Observation Form
About the Observation Form
A digital observation form for educators to record and document behavioural observations, incidents, and concerns involving children at the service. This form captures date, time, session type, antecedent behaviour, what occurred, actions taken by educators, notifications, and ongoing notes. Supports multiple children per observation and includes responsible person review as a signing step.
Also called
- Child observation form
- Learning observation template
- Anecdotal record
- Childcare observation template
What's on this form
Every question included in the observation form. Add, remove or reword any of them in the form builder.
Step 1 — Completed first
Filled in by the educator or responsible person
Children
Child details
Date Of Incident
Date
Time of Incident
Time
Session Type
- Before School Care
- After School Care
- Vacation Care
Choose one
What happened leading up to the event? (Antecedent)
Long answer
What occurred?
Long answer
Describe the behaviours
Long answer
Action taken by Educators?
Long answer
Who was notified?
Long answer
Ongoing Notesoptional
Long answer
Parent Notification Notesoptional
Long answer
Educator / Person Completing Form
Educator signature
Step 2 — Responsible Person
Completed by a staff member at the service
Responsible Person Details
Educator signature
How this form gets signed
This template runs as a multi-step signing workflow. Each person is notified in turn, and every signature is timestamped and stored against the record.
- 1
Responsible Person
Signs inside the service, using a staff PIN
Australian regulations this form supports
The observation form is built around the Education and Care Services National Regulations. These are the regulations it helps you meet.
Policies and procedures — interactions with children
The service must have policies and procedures in relation to interactions with children, including the matters set out in Regulations 155 and 156.
Read the full text of Reg 168(2)(j)
The approved provider of an education and care service must ensure that the service has policies and procedures in relation to interactions with children, including the matters set out in regulations 155 and 156.
Policies and procedures — child safe environment
The service must have policies and procedures in relation to providing a child safe environment.
Read the full text of Reg 168(2)(h)
The approved provider of an education and care service must ensure that the service has policies and procedures in relation to providing a child safe environment, including matters relating to the promotion of a culture of child safety and wellbeing within the service.
Provided for information only and may not reflect the latest amendments. Refer to the Education and Care Services National Regulations (NSW) for the official legal text.
Where this form fits
The observation form is part of these jobs — each guide walks through the whole sequence and the other forms that go with it.
Daily records: what educators fill in as things happen
The records your staff complete during the day — incidents, illness, medication given, and observations of children’s learning.
Forms your educators fill in
The records staff complete — incidents and illness, medication given, observations, safety checks and transport.
Questions about the observation form
What is the observation form used for?
A digital observation form for educators to record and document behavioural observations, incidents, and concerns involving children at the service. This form captures date, time, session type, antecedent behaviour, what occurred, actions taken by educators, notifications, and ongoing notes. Supports multiple children per observation and includes responsible person review as a signing step.
Who fills in the observation form?
The observation form is completed by educators or the responsible person at the service. Staff open it on any device and sign with a service PIN, so there's no separate login to manage. It then moves through 1 signing step — Responsible Person — with each signature timestamped against the record.
Which Australian regulations does the observation form meet?
It is built around Reg 168(2)(j) and Reg 168(2)(h) of the Education and Care Services National Regulations. Reg 168(2)(j) covers policies for interactions with children. Reg 168(2)(h) covers policies for providing a child safe environment. Every question the regulations require is already on the form.
Is the observation form the same as a child observation form?
Yes. Different services use different names for this form — it is also called child observation form, learning observation template, anecdotal record and childcare observation template. They all describe the same record, and this template covers it. You can rename it to whatever your service already calls it.
Can I change the questions on the observation form?
Yes. The template comes with 13 fields ready to go, but you can add, remove, reword or reorder anything in the drag-and-drop form builder, and add your own conditional logic and signing steps. Your changes only affect your service's copy.
Is the observation form free?
Yes — the observation form is free to use on the Childcare Forms free plan. No credit card is required to create an account and start sending it.
Ready to use it?
Create a free account, change anything you want, and send it to your first family. No credit card needed.