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Understanding Children
Child Safety in early learning: From shared struggles to a practical solution
Fiona Alston
Jul 29, 2025
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Every service leader has asked themselves at some point: ‘Are we doing enough to keep our children safe?’ It’s a question that lingers, that fear, the quiet anxiety of missing something is one we know too well.
Every approved provider and educator knows the weight of responsibility that comes with caring for children. The sleepless nights after an incident, the fear of missing something, the endless paperwork, and the pressure to stay compliant while still nurturing children’s joy and learning, these are not abstract challenges, they are daily realities.“I know that fear because I’ve felt it,” says Susie Wilson, CEO and Founder of ChildAware. “When you’re responsible for children’s safety, even one gap in your system feels like a risk you can’t afford. That’s why ChildAware was built to close those gaps.”
We are one of you
The early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector is under intense strain, and ChildAware founder Susie Wilson says her team feels the pressure just as acutely.
“We’re part of the early learning community,” Wilson said. “We’ve walked in educators’ shoes and shared the frustration of wrestling with compliance reports and clunky systems that can slow genuine child‑safety work.”
“As an approved provider myself, I’ve seen how overwhelming safeguarding can feel when you’re trying to run a service day-to-day,” Susie shares. “ChildAware was created to take that weight off providers’ shoulders.”
For years, services have had to balance regulatory obligations with the deeper, human responsibility to keep children safe. Recent high‑profile safety breaches have only sharpened one question for many leaders: How can we strengthen child safety without being buried in complexity?
Born from lived experience: The ChildAware story
ChildAware did not emerge from a boardroom strategy session; it was built from the ground up, born of frontline frustration and a determination to safeguard children while supporting educators, centre managers and approved providers.
Susie Wilson brings a rare perspective to the task: she is a mother of three, an approved provider and a former head of the Victorian Department of Education’s legal unit.
“Current systems and processes weren't working as they should,” Wilson said. “We knew we could design something better, something that helps educators and leaders rather than adding to their stress.”
Drawing on the expertise of approved providers, centre managers, experienced educators, safeguarding lawyers and policy advisers, many of them also parents, the team engineered ChildAware to offer practical, real‑world solutions.
What is ChildAware?
ChildAware is Australia’s only complete safeguarding platform for early learning services. It was designed by people who understand the strain of running a centre, so it is practical, not theoretical.
Developed over several years and tested with real services, ChildAware reflects the reality of early learning environments. It’s not another layer of red tape, it’s a support system that simplifies safety and strengthens confidence.
It integrates all safeguarding requirements into one easy-to-use system, helping providers to:
- Manage staff, policies, training, and incident reporting from a single platform
- Support educators with consistent, best-practice training on abuse prevention, reportable conduct, and mandatory reporting obligations
- Give parents confidence and a voice, with access to safety policies, incident reports, and feedback channels
- Be audit-ready, aligning with the National Quality Framework (NQF), National Law and Regulations, and the Child Safe Standards
Why providers choose ChildAware
- Because they want to focus on children, not paperwork
- Because they want to know that risks are being identified and managed
- Because they need a system that supports them, instead of adding to the strain
“We didn’t just want a compliance tool,” Susie explains. “We wanted to create something that strengthens culture, builds trust, and actually helps educators do what they do best, care for children.”
From crisis to confidence
The early childhood sector is under intense scrutiny. Communities are asking questions. Regulators are raising expectations. Providers cannot afford to wait for the next incident to trigger action.
By adopting ChildAware, services are not only meeting requirements; they are sending a clear message to families, educators, and regulators that child safety is our first priority and we have the systems to prove it.
A message to every provider
Susie sums it up this way: “We understand the sleepless nights, the tough calls, the relentless workload, and the constant worry that something might slip through the cracks. That’s exactly why we created ChildAware, to stand beside you, not add to your burden.”
“Every child deserves to be safe. Every educator deserves to feel supported. Every provider deserves a system they can trust,” says Susie. “That’s why we’re here.”
Ready to become ChildAware?
We invite you to join us in creating safer environments for every child, in every service, across Australia.
Contact ChildAware at contactus@childaware.com or visit ChildAware website here and follow on LinkedIn.
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