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National Model Code Taking Images and Videos

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Posters, activities, videos, statistics, articles and links for parents, caregivers and educators to help teach children messages crucial to their development and safety. Brought to you by Educate2Empower Publishing.

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Posters, activities, videos, statistics, articles and links for parents, caregivers and educators to help teach children messages crucial to their development and safety.

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Risk Management Tips for Centre-Based Services (6)

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Child safe reporting poster - adults (1)

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Child safe reporting poster – older children (1)

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Child Safe Standards statement of commitment poster (1)

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Risk Management Tips for Outside School Hours Care (1)

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Child Safe Standards and core components

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Best practice framework - Online Safety Edu Fact sheet

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Attachment D - If someone is bullying you online Secondary School Age Poster

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Attachment C - The online world Primary School Age Poster

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Attachment B - Online Safety Tips for Kids Poster

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Best practice framework - Implementation guide

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Early Years Teaching poster - Ask for help A3

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Early Years Teaching poster - Be safe A3

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Early Years Teaching poster - Make good choices A3

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Episode 3: Reporting in an ECEC context

Please note, this episode covers content regarding disclosures of abuse that may be upsetting for some listeners. Please take care when listening to this episode and seek support if needed. Free confidential support services are listed below.

Reporting in an ECEC context can take many forms from noting breaches of a Code of Conduct to far more serious incidents. This episode looks at reporting considerations in early childhood settings, including obligations to the Reportable Conduct Scheme.

Simon chats to two education professionals and a representative from the OCG's Reportable Conduct Directorate to discuss setting up a reporting culture within the early education and care sector, information on how and what to report and how organisations can ensure their reporting processes are child friendly.

Vanessa Hextall, the National Child Safe Officer from a large outside school hours care service provider with services across Australia. Vanessa has 18 years experience in the early childhood education sector specialising in quality and compliance, and risk. Her experience with reportable conduct is to educate and support the organisations with the process and determine best practice within the service delivery.

Stephanie Menear, from the Office of the Children's Guardian, is a Manager in the Investigations unit within the Reportable Conduct Directorate, with responsibility for its work with the early childhood education and care sector. She has a decade of experience working in child protection, with seven years' experience providing guidance and support to the early childhood sector on reportable conduct matters.

Preeti Khural is the Director of Education at a long day care service in Sydney's Hills District and has a bachelor of teaching degree. She has 20 years experience in early childhood education. Preeti strongly believes in continuous education and training for educators so that they are well-informed and have the skills and knowledge to keep children safe in early childhood settings.

Episode 2B: Voice and Choice in the National Quality Framework - Part B

In this episode, host Katey Street sits down with educators Lisa Warburton and Angie Camilleri, and Child Safe Officer Rachel Norman to get to grips with child-centred practice in the early childhood education and outside school hours care (ECEC) sector following the update of the Approved Learning Frameworks.

This episode was recorded and edited on Gadigal land. The NSW Department of Education and the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian recognise that the land we work and live on always was and always will be Aboriginal land, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Lisa Warburton is a family day care educator and children's advocate from Sydney, with more than 2 decades of professional experience in early childhood education. Her parenting book will be released next year.

Angie Camilleri is an education leader at a long day care service. She has worked in the early childhood education and care sector for 15 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in early childhood education and a master's degree in education (primary).

Rachel Norman is a Child Safe Officer at the Office of the Children's Guardian. She has a master's degree in disability policy and practice, and has worked with the early childhood education and care sector for 3 years. Her focus is on educating service providers about the risks of abuse in organisations.

Episode 2A: Voice and Choice in the National Quality Framework - Part A

In this episode host Katey Street sits down with Rhonda Livingstone, the National Educational Leader for a chat about her work updating the Approved Learning Frameworks, including how children's voices were heard during the process.

This episode was recorded and edited on Gadigal land. The NSW Department of Education and the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian recognise that the land we work and live on always was and always will be Aboriginal land, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Rhonda Livingstone is ACECQA's National Education Leader. She leads the teams responsible for promoting and recognising quality educational programs, practices and policies and supporting the sector and authorised officers in implementing and administering the National Quality Framework.

Rhonda's extensive involvement in the National Quality Agenda reforms saw her contribute to the development of the National Quality Standard and its guide, assessment and rating tools and processes, the training and testing program for regulatory officers and the refresh of the nationally Approved Learning Frameworks.

