Food safety programs for childcare centres in Victoria
Why most long day care kitchens are class 1, what the program needs, and how the yearly check and audit work.
In Victoria, child care centres providing long day care that serve potentially hazardous food are usually class 1 food premises. That means a food safety program written for your site, a certified food safety supervisor, a yearly council compliance check and a yearly audit by an approved auditor. Standard 3.3.1 also applies, because you feed vulnerable people. Your council assigns the class, so confirm what applies to you.
Why childcare kitchens are held to a higher standard
Young children are more likely to become seriously ill from foodborne illness than healthy adults. That is why Victoria groups long day care with hospitals and aged care as class 1: premises that mostly handle potentially hazardous food served to vulnerable groups.
Nationally, Standard 3.3.1 says the same thing in a different way. Businesses that serve food to vulnerable people need a documented food safety program, and it is audited.
What a class 1 centre needs
A site-specific program
A food safety program tailored to your kitchen, not a generic template. Keep a copy on site.
A food safety supervisor
Someone with the skills and accredited training to supervise food handling, certified within the last five years.
A yearly council check
Your council checks the premises and your program each year.
A yearly audit
An approved auditor audits your program each year for adequacy and compliance.
What goes into the program
| Part | What it covers in a childcare kitchen |
|---|---|
| Hazards | Every step from delivery to the child’s plate: temperature, cross-contamination, allergens |
| Controls and limits | Cold food at 5°C or colder, hot food at 60°C or hotter, cooling and reheating times |
| Monitoring | Who checks each control, how often, and where it is recorded |
| Corrective action | What staff do when a check fails, and how it is written down |
| Records | Temperature, cleaning, delivery and training records, plus menus and dietary records |
| Review | When the program is reviewed: after menu changes, new equipment or an incident |
Getting ready for the audit
- Make sure the program matches the kitchen. Auditors check that what is written is what your cook actually does.
- Keep records every day, including relief cook days and school holidays.
- Check your supervisor’s certificate date. Five years goes quickly.
- Close out last year’s findings with evidence before the auditor returns.
- Run your own check first. Our childcare kitchen checklist covers the main areas.
Confirm your class, program type and audit schedule with your council.
Food law and the National Regulations
Your food safety program sits under food law. Separately, the Education and Care Services National Regulations set rules on safe food practices, food and drink, and the weekly menu, which your regulatory authority checks. The same kitchen records can support both. See what the National Regulations require.
Records that keep your program honest
EthicalHub keeps the daily records your food safety program relies on: temperatures, cleaning, deliveries, staff training and supplier certificates with expiry alerts, plus a dietary record for each child and your weekly menus. When the auditor arrives, you export the record for any date range in about a minute.
See it with your kitchen’s checks
A free 20-minute walkthrough. Plans from $69 a month per site.
Related guides
Childcare food safety programs: common questions
Is my childcare centre a class 1 food premises?
Can a childcare centre use a template food safety program?
How often is a childcare food safety program audited?
Does a childcare centre need a food safety supervisor?
Ready for the audit, every day.
The records behind your food safety program, kept as your cook works.