Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework
Important note
As Aboriginal people are the Traditional Custodians of NSW, we refer to Aboriginal people. The department’s Aboriginal programs and services are available, without question, to Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Putting culture first
The development and implementation of an Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework across the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector is part of the department’s commitment to the First Steps Aboriginal Children’s Early Childhood Education Strategy 2021-2025.
The First Steps Strategy details the department’s commitment to improving outcomes for Aboriginal children and families in the ECEC sector and is aligned to Outcome Area 3 of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The strategy includes a target for 95% of Aboriginal children to be enrolled in early learning in the year before school by 2025.
By putting culture first, as the foundation, the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care aims to support the ECEC sector to meet this important target.
The Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework has been developed to support ECEC providers to offer education and care services that are culturally responsive, safe and welcoming for Aboriginal children and their families.
Culturally safe services not only support the participation of more Aboriginal children in early childhood education and care, but they ensure that all children attending ECEC services learn, understand and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s culture and history.
This innovative work – the first of its kind for ECEC in Australia – is part of a commitment to benefit all children and families in early learning settings.
Watch the video to find out more about the development of the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework and the department’s vision to build a brighter future for all children in early childhood education and care in NSW through the creation of more culturally safe and responsive learning environment.
Narrator: For over 65,000 years in Australia,
Children: Ooooh!
Narrator: the first students and educators have gathered and continued traditional learning.
For millennia, knowledge flowed. Not in the classrooms we know today, but through the Country we walk on. The greatest teacher – the world around us. The animals, the plants, the sky, the water. Woven knowledges that intertwined with our Lore and Kinship. But those connections were severed with the impacts of colonisation.
Families were torn apart and new ways of educating were introduced, worlds apart from our tradition. From our Country. We continue to learn, to practice and to care for the Country that teaches us. We remember and we reawaken. As cultural education continues, our connection to the land strengthens. Our knowledge is deepened. As a student, as people, as a nation. We glow brighter together.
The NSW Department of Education is committed to developing an Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework, the first of its kind for early childhood education and care settings.
The department has yarned with many. Aboriginal, non-Aboriginal early childhood education subject matter experts. But most of all, we've actively listened. We've listened to communities, Elders, mums, dads, Aunties, Uncles and children. There have been reports and findings, draft frameworks, webinars and further consultation. A lot of work has been done, but this is just the beginning. The findings show the openness and willingness of the sector to learn, do better and create environments for Aboriginal families and communities to flourish.
There's work to do in many parts of the country. Our findings reveal a need to end racism and discrimination. There is a crucial need for relationship building, and given our nation's history, there’s sometimes a lack of trust between Aboriginal parents, carers and the sector. Early childhood education, informed by Aboriginal values, histories and cultures, creates culturally safe environments. Creating a place where Aboriginal children feel proud and heard.
A space where all children can benefit from Aboriginal culture.
Children: Ooooh!
Narrator: Let's educate ourselves. Let's connect. Let's inspire. Together, we can build a brighter future for all our children.
Aboriginal cultural safety. A benefit to all early learners.
About the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework
The Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care has been co-designed in response to broad sector consultation and offers clear expectations, standards and guidance for the ECEC sector. It includes a suite of tools and resources to support ECEC services to develop, maintain and improve culturally safe environments that value and nurture culture, language, kinship and identity.
The aims of the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework are to:
- support uplift in the ECEC sector by providing clear expectations, standards and guidance to support services to develop, maintain and improve cultural safety
- encourage best provision and maintenance of culturally safe and responsive environments for Aboriginal children, their families and ECEC staff in every type of ECEC service
- support an increased participation of Aboriginal children in ECEC services
- enhance knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal history and culture.
A phased approach
The Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework has been developed and is being implemented over 4 phases:
- Phase 1: Consultation
- Phase 2: Co-design of the framework
- Phase 3: Development of the toolkit, resources and the implementation plan
- Phase 4: Implementation of the framework.
Learn more about the phased, collaborative approach to the development and implementation of the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework.
Early adopters program
NSW ECEC providers and services have been invited to be among the first to engage with the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework through an expression of interest process.
The 10-week structured early adopters program delivered in 2 rounds starting in August and October 2024, gives early childhood educators and staff from selected ECEC services the opportunity to:
- learn about the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework
- engage with its tools and resources
- champion this important work to improve awareness
- build collaborative relationships with families and community
- uplift culturally safe and responsive environments for Aboriginal children, families and staff in early childhood education and care settings.
Find out more about EOIs to become an early adopter of the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework for ECEC and the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework for ECEC – early adopters round 2.
Further information
The NSW Regulatory Authority for ECEC's Cultural Safety Team will continue to keep the ECEC sector informed about the progress of the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Framework. For updates, please subscribe to the ECEC update newsletter or follow the NSW Early Childhood Education Facebook page.
For enquiries, please email ececd@det.nsw.edu.au or contact the ECEC Information and Enquiries team on 1800 619 113.