Child safe policy.
Our commitment to a child safe culture and environment in line with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.
Child Safe Policy
All educators, managers, staff, and volunteers are committed to implementing the NSW Child Safe Standards. We are committed to always ensuring the safety and welfare of children, both within and outside the centre. We have a zero tolerance for any form of child abuse and are committed to acting in the children’s best interests. The safety, rights and best interests of children are our paramount consideration in all decisions and actions. Educators see the importance of educating children to be aware of the value of their bodies and their emotional wellbeing to minimise the risk of abuse. Our policies and procedures support and inform our commitment to child safety and wellbeing. All children have the right to experience quality education and care in an environment that safeguards and promotes their health and safety.
The Child Safe Standards
Standard 1 – Child safety is embedded in organisational leadership, governance, and culture
Standard 2 – Children participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously
Standard 3 – Families and communities are informed and involved
Standard 4 – Equity is upheld and diverse needs are taken into account
Standard 5 – People working with children are suitable and supported
Standard 6 – Processes to respond to complaints of child abuse are child focused
Standard 7 – Staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe through continual education and training
Standard 8 – Physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur
Standard 9 – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is continuously reviewed and improved
Standard 10 – Policies and procedures document how the organisation is child safe
Organisational statement of commitment to child safety
Eikoh Seminar Australia, which comprises of West Ryde Long Day Care Centre, Normanhurst Child Care Centre, St Ives Chase Kindergarten and Roseville Preschool Kindergarten is committed to the effective implementation of our Child Safe Policy and the NSW Child Safe Standards, ensuring that the policy is appropriately reviewed and updated. As Early Childhood Education and Care services we are committed to ensuring that the children in our care are protected and their rights are respected and valued. Our aim is to ensure that all children feel safe, secure and supported within our learning environments and that educators are aware of their obligations and responsibilities in relation to child safety, ensuring that we provide a child safe environment for the children in which they are able to confidently express themselves and feel respected and listened to.
Conflicts of Interest
All staff, educators, and management are expected to act in the best interests of children at all times, ensuring that no organisational, financial, personal, or reputational considerations override a child’s right to be safe and protected
Standard 1: Child Safety is embedded in organisational leadership, governance, and culture
Objective: Education and care services prioritise child safety in what they say and do
A child safe organisation is committed to child safety. This is demonstrated in its leadership, in the way the organisation is managed and by the day-to-day activities it carries out. A child safe organisational culture drives the way things are done and how issues and risks are managed.
Article 3 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): All adults should do what is best for children. When adults make decisions, they should think about how their decisions will affect children.
Having a leadership team that is committed to providing safe environments means children are less likely to be exposed to harm and abuse. A child safe culture is a set of values and practices that guide the attitudes and behaviour of all staff. Good leaders champion these values and embed them in organisational governance. The leadership team will work in conjunction with the teaching team to ensure that potential risks are mitigated and educators are supported to minimise the risks of abuse through adequate supervision techniques and training opportunities.
In relation to Standard 1, Educators will;
Remain up to date with mandatory reporting requirements
Remain up to date with mandatory child protection training requirments
Champion a child safe culture through their attitudes, behaviours and actions.
Be aware of the Child Safety Standards and how they apply in everyday practice
From February 27th 2026 all educators must register for Mandatory Child Safety Training through the Gekko training platform. For existing educators this training must be completed by August 2026. All new staff members to the centre must complete this training within 2 weeks of starting at the centre. This training is mandatory and must be completed throughout the year by persons with management or control, nominated supervisors, persons in day-to-day charge, Family Day Care Educators, other staff, volunteers and students.
Standard 2: Children participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously
Objective: Children are encouraged and empowered to speak up and are believed
A child safe organisation values children and identifies opportunities for them to participate in decisions that affect them. Empowering children by supporting them to take part in discussions about their safety is a reliable indicator that our organisation is child safe. Children are encouraged to participate in regular discussions with educators about their learning environments and ways that they can help maintain a safe environment. Children’s voices are actively encouraged and supported within the centre and children are made to feel that what they say matters and is used to affect change for the enhancement of their learning and engagement within the program.
