It is mandatory for early childhood education and care (ECEC) services to implement the Child Safe Standards under the Child Safe Scheme.

The Child Safe Standards provide a framework for enhancing the safety of children in services. Services must ensure their practices align with the requirements of the Child Safe Standards and use the standards through their systems, policies and processes to continually improve their child safe capabilities.

Compliance and enforcement measures relating to the Child Safe Standards under the Children’s Guardian Act came into effect 1 February 2023.

Tools and training

As the regulatory authority for the Child Safe Standards, the Office of the Children's Guardian (OCG) will support services in implementing the standards as part of its compliance and monitoring approach.

It has developed a number of resources and tools services can use to continue on their child safe journey, including A guide to the Child Safe Standards and a free online Child Safe Self-Assessment. The self-assessment takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and helps services identify how and in what areas they can improve child safe practice.

OCG also recently held webinars for ECEC services and providers on the Child Safe Standards. The sessions unpacked how each standard aligns with the National Quality Framework and explored the role and responsibilities of leaders and educators under the Child Safe Scheme. You can register to watch the Child Safe Standards webinars via the links below:

• Child Safe Standards and the risk of harm and abuse in early childhood education and care services
• Standard 1
• Standard 2
• Standard 3
• Standard 4
• Standard 5
• Standard 6
• Standard 7
• Standard 8 and 9
• Standard 10.

Support resources are also available on our website, including the Child Safe Standards update information sheet (PDF 830KB) and Guide to the Child Safe Standards for early childhood education and care and outside school hours care services (PDF 7.5MB).

The resources provide practical strategies, tips and case studies to support services to embed the standards in their practice, environment and behaviours. The guide encourages services to critically reflect on how they can contribute to creating and sustaining cultures that prioritise children's interests and rights in their specific service context.