Statement of Commitment to Child Safety & Wellbeing

At Highgate Early Learning Centre, we are committed to promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of children as our paramount consideration, including First Nations children, children with disabilities, from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds and children that are gender diverse.  We have zero tolerance for any form of child abuse and will embed and enact processes to respond to incidents.

We believe that Child safety is a shared responsibility between Highgate Early Learning Centre, its employees, volunteers, contractors and the community.

To demonstrate our commitment to Child Safety & Wellbeing, Highgate Early Learning Centre will:

  • implement and regularly monitor the Child Safe Standards.
  • promote excellence in child safety and wellbeing through our leadership, governance and culture.
  • collaborate and share knowledge and skills to act in the best interests of children.
  • empower children to know their rights, to feel safe, nurtured, valued and heard, and participate in decisions.
  • inform and involve our families and communities in our approach to child safety and wellbeing.
  • establish thorough recruitment due diligence and orientation processes to ensure that employees are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice
  • educate and train staff and volunteers to equip them with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe and well.
  • regularly review policies and procedures and make improvements to uphold best practice and ensure they document how we keep children safe.
  • all educators and volunteers working with children complete the Victorian mandatory reporting and the National Child safety training.

If you have any feedback on how we champion child safety and wellbeing, or would like to report an incident or make a complaint, please contact our Child Safe Champion, Robyn Kellett at: director@highgatecentre.org.au or 9885 3098 or in person.

If you would like to report an emergency child safety incident, please call ‘000’ to report the matter first.