When you’re choosing a childcare provider, nothing matters more than knowing your child is safe, supported, and surrounded by people you can trust.
At Guardian Childcare & Education, safety isn’t just a policy; it’s a culture. It shapes every decision we make, every practice we implement, and every room your child learns and plays in.
In this guide, we’ll show how Guardian ensures child safety and well-being across our centres, so you can feel informed, reassured, and confident in your decision.
Key Takeaways
- Guardian operates as a child safe organisation guided by the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and best practice resources
- We implement rigorous infection control practices and follow Staying Healthy guidelines to prevent infectious diseases and support children’s health
- Our recruitment process includes Working With Children Checks and trauma-informed training to protect children from harm
- Children learn safety practices through simple and effective ways, like our Look, Do, Tell framework
- Families receive transparent communication through real-time updates, safety policies, and open conversations with educators
Understanding Childcare Safety Standards
Every childcare service in Australia is assessed against the National Quality Standard (NQS), which covers seven key quality areas from educational program and practice to leadership and service management.
These areas sit under the broader National Quality Framework (NQF), which sets the benchmark for quality early childhood education and care services. The Australian Government, working with state and territory governments, oversees these standards to ensure safe environments for children and young people in education and care settings.
At Guardian, we consistently strive to meet and exceed these standards through carefully maintained environments, highly-trained educators, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Our Approach to Keeping Children Safe Every Day
Rigorous Supervision and Daily Safety Checks
Children are always within sight and hearing of our educators. Each day begins with environment audits, both indoors and outdoors, to ensure learning areas are safe, clean, and ready for exploration.
“Safety starts before the first child arrives. Our team completes detailed checks every morning of the equipment, gates, and learning areas. Nothing is left to chance,” the team at Guardian South Morang.
Regular headcounts, especially during transitions, also ensure children are always accounted for and supported.
Healthy Environments, Healthy Children
Guardian centres champion staying healthy through nutritious eating, physical activity, and hygiene. Meals are freshly prepared onsite by trained Cooks and Chefs, following strict food safety protocols. Allergy management is discreet, consistent, and carefully implemented.
We follow the Staying Healthy in Childcare sixth edition, a best practice resource developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in consultation with the Staying Healthy Advisory Committee. This practice resource combines evidence-based guidance with real-life situations to support infection prevention and control across early childhood education and care settings.
Our infection control practices include hand hygiene routines, proper cleaning procedures, and preventing infectious diseases through general service practices. These measures protect children and other staff from illness while supporting overall health and well-being.
Safe Sleep for Babies
Safe sleep is an essential part of our nursery practice. Our Nursery Educators follow nationally approved sleep guidelines based on new evidence and key messages from national health organisations, with:
- Babies sleeping on their backs
- Faces and heads uncovered
- Fresh, hygienic linen daily
- 10-minute documented sleep checks
- Clear ‘I Can Roll / I Can’t Roll’ indicators displayed on every cot
These practices ensure babies sleep safely, comfortably, and with close supervision, always.
Recruiting the Right People
Children and young people deserve educators who are not only qualified but trustworthy and deeply committed to child safety and child protection. That’s why Guardian has one of the strictest recruitment processes in the sector.
Working With Children Checks (WWCCs)
Every educator must hold a valid WWCC. Our rostering system automatically blocks anyone with an expired or invalid check, ensuring only screened individuals work with children and young people.
Rigorous Reference Checks
Every educator undergoes thorough reference and background checks focused on child safety, professionalism, and values.
Centralised Compliance Monitoring
All checks are tracked in a central digital system, so nothing is overlooked. This provides overall guidance for our HR and compliance teams.
“Families often ask what gives us confidence in the people we hire. Our recruitment filters out anyone who doesn’t meet our strict safety and values-based criteria,” the team from Guardian Cherrybrook.
A Culture of Speaking Up
Guardian has a zero-tolerance approach to unsafe behaviour. Team members are encouraged to speak up anytime they see or hear something concerning.
Our Whistleblower Policy provides a safe, anonymous way to report concerns without fear of repercussions. This reinforces the shared responsibility every team member has for maintaining child safety and responding to risk.
Child-Friendly Safety Tools: Look, Do, Tell
Across our centres, you’ll find our simple and effective framework, Look, Do, Tell, in action:
- Look: Notice what’s happening around you.
- Do: Take action if someone needs help or if something isn’t right.
- Tell: Speak to an educator or trusted adult straight away.
It’s language that children understand, and educators use daily to strengthen safety awareness and help children learn to identify concerns and take appropriate actions.
“The Look, Do, Tell language is amazing for teaching children to recognise and communicate risk. Even our preschoolers use it with confidence,” the team at Guardian Barton.
Alongside this, Guardian has introduced:
- I AM SAFE cards for children
- I PROTECT CHILDREN cards for educators
These act as gentle, daily reminders of shared responsibility for safety and help keep young people safe in all care settings.
How We Keep Families Informed
Communication is essential to feeling connected and reassured. Guardian provides:
- Real-time updates through our family communication platform
- Clear access to safety policies and procedures
- Transparent incident reporting
- Open conversations at drop-off and pick-up
“Families want honesty and openness, especially about safety. We make sure they always know what’s happening, and they can ask us anything,” the team at Guardian Camberwell.
Safety Beyond the Centre Walls: Excursions Done Right
Excursions are powerful learning experiences, and Guardian takes great care to make them secure and well-supervised. This includes:
- Strengthened risk assessments
- Elevated educator-to-child ratios
- High-visibility vests
- First-aid kits are always on hand
- Up-to-date contact lists
These measures mean children can explore confidently, knowing their educators are prepared and attentive.
Resources & Training That Support Safety
Guardian educators receive ongoing training based on best practice resources and new advice from leading organisations.
We regularly review NHMRC publications, fact sheets, and further information from national health bodies to ensure our safety practices reflect current evidence.
Our teams also access resources developed in response to the Royal Commission, ensuring we understand institutional responses to child safety and implement the National Principles effectively.
Whether in long day care, or other care settings, our principles remain consistent: every child deserves safe environments where they can learn, play, and develop without risk of harm.
Our Commitment: Safety Every Day, in Every Moment
From the nursery to preschool and kindergarten, Guardian centres are built on a foundation of child protection, care, and continuous improvement.
Safety isn’t a checklist for us. It’s a mindset and a shared promise.
When you choose Guardian, you’re choosing peace of mind. You’re choosing experienced educators, thoughtful environments, strong communication, and a culture where every child feels seen, supported, and safe.
Book a tour at your local Guardian centre to see our practices in action and experience the peace of mind that comes from choosing a provider who always puts safety first.
Frequently Asked Questions About Health & Safety in Childcare
What training do Guardian educators receive on child protection?
All Guardian educators receive comprehensive training on child protection, including trauma-informed approaches, recognising signs of harm, responding appropriately to disclosures, and understanding their mandatory reporting obligations. We provide ongoing professional development based on new advice, best practice resources, and fact sheets from national organisations. This training helps educators protect children, create culturally safe spaces, and respond to concerns in simple and effective ways that prioritise children’s safety and wellbeing.
How can parents access health and safety information about Guardian centres?
Parents can access further information about our health and safety practices through multiple channels. We provide key messages about safety practices during orientation and maintain open communication through our family app. You can also review our policies, ask questions at drop-off and pick-up, and access resources that explain how we implement the National Principles. We aim to support children’s health across all early childhood education and care settings, including long day care and family day care.