Episode 1: The Child Safe Scheme in an ECEC context

In this episode, host Simon Luckhurst breaks down the scheme in action across early childhood and out of school hours care contexts with 2 educators and an OCG Compliance Officer.

Meg Mendham is the CEO of Community Connections Solutions Australia. Meg has over 30 years' experience in the early childhood sector, including as an educator.

Angela Gillespie is a senior manager at Connect Child & Family Services. Angela was the winner of the 2023 Early Childhood Australia Barbara Creaser Champion Award.

Brittany Taylor is a Child Safe Officer in the compliance team at the Office of the Children's Guardian.

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Policy and Practice in Focus: An ECEC Child Safe Podcast Miniseries

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This podcast miniseries has been produced by the Office of the Children's Guardian and funded by the NSW Department of Education, the NSW Regulatory Authority for early education and care as part of their Safety and Quality Practice program.

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Guidelines for the National Model Code Taking Images and Videos

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Bravehearts Day Colouring Sheet - Rule 3

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Bravehearts Day Colouring Sheet - Rule 2

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Bravehearts Day Colouring Sheet - Rule 1

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BraveheartsInfoSheet_Signs of Child Sexual Abuse

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BraveheartsInfoSheet_What Is Child Sexual Abuse

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NAPCAN offers training and programs Australia wide which focus on offering best practice in prevention of child abuse. View our training calendar to view and book programs in your area.

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Prevent child abuse and neglect | NAPCAN

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NAPCAN offers training and programs Australia wide which focus on offering best practice in prevention of child abuse. View our training calendar to view and book programs in your area.

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See below for information about the NCPW 2023 webinar series

In 2023, the message that 'Every child in every community needs a fair go' will be complemented with the theme 'Where we start matters'.

Supported by Department of Social Services.

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FINAL - Official Program Webinars & Events 2023 - NAPCAN

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In 2023, the message that 'Every child in every community needs a fair go' will be complemented with the theme 'Where we start matters'. Supported by Department of Social Services.

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Reflections on implementing the Child Safe Standards

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As part of the Child Safe Organisations project, the Australian Government commissioned the Australian Human Rights Commission to develop practical tools and resources to help organisations implement the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

The National Principles aim to provide a nationally consistent approach to creating organisational cultures that foster child safety and well-being across all sectors in Australia. This will help to keep children and young people safe and reduce future harm in organisational settings.

These are supported in Quality Area 2 in the National Quality Standards (NQS) where children's safety is promoted by minimising risks and protecting children from physical or psychological harm.
Each child has a right to be protected in early learning and middle childhood services," says CELA RTO Manager Aline Majado. "It is the role of approved providers, managers, educators, and staff to identify their roles and professional responsibilities to achieve this outcome.
As Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) professionals, it is paramount to embed child safety into your organisational leadership, governance, and culture. ECEC leaders and educators play distinct roles in implementing a child-safe culture in their organisations. However, these roles must work in tandem for safety to actually be embedded into the culture.

Here are some key steps to build a child-safe environment within your service:

Steps for early childhood education and care leaders
1. Incorporate child safety in your mission and philosophy:
Ensuring a child-safe culture reflects your organisation's mission statement, values, and the service's Statement of Philosophy.

The service philosophy is the overarching document which guides the pedagogical practices of educators and staff. This is visible to the families and community you serve, giving a commitment to child safety throughout the organisation.

Note: The Australian Human Rights Commission has created a child safety self-assessment tool. This tool can help organisations reflect on their child safe practices and identify priority areas for improvement, in line with the National Principles. The tool gives examples of what some aspects of each principle might look like when implemented in practice and prompts organisations to commit to taking concrete actions to improve their child safe practices.

Source: https://childsafe.humanrights.gov.au/learning-hub/organisational-self-assessment
2. Develop comprehensive policies and procedures:
Develop and consistently update and review policies and procedures that emphasise the service's commitment to child safety.

Policies and procedures should be readily available and accessible to families, educators and the community. It is important they are clearly written in an easy to understand format. When policies are reviewed, it is essential the changes are communicated to all educators, families and children. Policies must be implemented and embedded into the service's daily practices.

Does your organisation have a Child Safety and Well-being Policy?

Do you ensure staff, students and volunteers sign a Child Safe Code of Conduct?