Children feel safe in organisations where adults value them. They know they will be taken seriously, be involved in decision-making and have their concerns responded to. Having interactions with adults they trust, feeling included in groups and maintaining strong connections with their community and culture also helps keep them safe. An age-appropriate understanding of what constitutes personal safety and harmful sexual behaviour is also protective.
In relation to Standard 2, Educators will:
• Promote children’s bodily integrity (respecting their physical space and only using touch when necessary and appropriate) and support children’s early understanding of consent by acknowledging and respecting a child’s right to refuse or say no.
• Empower children by listening and responding to their voices and respecting non-verbal cues.
• Ensure that the children’s participation is embedded in organisational practice through feedback mechanisms.
Standard 3: Families and communities are informed and involved
Objective: Education and care services actively engage with families and communities to support children.
Child safe organisations actively engage families to better understand what will keep their children safe, healthy and happy. They make sure that all parents and carers, regardless of their background and abilities, know where to find organisational policies and procedures. Families are also able to have a say in the organisation’s practices.
Child safe organisations ensure that families know how, when and to whom complaints can be made. If an incident occurs, they provide families with relevant and appropriate information. Although they may be limited in what they can say at various stages of the complaint process, child safe organisations provide regular updates to parents and carers, and children where appropriate. Children may benefit from seeing that the people who are important to them are involved in the complaint process and are able to check that the organisation is doing the right thing. Child safe organisations facilitate open, two-way communication with families and communities. Organisations are more likely to foster a child safe culture if the surrounding community values children, and respects and upholds their rights.
Families are encouraged to communicate with educators and management and provide feedback to the centre on areas they feel need further clarification or improvement. Families are provided with access to the relevant policies and procedures of the centre through our parent library, centre App and centre website.
Management and the Nominated Supervisor will ensure that families are able to access information on complaint processes and who to forward their complaints too. This is available in our centre foyer areas, through our centres App and available on our website.
Educators actively engage with families to strengthen their relationships and the families sense of trust in the educators and the centre as a whole.
Standard 4: Equity is upheld and diverse needs are taken into account
Objective: Children are provided opportunities to participate to their full potential based on their individual needs.
Inclusion and equity form the basis of our program. As a centre we are committed to the inclusion of all children. We work closely with the family to support equity and inclusion for all and work to support and include diversity within our learning programs. Educators celebrate cultural events within the centre, providing all children with the opportunity to learn about diversity and feel represented within their learning environment. We are committed to embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into our learning programs and the centre as whole. We respect and value the input and inclusion of all family types. Resources including books are provided throughout the centre to support the inclusion of all diverse backgrounds, cultural backgrounds, disabilities and family types.
Standard 5: People working with children are suitable and supported
Objective: Education and Care services attract, recruit, supervise and support staff to keep children safe.
All educators and persons working with the children will have to obtain a Working With Children Check. This check will be verified by the centre director before the person is to be working with the children. This includes visitors to the centre i.e. sports program, health checks, speech therapists etc. This information will be stored confidentially and accessed only by authorised personnel. As a part of our induction process for all employees, permanent and casual, they will be subject to a 6 month probationary period. During this time they will meet periodically with the centre director to discuss their job performance, policies and procedures and to see how they are settling into their role within the centre. These meetings are an important aspect of our induction process to ensure that people we have working with the children are suitable and they feel supported within the centre environment. Our induction process also involves the individual being given time to review company policies and procedures so they feel prepared and educated for their new role. Educators that have been working within the centre for an extended period of time will also be asked to support new employees and act as a mentor, assisting them to adjust to their new role and supporting them in their transition to the centre environment. As a part of our induction process time will also be taken to ensure that all educators are aware of their mandatory reporting and training requirements and where to seek assistance/ raise concerns related to child safety. Copies of this policy and our Child Protection policy as well as the NSW Early Learning Commissions’ Reporting Guide will be given to all employees to read prior to them starting with the centre. During periodic catch ups with all new employees child safety and child protection will be discussed. All employees will also be provided with a copy of our grievance policy so that they are aware of the correct procedures to follow to report a concern or grievance with the centre or another educator.
In regard to employees that are accessed through the use of a recruitment agency all attempts will be made to provide them with time to become familiar with the centre and our policies and procedures. Time will be set aside for the centre director to meet with these individuals and support them in their role within the centre. All qualifications, Working With Children Checks and Identification will be verified not only by the recruitment agency but also by the centre director. This information will be kept confidentially on file and only accessed by authorised personnel.
