Creating and maintaining a child safe organisation is an ongoing process. It requires leaders to embed child safety into all aspects of their organisation to ensure staff prioritise children’s rights and wellbeing every day, and in everything they do. Being committed to ongoing learning and improvement is also vital, as it builds the capability of organisations and their staff to safeguard children from abuse and harm.

Strong leadership and governance is critical to building a strong organisational culture of child safety – this is a core element of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. By championing a child safe culture and modelling and enforcing child safe practices and behaviours, leaders demonstrate that child abuse and harm will not be tolerated within the organisation.

This sets clear expectations for staff about appropriate conduct and their role and responsibilities in keeping children safe, while demonstrating the organisation’s commitment to children’s safety to families, the community and prospective staff.

Together, this helps to reduce the ability for potential abusers to harm children within organisations.

Legislative obligations

The critical importance of strong, effective leadership and governance underpins the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the NSW Child Safe Standards, which are 2 of the legislative frameworks ECEC approved providers, service leaders and staff in NSW must comply with.

The NQF sets national standards for ECEC services in Australia, establishing broad regulatory requirements for quality and safety in ECEC services.

The Child Safe Standards, introduced after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, provide a framework for creating safe environments that protect children from harm.

It offers a child-centred approach to preventing harm, strengthening existing NQF obligations. Together, the NQF and Child Safe Standards reinforce a culture of child safety through clearly outlined requirements for approved providers and services.

Child safe leadership and governance in practice

Here are some examples of what child safe governance and leadership may look like within an ECEC service.

Philosophy, policies and procedures

Robust child safe policies and procedures set clear guidelines and expectations for service practice, environments and staff behaviour. They also provide transparency for children, families and community about a service’s commitment and measures in place to protect children from abuse and harm.

Key legislative requirements

• Regulation 168-169 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations
• Standard 2.2 Safety and Standard 7.1 – Governance of the National Quality Standards (NQS)
• Child Safe Standards 1 and 10
  

What this looks like in practice

• Your service philosophy includes child safety as a core value, integrating it into its commitment to children's wellbeing, learning and development.
• Your service has a well-enforced Child Safe Code of Conduct and Statement of Commitment that sets out clear expectations of behaviour for staff and families.
• You have developed a strong Child Safe Policy and reporting culture, where mandatory reporting knowledge is aligned with National Law and Regulations, the NSW Child Safe Scheme and other relevant child protection legislation. These guide service practice and ensure staff understand their mandatory reporting requirements and how to effectively respond to concerns.
• You engage families meaningfully in child safety by sharing and seeking input on child safety policies, providing resources on protective behaviours and encouraging open discussions about children’s wellbeing.
• You arrange regular training and professional development to support staff to build their capability to recognise signs of harm, respond appropriately and create safe, respectful relationships with children.

Recruitment, induction and ongoing learning

A child safe service has rigorous recruitment processes, thorough induction program and comprehensive mandatory training to ensure all staff are equipped to protect children from harm. Regular training, reflection and collaboration keep staff informed on best practices, standards and their responsibilities to safeguard children.

Key legislative requirements

• Regulations 84, 145-149 and 168-169
• Quality Area 7 – Governance and leadership of the NQS
• Child Safe Standards 5 and 7

What this looks like in practice

• You have rigorous recruitment processes and conduct thorough background checks, reference checks and interviews to ensure all staff are safe, skilled and suitable to work with children.
• You have developed a comprehensive induction for new employees with training on child safe policies, codes of conduct and reporting procedures, which they must complete before they begin working with children.
• You arrange mandatory training and ongoing learning opportunities for all staff, including regular child protection training that covers how to identify signs of abuse and respond to concerns appropriately.
• Experienced educators at your service mentor and support new staff in understanding and implementing child safe policies, ensuring consistent protective practices across the service.
• You commit to ongoing child protection awareness by embedding child safety into daily practices through regular staff discussions, refresher training and visible policies that reinforce a child safe culture.

Reporting and complaints

Effective reporting and complaint handling ensure concerns about child safety and wellbeing are addressed promptly and appropriately. It builds trust with children and families and demonstrates that your service and staff have zero tolerance for child abuse and take all allegations, disclosures and safety concerns seriously.

Clear policies and procedures empower staff, families and children to raise and report incidents and concerns confidently.

Key legislative requirements

• Sections 170 and 174 of the Children (Education and Care Services) Law (NSW)
• Regulation 175
• Element 2.2.3 – Child protection, Quality Area 6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities and Standard 7.1 – Governance
• Child Safe Standards 5 and 6

What this looks like in practice

• You have developed clear reporting procedures and training for staff on how to document and report concerns, ensuring all issues are addressed according to regulatory requirements.
• You actively maintain a strong reporting culture that prioritises child safety by regularly reviewing, updating and refining reporting procedures and expectations within your service.
• You acknowledge, investigate and resolve complaints in a fair and timely manner, and clearly communicate with all involved parties.
• You have open communication channels for families and staff to voice their feedback and concerns, such as suggestion boxes, designated staff contacts or scheduled meetings.
• You have child-friendly complaint processes that encourage children to express concerns in safe and age-appropriate ways, such as through storytelling, drawings or discussions with trusted educators.

Further learning and resources

Approved providers and service leaders must engage in ongoing learning to stay informed about best practice and emerging risks, and ensure their service policies, procedures and training are update and effective in keeping children safe.

• Access the full suite of Implementing the Child Safe Standards resources, developed by the OCG, for guidance on embedding the Standards into your service culture, policies and practices. This includes e-learning modules, videos and podcast episodes.
• Download Implementing the Child Safe Standards: A guide for early childhood education and outside school hours care services for best practice guidance and strategies to support children’s safety.
• Visit our Child safe resources page and discover other training programs, guides, templates and tools to inform child safe practices at your service.
• Engage with ECA’s Governance and risk Management program designed to support service leaders and persons with management or control (PMCs) to understand and implement best practice principles of governance, risk management and service practice.
• Visit OCG’s webpage on Child Safe Leaders in CALD communities to explore how ECEC leaders are applying the Child Safe Standards in their diverse services.