Templates for these items, which you can adapt to your own service, are available here

Note: serious breaches of child protection legislation often occur when policies and procedures are up-to-date, but team members are unaware of or have not been implementing those changes.

Tip: Consider how your service embeds the voices of children in its operations, and how your organisation encourages a culture which teaches children that they have a right to feel safe.
3. Stay informed about legislative requirements and educate on mandatory reporting:
Ensure staff across all levels know mandatory reporting requirements and understand their role in keeping children safe. Regular training, including refresher courses like our NSW Child Protection Refresher can help maintain this knowledge.

Remain up-to-date with all legislative and reporting requirements related to child safety. This ensures compliance and demonstrates your organisation's dedication to protecting children.

CELA has comprehensive courses that inform the sector of their obligations regarding child protection requirements.
FIND OUT MORE

The government is currently reviewing the future use of personal digital devices, such as phones, in education and care settings. Be proactive and take steps now to ensure educators can document children's learning using service-owned devices.
4. Promote collective responsibility and integrate child safety in meetings:
Regularly communicate the collective responsibility for child safety within your service and organisation. Make it a regular discussion topic to keep it at the forefront of everyone's mind.

Include child safety as an agenda item in templates for monthly meetings with committee, staff and educators. This will ensure it is consistently discussed, reviewed, and prioritised. Risks to child safety and wellbeing should be documented, and strategies to manage these risks should be implemented and monitored.

Remember that all serious incidents must be reported to your regulatory body and your approved provider.
Child safety principles need to be embedded in your organisation", says CELA Early Education Specialist Jannelle Gallagher. "Through consistent and frequent discussions with educators, a culture of accountability will be established within the service ensuring a child safe environment is developed, nurtured and maintained. 5. Implement rigorous recruitment and induction and strengthen HR processes:
Your recruitment strategies, induction and HR processes should communicate what is expected of staff in providing a child-safe environment. This establishes the tone from the beginning of their employment and gives educators clear expectations of their roles and conduct. It also gives leaders important documentation that can be reassessed if any issues of conduct arise.

Steps for early childhood education and care educators

1. Understand your role, champion a child-safe culture and stay informed about mandatory reporting.

2. Lead by example through your attitudes, behaviours, and actions.

3. Promote and live the code of conduct, setting the standard of behaviour for your organisation.

4. Keep yourself up-to-date with mandatory reporting requirements - understanding these requirements ensures you can act appropriately if concerns arise.

5. Recognise your essential role in keeping children safe from abuse in your service. Child safety is everyone's responsibility, and your active participation is necessary.

Remember, as an ECEC educator, you are more than a mandatory reporter: you are a child advocate," says Aline Majado, CELA RTO Manager. "You are in a unique position to strengthen protective factors for children in your community. You may be the one responsible adult that will be vital for preventing a child falling into the threshold of risk of significant harm.
Further reading/resources

CELA training relating to this topic

Twilight special: NSW Child Safe Standards and Child Protection Overview - For Leaders

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FIND OUT MORE
About CELA

Community Early Learning Australia is a not for profit organisation with a focus on amplifying the value of early learning for every child across Australia - representing our members and uniting our sector as a force for quality education and care.

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Where to start when embedding child safety in your organisation

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Principle 1 of the National Child Safety Principles is "Child safety and well-being is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture." Embedding child safety within organisations is crucial, particularly in the early education and care sector. While many organisations have implemented important initiatives, somemay feel unsure of where to begin, or what to do next.

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Complete the OCG's Child Safe Self-Assessment!

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This will help your organisation identify how it can be safer for children. You'll receive a free Action Report at the end, including links to helpful resources.

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The NSW early childhood education and care sector provides safe, welcoming places for children to learn, grow and thrive.

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You can now renew your WWCC by using digital proof of identity - no need to visit a Service NSW Centre.

You will need:

A MyServiceNSW account with the WWCC service added

3 current identity documents including a NSW driver licence or photo card

a device with a working front camera for face verification.

If you're renewing a paid WWCC, you will also need a credit card, debit card, PayPal or PayID account.

If you have an expired WWCC clearance or have changed your name on your identity documents since the last time you renewed your WWCC, you can't renew using digital proof of identity.

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Everything you need to help you become a child safe organisation, including policy templates and samples, resources from our training programs, links to relevant organisations and legislation.