For all employees – permanent, casual or from recruitment agencies their identification will be checked prior to them starting to work with the children. This can be done through photo documentation i.e. a drivers licence, passport, ID card from Service NSW. No employee will be permitted to work with the children without their identification being checked and verified and all required documentation provided to the centre director before they begin.
For visitors to the centre – sports programs, speech therapists, health check workers etc identification will be required to be cited before they are permitted to enter the learning environment with the children.
We have a detailed Recruitment, Selection and Employment Policy and Procedure which clearly outlines the processes and verifications that must be completed before a new employee can begin at the centre, These include but are not limited to the checking of references, verification of WWCC, checks through the NQAITS portal to ensure they are not a prohibited person from working with children, registering the employee on National Worker Register and monitoring of the employee throughout their time at the service.
Educators no matter how long they have worked at the service will be regularly involved in discussions on child safety, ensuring they all understand how to identify and report concerns. This information will also be clearly displayed in staff areas i.e. staffrooms/break rooms with the NSW Early Learning Commission Reporting Guide. Staff meetings will be used to discuss child safety matters and how as a centre we are ensuring the safety and supporting the rights of all the children in our service.
Standard 6: Processes to respond to complaints of child abuse are child focused
Objective: Children are the priority when responding to complaints
We will ensure that families and educators are aware of our grievance and complaints handling procedures and ensure they know where to access them. We will ensure that if a complaint is made that the child/ren’s needs are prioritised. We will ensure that the children in the centre are aware that they can provide feedback about the centre and who they can communicate this feedback to. We will continue to ensure that the grievance procedure is displayed within the centre and available through the centres App to ensure ease of accessibility for everyone. A register of child protection concerns will be maintained at the centre. This register will be kept confidential with only approved persons permission to access it. The register will detail any and all child protection concerns with details of reports made and the outcomes of any reports made.
Standard 7: Staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe through continual education and training
Objective: Education and care services invest in building staff skills, abilities and confidence.
All educators will be required to complete mandatory child protection training and maintain this training while working at the service. Records of educators completion of this training will be kept in their staff files. Educators will be encouraged to continue to ensure they are aware of and understand their mandatory reporting requirements and commitment to child safety. Educators will be encouraged to seek information from the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian and the eSafety Commissioner to continue to build their awareness of child safety. Through educator meetings and discussions, child safety will be at the forefront, with educators encouraged to think of ways to improve practices and enhance child safety. Through our induction process, educators will strengthen their understanding of our centres policies and procedures. This will be an ongoing process for the educator throughout their time at the service. A training register will be utilised to ensure that educators maintain their commitment to child safety and to ensure that their skills and practices are up to date. All Nominated Supervisors, Person’s in Day-to-Day Charge and Responsible Persons will also be required to have Department approved Child Protection Training i.e. CHCPRT025 in addition to the mandatory child protection training.
Standard 8: Physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur
Objective: Risks to children in physical and online environments are identified and minimised.
Educators will not be permitted to use their personal devices i.e. phones/ iPads/personal computers/smart watches etc within the classroom environment to take photos of the children in their care. Centre devices are provided to ensure that educators have access to the necessary tools. All centre approved devices are recorded on the centres digital device register and this register is reviewed and maintained by the Nominated Supervisor. We have policies and procedures in place for online safety, including for photographing and recording children, use of images, social media and technology/device use for children and educators. Our practices align with the National Model Code for Taking Images or Videos of Children:
Only service issued devices are used to take photos or videos of children
Staff are not allowed to have personal devices that can take photos/videos or personal storage and file transfer media on their person while they are with the children, except in very limited circumstances (refer to MPOL20 – Safe and Responsible Use of Digital Devices).
Our policies and practices ensure that we capture, store and retain images/videos of children securely.
Educators learn about online safety as part of professional development opportunities and we teach children about online privacy and safety in our educational program.
When engaging the children in online learning, educators will review any materials prior to showing the children to ensure they are suitable.
Standard 9: Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is continuously reviewed and improved
Objective: Education and care services continuously improve their child safe practices.
