Behind the headlines and public statements, work has been underway to improve children’s safety in early education settings. Photo: Supplied.
When it comes to the safety of young children, there is no room for complacency – and no tolerance for harm. When serious incidents occur in early childhood education and care, families deserve compassion, support and meaningful action.
That is not in dispute.
What is less visible in moments of public concern is the depth of work already underway to strengthen safeguards and improve safety across the sector.
Keeping children safe is not achieved through a single reform, media release or legislative amendment. It requires sustained effort, continual learning and genuine collaboration – long after headlines fade.
Over the past year, ACT Parents has been closely engaged in the early childhood education and care space. We have listened to parents and carers, convened forums, met with ministers and senior officials, and worked alongside educators, providers, regulators and policy teams.
What we have consistently seen is a strong professional commitment to improving safety outcomes for children.
Many of the reforms currently being discussed – and, in some cases, already legislated and implemented – have been under consideration for some time.
Encouragingly, there is clear resolve across the sector to work together in a focused and constructive way.
Educators, providers and regulators bring deep expertise and a clear understanding of what works well within the National Quality Framework, and where it needs strengthening.
Their practical insight is essential to ensuring reforms are effective, evidence-based and sustainable.
Much of this work happens behind the scenes. That can create a gap between public perception and the reality of careful, methodical reform.
When complex regulatory matters are reduced to selective or decontextualised information, the broader picture can be lost.
There is also a risk that the public release of detailed regulatory documents describing traumatic incidents can cause further harm to children and families who have already experienced distress.
Even where individuals are not named, identifying services can make young people and families identifiable within their communities.
That can reopen trauma and compound the very harm the system is trying to address.
A trauma-informed approach recognises that people experience and respond to harm differently. Efforts intended to improve safety should not unintentionally create further distress.
Processes that lack sensitivity, context or care can undermine trust and shift focus away from the steady, collaborative work required to strengthen systems and prevent future harm.
It is equally important to recognise the role of the regulator. From our engagement, it is clear that concerns about child safety are taken seriously and that responses are based on careful assessment of each service’s circumstances.
Regulatory action can take many forms.
Decisions about how and when to intervene must sit with the regulator to ensure responses are proportionate, effective and directed toward improving outcomes for children.
Parents and carers are a critical part of this system. Their experiences and observations provide essential insight into what is working well and where improvement is needed.
Reporting concerns helps build a clearer understanding across services and supports evidence-informed reform.
If parents or carers have concerns that are not addressed by a service, they can contact the Children’s Education and Care Assurance (CECA) team* for advice.
Reporting is not about blame; it is about helping the system learn, improve and better protect children.
Protecting children requires more than responding after incidents occur. It demands thoughtful system design, strong relationships between families and services, and reforms shaped by professional expertise and lived experience.
It also requires care in how information is shared and discussed – particularly when it concerns children who cannot speak for themselves.
Parents deserve reassurance that safety is being taken seriously. That reassurance should come not from fear or sensationalism, but from visible commitment, professional collaboration and sustained reform.
The foundations for this work are strong in the ACT. The challenge now is to continue building on them – and to ensure that the voices of educators, regulators, parents and carers remain central to reforms that genuinely keep children safe.
Veronica Elliott is the executive officer of ACT Parents.
*Parents and carers can contact CECA on 6207 1114 or email CECA@act.gov.au.
