Embedding child safety from day one: Northern Beaches Council FDC shares onboarding insights

A child-focused approach to onboarding is helping Northern Beaches Council Family Day Care make sure every educator begins their role with the knowledge, tools and support needed to protect children from harm.

At Northern Beaches Council Family Day Care (FDC), child safety is not treated as a checklist or compliance task. It is a core part of how the service operates. It is woven through everyday practice and reinforced across all levels of the organisation.

From day one, new educators participate in a structured onboarding process that includes face-to-face training, scenario-based learning and accessible resources. The aim is to build a clear, shared understanding of what effective child protection looks like in home-based care.

“We set the standard and expectation from the beginning,” said Lisa Baker, Acting Manager at Northern Beaches Council Family Day Care. “It is a culture visible across all levels of the organisation.”

From training to tools. Supporting educators from the start

As part of the induction, educators complete policy quizzes and work through real-life scenarios using the Mandatory Reporter Guide. They must also hold a current, recognised child protection qualification and complete a refresher webinar before they begin providing education and care.

To make important concepts more approachable, the service provides plain-language resources. These include the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian’s Child Safe Standards poster and a Family Day Care Australia guide on problematic or harmful sexual behaviours in children.

These materials, alongside the service’s Quality Improvement Plan, help make safeguarding part of everyday thinking. It is not something that begins and ends with induction.

“Creating a space for open conversations and providing practical tools helps educators feel emotionally prepared and confident,” Lisa said. This is especially important for those working independently in home-based settings.

Building trust through open communication

Transparency plays a key role in building and maintaining a child-safe culture. Families are regularly informed about the service’s policies, the training educators complete and how potential risks are identified and managed.

“We believe child safety starts with open communication,” said Rosemary Nettleship, Manager at Northern Beaches Council Family Day Care.

This approach is brought to life through the service’s See Something, Say Something program. It helps educators build confidence in recognising and responding to signs of harm. The program covers timeframes for reporting and decision-making scenarios that reflect the realities of family day care.

Child safety conversations are included in home visits, one-on-one check-ins and group meetings. Educators are also prompted to reflect on how safeguarding responsibilities apply to their own space and routines.

A new professional learning video is currently in production. It will focus on legal and ethical obligations, duty of care, the See Something, Say Something framework and the service’s Code of Conduct.

Systems that reinforce safe practice

Strong record keeping supports the service’s efforts to maintain compliance and reduce risk. A live spreadsheet tracks Working with Children Check clearances for all educators and any adults living in the home. The system flags upcoming expiry dates and prompts follow-up if updates are required.

Once documents are received, they are verified and securely recorded by the FDC manager.

Child protection is also a standing item at every staff, coordinator and educator meeting. These regular touchpoints create space for continuous reflection. One discussion, for example, led to the visitor log being updated to include a contact number field. This change increased accountability and visibility.

“Educators have allocated coordinators who conduct unannounced home visits and provide ongoing support,” Lisa said. “We want our educators and staff to feel confident raising concerns and speaking up for children.”

A shared responsibility

Northern Beaches Council Family Day Care’s onboarding and induction process is designed to go beyond orientation. By focusing on child safety from the start and revisiting it often, the service aims to create an environment where safeguarding is part of the culture and not just a policy.

As Acting Executive Manager Early Learning Rochelle Clancy said, “If something doesn’t sit right, we want educators to know they can and must say something.”

This article was originally published by the NSW Government Department of Education and is available here.