Alphabet Preschool is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. We understand our responsibilities and statutory duty of care to comply with both the Victorian Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme to build our capacity as an organisation to prevent and respond to allegations of child abuse.

Our Service is committed to implementing and abiding by our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy and Child Safe Environment Policy based on Child Safe Standards in Victoria (2022), which accentuates our zero tolerance for child abuse and raising awareness about the importance of child safety in our Service and the community.

We are dedicated to protecting children from abuse and neglect and promote a child safe environment, maintaining children’s wellbeing. We adhere to our comprehensive Child Protection Policy, standing by our mandatory reporting responsibilities to protect children from physical, sexual, emotional and psychological abuse and neglect.

We work to ensure there is clear awareness between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour concerning adults and children. We require clear precincts between children and employees, volunteers and the community to maintain children’s safety.

We are dedicated to promoting cultural safety for Aboriginal children, cultural safety for children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability.

We value diversity and do not tolerate any discriminatory practices. We abide by our Anti-bias and Inclusion Policy which outlines our Service belief that children have the right to be treated equally, and our goal is to develop children’s identity and self-esteem in a trusting and supportive environment. We practice the principles of anti-biased education and are mindful of the resources and activities we provide to children.

We are committed to ongoing professional development for educators and staff to maintain their ability to distinguish and respond to situations of abuse and neglect, ensuring educators and staff are responsive to their responsibilities in keeping children safe. Child protection training is mandatory for all staff at Alphabet Preschool.

We work in collaboration with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and have confidence in educating children about their right to be safe. We believe in teaching children what to do if they feel unsafe and encouraging them to express their view and thoughts on matters that directly affect them.

As educators we listen to and empower children to act on any concerns they or others may raise, which is reflected in our policies and procedures in keeping children safe. We enable children to have a voice and respect their choices and decisions.