We are aware of the recent and deeply disturbing reports in the media regarding instances of child abuse within the early childhood education and care sector. These stories are upsetting and confronting, particularly for families who entrust their children to the care of early education providers every day.
At St Nicholas, the safety and wellbeing of all children in our care is our highest priority. We want to take this opportunity to publicly reaffirm our commitment to safeguarding children and maintaining safe, supportive environments across all our services.
St Nicholas is guided by the National Quality Framework, the NSW Child Safe Standards, and our Safeguarding Framework, which together ensure a strong, proactive, and child-focused approach to safety. This framework outlines the responsibilities of all team members and volunteers and sets out the structures, policies, and practices in place to prevent harm and respond to concerns. These include:
- Rigorous child-safe recruitment and screening practices, including National Police Checks
- Ongoing training in child protection and safeguarding
- Mandatory reporting procedures
- Regular reviews of policies, practices, and environments
- A strong culture of accountability, participation, and voice for children
We encourage anyone connected to our services to speak up if you ever see or hear anything that concerns you. Your voice is vital in helping us maintain safe spaces for every child. At St Nicholas, we believe children thrive when families and educators work in partnership – celebrating successes, collaborating on support strategies, and embracing our inclusive learning community.
We continue to monitor developments across the sector and are exploring additional measures to enhance the safety of children in our care. These include the potential introduction of CCTV and updates to policies and procedures aligned with upcoming regulatory changes. More information will be shared as these initiatives progress.
For more information, including our Safeguarding Framework Policy and guidance on how to raise a concern or lodge a complaint, visit www.stnicks.org.au/policies-and-procedures.
