CHILD SAFETY AT GOWRIE NSW

 “Child safety has never been a separate initiative at Gowrie NSW. It is an integral part of who we are.”  

For more than 85 years, our work has been grounded in the rights, wellbeing and safety of children. That is not a recent commitment. It is the foundation on which this organisation was built, and it shapes how we operate every single day.
What I want families to see clearly is not just our policies, but how that commitment shows up in practice across every centre, with every child, every day. The systems, the people and the culture that make child safety a lived reality, not simply words on paper. 
Responsibility for child safety sits at every level of our organisation. We hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards, and we are always open to feedback, learning and improvement. That openness is itself part of how we keep children safe.

Nicole Jones, CEO

Every child has the right to be safe, respected and heard. Every decision at Gowrie NSW begins with that. Below, we make visible the systems, standards and culture that bring that commitment to life.

HOW IT SHOWS UP EVERY DAY

1. Child Safe Framework, Governed by a Child Safe Committee

Child safety governance is built into the structure of our organisation, not left to chance. Our Child Safe Framework is overseen by a dedicated Child Safe Committee, made up of educators and leaders from across our services. The committee meets regularly to review practices, assess risks and drive improvements. External child safety professionals also contribute, so our standards remain aligned with evolving best practice and regulatory requirements.

2.  Children and Family Voice and Partnership is Valued

Children and families are not bystanders in child safety; they are active participants. Our services seek children’s input and maintain open communication so families can ask questions, raise concerns or share feedback at any time. Gowrie NSW actively includes children and families’ views and encourages participation in decision-making, through consultation, surveys and advisory groups. This shared responsibility is central to how safe cultures are built and sustained over time.

3. Rigorous Recruitment, Screening and Monitoring

The people who work with children at Gowrie NSW are carefully selected. Every staff member, including casuals, goes through the same rigorous process: Working With Children Checks, reference verification with previous supervisors and thorough background screening. Our systems automatically flag if a clearance lapses or is revoked. We also make ongoing annual checks of suitability to work with children.

4.  Mandatory Training and Ongoing Child Protection Training

Child protection knowledge is maintained and refreshed, not treated as a one-time induction. All staff complete mandatory training when they join and continue building that knowledge throughout their career with us. Training covers recognising and responding to signs of harm, cultural safety, effective supervision and mandatory reporting obligations. Leaders complete additional modules relevant to their roles. This ongoing investment in our team's capability is part of how we keep practice strong across every service.

5.  Strong Supervision, Risk Assessments and Safe Environments

Safe environments are designed and managed deliberately, supported by purposeful layout, clear sightlines and reflection mirrors in outdoor spaces. Personal devices including smart watches are not permitted in children's learning spaces. Risk assessments are conducted regularly across all indoor and outdoor learning areas. Daily safety checklists are standard practice with oversight by wraparound support teams including Pedagogical Coaches, Compliance and Quality, and General Managers. This additional layer of support and monitoring helps ensure consistent child safe practices across all services.  Policies also ensure educators have effective supervision of children and colleagues so there is always shared accountability in place.

6. Ongoing Auditing and Monitoring

Consistent standards across every service require consistent oversight. Regular visits and internal audits cover interactions with children, supervision practices, physical environments and incident management. This ongoing monitoring identifies risks early, and any gaps in practice. This ensures that our standards are applied evenly across the network. Audit findings feed directly into improvement planning, so monitoring leads to genuine action rather than just reporting.

7.  All Concerns and Complaints Are Taken Seriously

Every concern or complaint raised by a child, family member, educator, employee or member of the community is taken seriously, reviewed thoroughly and responded to appropriately.  Clear and transparent processes ensure no complaint is minimised or lost along the way, and families receive a genuine outcome. A service where families feel confident speaking up is one where concerns surface early and can be addressed. That is the culture we work to maintain, not because it is required, but because it is what keeps children safe.

8.  Robust Reporting Requirements and Full Transparency

 All Gowrie NSW educators and staff are mandatory reporters. Where there is reason to believe a child is at risk, we report to the relevant authorities without delay. Full transparency is maintained with government agencies and regulatory bodies, and we comply with all reporting requirements under NSW and national child protection legislation. Detailed, accurate records support accountability across the organisation. 

9.  Incident Review and Continuous Improvement

Learning from incidents is part of how strong organisations stay strong. When something occurs, structured review follows: what happened, why, and what changes as a result. Incident Review and continuous improvement are core to how we operate; we are open to new ideas and committed to resolving issues at their root cause. It is about improving practice in a way that is specific, documented and shared with the relevant teams. It is how 85 years of experience translates into better outcomes for children today.

10.  Strong Reporting Culture and “See Something, Say Something”

A safe organisation is one where people at every level feel confident speaking up, and where that voice is taken seriously. Our “See Something, Say Something” policy applies to educators, families and visitors alike. No concern is too small to raise, and every concern raised is followed through. Transparency runs through our culture from leadership down. Children are safest when everyone around them shares that responsibility and acts on it.