As the Executive Director of Children’s Services, ensuring every child is safe, respected and able to thrive is at the heart of our work at YWCA Canberra. Child safety is not just a policy point for us; it is a true commitment that shapes how we recruit, induct, mentor and support our staff every day.
YWCA Canberra has a dedicated Safeguarding Coordinator who works across the whole organisation to strengthen child safety. This role brings a consistent, focused approach to safeguarding across all our children’s services and community programs, and supports staff to bring a strong child-safe culture to life in their everyday practice.
The Safeguarding Coordinator works closely with our Children’s Support Unit to identify training opportunities and help staff build their understanding of YWCA Canberra’s safeguarding principles, policies and processes. They also lead the response to any safeguarding concerns or allegations, ensuring these are managed impartially and independently of the program involved.
Our safeguarding practices in action
Across YWCA Canberra, we have always embedded clear safeguarding expectations into our policies, procedures and everyday practice.
Keeping children safe is at the heart of everything we do, and our team has been busy building on their skills. All staff who work directly with children have now completed the new National Child Protection training, with the next round of child safety training kicking off on 31 July 2026.
But we don’t stop at ticking a training box.
Our Quality and Compliance Managers and Program Managers have been running ‘unpacking’ sessions with staff, where they explore what the training actually looks like day to day, in real moments with real children. For families, this means one simple thing: the people working with your children are always putting your child’s safety first. To provide some clear examples of our safeguarding practices, we know that child safety starts with the right people and the right preparation:
- We use robust child‑safe recruitment practices. Our pre‑screening and interview processes include questions about child safety. Our interview process is conducted by two experienced sector leaders in our organisation. This is then followed by thorough reference screening, including at least two reference checks (one from the current manager) that focus on values, ethics and suitability to work with children.
- All staff are required to have a current Working with Children Check.
- Our induction and onboarding processes are designed to embed child safety from day one, making sure new team members understand our safeguarding principles, reporting procedures and codes of conduct.
- As part of the new child safety reforms, all staff employed by YWCA Canberra are entered into the National Early Childhood Worker Register when they commence employment. This national platform tracks the movement of staff between services.
In addition to safeguarding, we welcome and encourage the mandatory child safety and compliance trainings that our staff are required to complete on an annual basis, and we take these requirements very seriously.
This includes training in food handling and food safety, first aid, reportable conduct, and work health and safety. This training also supports staff to understand our processes for identifying risks, putting strategies in place to reduce risk, and still providing children with opportunities for age‑appropriate risky play that supports learning and development.
Alongside formal training, our ‘mentoring in action’ model means experienced staff observe practice, provide real‑time guidance, and support educators to reflect on how their interactions and decisions keep children safe. This helps turn policies into everyday behaviours, from safe supervision and respectful relationships to really listening when children share their thoughts, feelings or worries.
Child safety practice continues to evolve, and we are proud to be at the forefront of it. We are committed to continuous improvement through ongoing professional learning, reflective practice, and regular updates to our policies and procedures. Robust policies, procedures, training and mentoring approaches help ensure that staff not only understand their legal obligations but also know how to respond promptly and appropriately to keep children safe and well in our services.
Together, we can ensure that every child in our programs experiences safety, belonging and respect, every day.
My door is always open to answering any questions you may have in relation to safeguarding at YWCA Canberra.