Leading a child safe service: Guidance for ECEC leaders and providers

Leading a child safe service means more than policies and procedures, it is about building a culture where every child feels safe, seen and supported.

Strong leadership and governance are critical to creating and maintaining child safe organisations in early childhood education and care (ECEC). New guidance from the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian outlines the practical steps approved providers and service leaders can take to embed child safety into daily practice.

 

From recruitment and training to policy, reporting and communication, leadership plays a vital role in setting expectations and modelling behaviours that protect children from abuse and harm.

 

A child safe culture starts with leadership

 

Child safe organisations are built on shared values and practices that place children’s rights and wellbeing at the centre of all decision-making. Leaders have a responsibility to model safe behaviours, clarify staff roles and responsibilities, and create a culture of openness and accountability.

 

This culture reinforces that keeping children safe is a collective responsibility — and that any concerns must be identified, reported and responded to appropriately.

 

Services are encouraged to integrate child safety into their core philosophy and governance systems, supported by clear policies and meaningful engagement with families.

 

What does child safe leadership look like in practice?

 

The guidance outlines key actions leaders can take across three core areas:

• Governance, policy and philosophy
  • Embed child safety in the service philosophy, linking it to wellbeing and learning frameworks.
  • Develop a clear Child Safe Policy, Code of Conduct and Statement of Commitment.
  • Engage families in meaningful dialogue by sharing child safe policies and encouraging feedback.
  • Provide professional learning to help staff recognise signs of harm and respond confidently.

 

• Recruitment, induction and ongoing training
  • Use rigorous recruitment and reference checks to ensure staff suitability to work with children.
  • Deliver comprehensive induction programs before staff commence work with children.
  • Provide ongoing child protection training that supports safe relationships and protective behaviours.
  • Mentor and support new educators in implementing child safe practices across the service.

 

• Reporting and responding to concerns
  • Maintain clear, well-understood procedures for documenting and reporting concerns.
  • Create a strong reporting culture that values transparency and responsiveness.
  • Provide accessible complaint processes for families and staff, and communicate outcomes fairly.
  • Empower children to express concerns using child-friendly tools such as storytelling, drawing or conversations with trusted educators.

 

Ongoing learning and improvement

 

A strong child safe culture also means supporting children’s voices and ensuring that staff at every level stay informed, reflective and proactive.

 

The Office of the Children’s Guardian offers a wide range of practical tools to help services embed child safety across all aspects of their operations, including:

• Implementing the Child Safe Standards: A guide for early childhood education and outside school hours care services
• e-learning modules, videos, podcasts and downloadable templates
• Tailored resources for culturally and linguistically diverse services and leadership teams

 

Keeping children safe starts with informed, empowered teams. These resources are designed to support services in leading that work every day.

 

For more information, visit the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian Child Safe Scheme.