Policy and Practice in Focus: Child safe risks in ECE contexts - Part A

Organisations that work with children have a responsibility to keep them safe from harm and abuse as described in their duty of care and in the NSW Child Safe Standards. This episode will explore this topic further with guest speakers from the ECEC sector.

 

About this episode

Staff in ECEC services are managing risks everyday as part of their daily work. Risks can be described as the likelihood and potential impact of harm resulting from exposure to a hazard. It is not always possible to completely eliminate every risk, and staff need to be attuned to how to best minimise or respond to risks of harm to children. This is particularly important when considering risks that may lead to the harm or abuse of children. The first part of this episode looks at the people involved in setting a child safe, risk aware contexts, and how organisations can lower risks involved in hiring people to work with children.

 

About our speakers

Pauline O’Kane is the CEO of Network of Community Activities, and brought extensive experience in play movement from the UK to advocate for children and educators in out of hours contexts in Australia. Network is the only training provider specifically dedicated to OOSH. Their professional development programs are meticulously crafted by experts in the field and include modules on risk, leadership courses, child protection, active supervision and behaviour management, as well as personalised professional learning for your organisation (link below).

 

Kerrie Maguire is a professional learning and development specialist at Community Early Learning Australia (CELA) with more than two decades of experience in children’s services and a passion for supporting educators. CELA is the voice for Australia’s early education and care sector and has successfully supported and advocated for ECEC services for nearly 50 years. CELA provides a wealth of training for educators and leaders available at the link below.

 

Louise Doolin worked at the NSW Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority as an Authorised Officer, specialising in the Family Day Care context. The Regulatory Authority’s primary goals are to raise quality and drive continuous improvement in the ECEC sector, ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of children attending ECEC services, and improve educational and developmental outcomes of children attending ECEC services.

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Module 5 eLearning 'Hiring and Managing Child Safe Staff' - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/training-and-resources/elearning 

Be You Mental Health Support for Educators - https://beyou.edu.au/

CELA training - https://www.cela.org.au/training

Network of Community Activities professional learning - https://networkofcommunityactivities.org.au/what-we-do/professional-development/

Lundy participation model - https://participationpeople.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Compressed-PP-_-Lundy-Model-Explained-2.pdf

National regulations - https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2011-0653

Mandatory reporters guide (MRG) - https://reporter.childstory.nsw.gov.au/s/mrg

OCG Reportable Conduct Factsheets – https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/organisations/reportable-conduct-scheme/reportable-conduct-fact-sheets

OCG Early Childhood Education and Care eLearning - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/training-and-resources/elearning

OCG Grooming animation - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/resources/about-grooming-information-child-related-organisations

OCG WWCC verification for families - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/parents-and-carers/what-parents-need-know-about-working-children-check#section-target-2

OCG Risk handbook: Responding to Risk - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-03/G_CSS_Risk%20Management_Resourceprt1.pdf

OCG Risk handbook: Identifying Risk - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-03/G_CSS_Risk%20Management_Resourceprt2.pdf

OCG Child Safe Template pack, including Child Safe Risk Management Plan - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-03/t_css_childsafe-templatepack.zip

ACECQA Qualification checker - https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/nqf-approved 

Brian Sutton, The Ambiguity of Play - https://www.amazon.com.au/Ambiguity-Play-Brian-Sutton-Smith/dp/0674005813

Simon Nicholson, Theory of Loose Parts - https://www.gowriensw.com.au/thought-leadership/loose-parts-play

FDC NSW PD in your Pocket - https://nswfdc.org.au/pd-in-your-pocket/

Risky Play PD by Ellen Sandseter and Alistair Bryce-Clegg (UK) - https://worldofeducation.tts-group.co.uk/cpd-topic-2-learning-through-risk/

Eva Cox, Building the capacity of communities - https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/JlIndigP/2014/43.pdf 

 

If you are looking for support on how to improve your child safe practices, or to speak to a child safe officer, contact childsafe@ocg.nsw.gov.au

Have a concern or a complaint about a child-related organisation? You can contact us via this form - https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/contact-us or call us on (02) 8219 3600