ELAA values are demonstrated through these statements:
Excellence: ELAA is a champion of child safe standards and is committed to their exemplary implementation.
Equity: We act with fairness by placing the individual children’s best interests first and respect the rights and the voice of children.
Collaboration: Our commitment to working with our members and stakeholders in providing and promoting safe environments for all children.
Empowerment: We support organisations to empower children. We support organisations to succeed in the implementation of the standards and in the protection of the best interests of children.
Innovation: We act with agility and flexibility, embracing the diverse needs of children.
We know that children learn best when they feel safe and are safe. Children’s safety and wellbeing is central to the work of ELAA in its many capacities. As a peak body for early childhood education services, ELAA plays a leadership role in child safety and wellbeing.
ELAA’s commitment:
- The safety and wellbeing of children will always be our first priority; it is fundamental to their ability to learn and develop.
- We are committed to the safety, participation and empowerment of all children.
- We support and respect all children and uphold their rights to feel and be safe at all times.
- We have zero tolerance of child abuse. All allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently with our robust policies and procedures.
- We follow our duty of care, legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety and/or wellbeing.
- Our organisation is committed to preventing child abuse, identifying risks early, and removing and reducing these risks.
- Our organisation has robust human resources and recruitment practices for all staff, contractors and volunteers.
- We will ensure that there is an appropriate screening process for all Board members, staff, contractors and volunteers and that they have a current Working with Children Check (WWCC) or that they have a current registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
- Our organisation is committed to regularly training and educating Board members, staff, contractors and volunteers on child abuse risks and how to interact and behave with children.
- We are committed to providing and promoting safe environments for all children, including vulnerable children, where they feel safe.
- We are committed to providing and promoting the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander children and the cultural safety of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and, to providing a safe environment for children with a disability and the safety of children who identify with the LGBTIQIA+ community.
- We are committed to establishing policies, procedures, systems and processes to create a culturally safe and inclusive environment and meet the needs of Aboriginal children, young people and their families.
- We actively support and facilitate the participation and inclusion of Aboriginal children, young people and their families within our service
- We will ensure that Board members, staff, contractors and volunteers understand the process for reporting any child safety issues and are supported by ELAA’s appointed Child Safety Officer.
- We are committed to ensuring that Board members, staff, contractors and volunteers understand that child safety is everyone’s responsibility.
- We promote our commitment to Child Safe Standards and support our members to maintain the standards.
