Guardian appoints former police child protection officer to new national investigations role

Guardian Childcare & Education has appointed former NSW Police child protection officer Jason Madsen to a newly created National Investigations Lead role, as early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers continue strengthening child safety systems and governance frameworks.

The appointment forms part of Guardian’s broader Safety Plus program, which the organisation says is designed to enhance child protection practices, support wellbeing outcomes, and respond to evolving legislative and regulatory expectations across Australia.

Mr Madsen brings more than two decades of investigative and regulatory experience to the position, including extensive child protection work during his tenure with the NSW Police Force.

Guardian said the new role has been established to strengthen internal investigative capability, support timely responses to incidents and concerns, and provide additional oversight across the organisation’s national network of services.

The move comes amid heightened national focus on child safety within the ECEC sector, with governments, regulators and providers reviewing safeguards, workforce screening arrangements, reporting pathways and broader accountability settings.

Across the sector, providers are increasingly examining how internal systems can move beyond compliance to embed prevention, rapid response, transparency and continuous improvement.

Specialist roles with investigative, regulatory or safeguarding expertise are also becoming more common as larger operators formalise dedicated child safety leadership functions within their governance structures.

For multi-site providers in particular, the ability to manage concerns consistently across jurisdictions, coordinate investigations, and ensure learnings are embedded organisation-wide is emerging as a critical operational priority.

Guardian said its Safety Plus program is intended to help maintain a strong safety record while ensuring the organisation remains responsive to changing expectations from families, regulators and the broader community.

The appointment is likely to be viewed as part of a broader sector shift, where child safety is increasingly positioned not only as a regulatory requirement, but as a core leadership, governance and trust responsibility.

Read the full media announcement here.