Child safe policies and procedures will be reviewed regularly within the centre to ensure our practices remain current, relevant and are reflective of the needs of the children in our care. At all times the safety, rights and best interests of the children will be our paramount consideration in all decisions and actions We will continue to seek information from child safe experts in relation to the child safe standards to ensure that our policies and procedures are up to date at all times. Child safety will continue to form a part of our Quality Improvement Plan and self-assessment process.
Standard 10: Policies and procedures document how the organisation is child safe
Objective: Policies and procedures are championed by leaders, localised, understood by staff and clearly communicated.
Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and child safe standards are at the forefront of all policy reviews. Our centre takes its commitment to child safety seriously and we want to ensure that our policies and procedures reflect this. During their 6 month probation period all educators will be expected to become familiar with all the policies and procedures of the centre. These will be discussed periodically with the centre director throughout the probation period and ongoing to ensure a clear understanding of the centres policies and procedures.
We will aim to ensure that our policies and procedures are clear and easy to follow for all involved stakeholders. Child safety will be discussed regularly at educator meetings and related policies and procedures will form the basis of these meetings. All educators will be informed of changes and updates to policies and will be required to read and review them.
Source: Children’s Guardian Act 2019
Child Protection (Working With Children) Act 2012
Child Protection (Working With Children) Regulation 2013
Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Regualtion 2012
Crimes Act 1900
Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) (Child Employment) Regulation 2015
Disability Inclusion Act 2014
Anti-Discrimination Act 1977
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Child Safe Standards
Education and Care Services National Law
Education and Care Services National Regulation
National Quality Standards
Implementing the Child Safe Standards: A guide for early childhood education and outside school hours care services – NSW Department of Education
Office of the Children’s Guardian – A guide to the Child Safe Standards
Eikoh Seminar Australia
Child Safe Code of Conduct
As an employee, contractor or volunteer, I am responsible for promoting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in this workplace.
I will not
Have in my possession at any time while working directly with the children my personal device – phone, computer, smart watch etc or any personal device that is capable of capturing, storing, transmitting, sharing images/videos of a child or any personal storage and file transfer media on me whilst working with the children.
Subject a child to any form of corporal punishment, social isolation, immobilisation, sexual suggestion, offence or misconduct.
Direct a child to perform in a sexually provocative or unsafe manner.
Communicate with a child in ways that are likely to humiliate, frighten or distress the child.
Use tobacco products or possess or be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs at any time while working with children.
Develop any ‘special’ relationships with children that could be seen as grooming/favouritism such as the offering of gifts or special treatment.
shame, humiliate, oppress, belittle or degrade children or young people
unlawfully discriminate against any child or young person, including because of age, gender, race, culture, vulnerability, sexuality, ethnicity or disability
seek to use children in any way to meet the needs of adults
ignore or disregard any concerns, suspicions or disclosure of child abuse or harm
engage in any activity with a child or young person that is likely to physically or emotionally harm them
initiate unnecessary physical contact with a child or young person, or do things of a personal nature for them that they can do for themselves; e.g. toileting or changing clothes
be alone with a child or young person unnecessarily and for more than a very short time
develop a “special” relationship with a specific child or young person for their own needs
show favouritism through the provision of gifts or inappropriate attention
arrange contact, including online contact, with children or young people outside of the organisation’s programs and activities
have unauthorised contact with children and young people in person, online or by phone
photograph or video a child or young person without the consent of the child and their parents or guardians
work with children or young people while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs
engage in open discussions of a mature or adult nature in the presence of children
use inappropriate language or behaviour, including discriminatory or oppressive language or behaviour, in the presence of children
do anything in contravention of the organisation’s policies, procedures or this Code of Conduct.
I will
Only use centre approved and registered devices whilst working with the children
Treat children with respect and be a positive role model in my conduct with them.
Communicate with the children in an age appropriate and realistic manner.
Set clear boundaries about appropriate behaviour between myself and a child.
Only have physical contact with a child in ways which are appropriate to my professional or agreed role and responsibilities.
Be willing to listen and respond appropriately to a child’s views and concerns.
Respond quickly, fairly and transparently to any serious complaints made by a child or related to a child.
Abide by my reporting obligations in relation to the employer’s Incident Register.
Abide by the mandatory Code of Practice as part of the Children’s Guardian Regulation 2022.
I agree to abide by this Child Safe Code of Conduct.
Name: …………………………………………………………………………………
Signature: …………………………………………………………………………..
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