Updated child safety guidance released for Victorian early childhood services

Victorian early childhood education and care services now have access to updated child safety guidance and resources designed to support them in identifying, reporting and responding to child abuse risks, concerns, allegations and complaints.

The Victorian Department of Education has updated its PROTECT resources and guidance for early childhood services following recommendations from the Rapid Child Safety Review.

The revised resources are designed to help early childhood professionals identify and respond to child abuse risks, report concerns, allegations and complaints, and support a workplace culture in which staff feel able to speak up about child safety concerns.

The Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA) has outlined the changes in its September 2026 newsletter, with the updated resources now available through the PROTECT for early childhood website.

Central to the revised guidance are the Four Critical Actions early childhood professionals should follow when responding to suspected child abuse:

• Identify
• Report
• Support
• Refer.

The updated PROTECT guidance provides information on following the Four Critical Actions for three sources of child abuse:

• an adult engaged by an early childhood service
• a person within the family
• a person within the community.

New downloadable reference sheets and pamphlets have also been developed for the Four Critical Actions, with resources tailored to each source of abuse.

This provides early childhood professionals with practical information about the appropriate response and reporting pathway according to the circumstances surrounding a concern.

The revised guidance includes information about notifying VECRA and the Social Services Regulator, including how to  make anonymous reports.

Information about support available to early childhood services, children and families has also been updated, including support available through The Orange Door where abuse is occurring within a family.

VECRA has advised that early childhood services can replace the existing Four Critical Actions for Early Childhood Services poster with the updated resources.

Services are encouraged to download and print the new resources, share them with staff and display the relevant posters in an appropriate location that is easily accessible to staff.

The release also provides an opportunity for approved providers and service leaders to ensure educators, teachers and other staff are familiar with the updated Four Critical Actions and understand the relevant reporting and support pathways.

Clear and accessible child safety information is particularly important when staff are responding to a concern or disclosure and timely action is required.

The updated guidance also reinforces the importance of creating and maintaining a speak-up culture in early childhood settings,  so all staff (including volunteers) understand how to raise concerns, allegations and complaints, and feel comfortable doing so.

Additional resources are available to support early childhood services to engage parents and carers in conversations about child safety.

These resources include information about preventing and responding to child sexual abuse, recognising possible signs of abuse and grooming, having body-safety conversations with children and raising concerns.

Providing families with reliable and accessible child safety information can support open communication between services and families and strengthen shared understanding of child safeguarding.

Early childhood services can read VECRA’s updated child safety guidance for early childhood services and access the updated resources through the PROTECT for early childhood website.