints management system/process effective in supporting quality improvement and empowering families to express their concerns and suggestions?
23. How can we ensure that families are able to contact the appropriate person when making a complaint?
24. What systems are in place to ensure the service’s compliance with the National Law and Regulations?
25. What systems are in place to regularly check the currency and validity of working with children checks, teaching registrations, first aid qualifications, and anaphylaxis and asthma management training?
26. How and when are our policies and procedures reviewed?
27. What systems are in place to ensure policies and procedures are being used to inform practice and is this information being communicated to families in respectful ways?
28. How does the service involve stakeholders in consultation, evaluation and advisory processes?
29. What information is provided to families about our governance structures?

Comment below and share the questions you often use in your practice, not necessary from the list above. We all we’ll be very grateful.

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Featured photo credit:  Petit Early Learning Journey