Purpose

This course establishes the child safety foundation for all NERPSA Learning. It explains the legal duty to make children’s safety, rights and best interests the paramount consideration and translates that duty into everyday decisions, interactions, professional boundaries, protective action and educational practice.

Use current information

This course supports NERPSA policies and procedures. It does not replace current statutory training, PROTECT guidance, reporting duties or instructions from emergency services, Victoria Police, DFFH Child Protection, VECRA or another authorised body. Staff must use current documents from NERPSA Staff Resources.

By the end of this course, you should be able to

Apply the paramount consideration to decisions and actions in your role.

Recognise that safety, rights and best interests must be considered together.

Protect children’s dignity, privacy, voice, participation and personal boundaries.

Recognise inappropriate conduct, unsafe practice and indicators of possible harm.

Respond calmly and protectively when a child says, shows or communicates concern.

Distinguish internal escalation from direct emergency or statutory action.

Teach protective behaviours without transferring responsibility to children.

Identify evidence that child safe practice is embedded and reviewed.

Standards and evidence base

Framework	Connection to this course
NERPSA policies	Child Safe Environment and Wellbeing; Code of Conduct; Interactions with Children and Behaviour Guidance; Inclusion and Equity; Compliments and Complaints; Mandatory Reporting; Reportable Conduct; Privacy and Confidentiality; and Safe Use of Digital Technologies.
National Law and Regulations	Section 2A makes children’s safety, rights and best interests the paramount consideration for approved providers, persons with management or control, nominated supervisors, educators, staff and volunteers, including students. Other relevant requirements include protection from harm and hazards, appropriate conduct, interactions, supervision, child protection awareness, digital devices, records and notifications.
National Quality Standard	Quality Areas 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7, including child centred programs, protection, professional conduct, dignity and rights, children’s agency, family engagement and child safe governance.
Updated VEYLDF	The five outcomes and practice principles support identity, connection, wellbeing, learning, communication, respectful relationships, equity, child agency and reflective practice.
Victorian Child Safe Standards	Standards 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Standard 3 specifically requires children to understand rights, participate, be taken seriously and access age appropriate sexual abuse prevention information where relevant.
TAFE and professional learning	Selected connections to CHCECE033, CHCECE034, CHCECE035, CHCECE041, CHCECE042, CHCECE050, CHCECE055, CHCPRT001 and APST 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 4.1, 4.4 and 7.3.

Status of this learning

This is internal NERPSA professional learning. It is not nationally recognised training, an accredited course, a unit of competency or a statement of attainment.

Module one

The paramount consideration

From 27 February 2026, section 2A of the Education and Care Services National Law requires the safety, rights and best interests of children to be the paramount consideration in the operation of an education and care service and in the delivery of education and care. This is a statutory duty, not an optional value statement.

The duty applies to approved providers, persons with management or control, nominated supervisors, educators, other staff and volunteers, including students. What it requires in a particular situation depends on the person’s role, authority and responsibilities, but nobody working in or for a service is outside the duty.

What paramount means

Children’s safety, rights and best interests must be prioritised above convenience, adult preference, routine, reputation, avoiding conflict, staffing pressure or the desire to keep an issue quiet. Safety, rights and best interests must be considered together. A response is not child safe merely because it prevents immediate injury if it unnecessarily removes dignity, voice, participation, privacy or access.

Use this decision check

What does the child need to be and feel safe now?
What rights, views, relationships, culture, privacy and dignity must be respected?
What is in this child’s best interests, considering the child’s circumstances rather than adult convenience?
What risks could reasonably arise if action is delayed or no action is taken?
What am I authorised and required to do immediately?
Who else must be informed, consulted or notified?
How will the decision and its reasons be recorded factually?

If organisational convenience and a child’s safety, rights or best interests point in different directions, the child must come first.

Module two

Bodies, privacy and personal boundaries

Children need accurate, non shaming information about their bodies and the right to personal boundaries. Use the anatomical terms used by the service and family information, alongside the everyday words a child may use.

Children learn

their body belongs to them;
private parts are private;
they may express preferences about safe touch;
they can say no, stop or move away;
another person’s boundaries also matter;
some care or health tasks are necessary and adults should explain them; and
unsafe or confusing touch is never the child’s fault.

Educators model

asking before touch where practicable;
respecting safe refusals;
explaining personal care;
offering genuine choices;
protecting privacy;
never requiring kisses, hugs or affection; and
intervening when another person’s boundary is ignored.

“You can wave, say hello or choose a high five. You do not have to hug.”

“I need to help you stay clean and healthy. I will explain what I am doing. Would you like to help or choose the cloth?”

Module three

Trusted adults and persistent help seeking

A trusted adult is an adult a child can approach for help. Children should identify several people across home, service and community contexts because an adult may be unavailable, may not understand or may be the person causing concern.

Teach children to

identify several trusted adults rather than one special person;
recognise adults by role and relationship, not only by name;
use words, signs, pictures, communication devices, drawing or behaviour to seek help;
say what they need as clearly as they can;
keep telling another trusted adult until someone helps; and
seek immediate help if they or another child feel unsafe.

“If one grown up does not understand or help, keep telling another trusted adult until someone helps you.”

Never imply that a child is safe only if they use the correct words or tell immediately. Responsibility for preventing and responding to harm remains with adults.

Module four

Children’s rights, voice and empowerment

Dignity means every child is treated as a person with rights, agency, privacy, culture, relationships and a valid perspective. It applies most when an interaction is difficult, rushed or emotionally demanding.

Empowerment is visible when children can

learn that they have rights to safety, information and participation;
describe how adults should and should not behave;
make meaningful decisions about their day;
raise concerns in more than one child friendly way;
be listened to without needing perfect language;
see adults respond to their ideas and explain decisions;
participate without being required to speak publicly; and
recognise that concerns about themselves or a friend will be taken seriously.

Voice

Words, silence, gesture, behaviour, play, drawing, movement, home language, communication systems and family knowledge may all communicate a child’s view.

Adult responsibility

Adults must notice, listen, act protectively and explain decisions. Participation does not make children responsible for managing safety.

Dignity cannot wait until behaviour improves

A child does not lose the right to respectful treatment because they are distressed, unsafe, refusing, dysregulated or challenging an adult.

Module five

Inclusive and culturally safe teaching

Every child must be able to access child safety learning. Educators adapt the method, not the child safety right.

Planning must consider

age, development and prior knowledge;
disability, sensory access and communication;
culture, language, family structure and community context;
cultural safety for Aboriginal children;
trauma and the risk of frightening or overwhelming content;
children in out of home care or other vulnerable circumstances;
visuals, repetition, modelling, social stories and role play; and
private alternatives for children who do not want to participate in a group discussion.

Avoid

Frightening warnings, secrecy games, stranger danger as the main message, forced personal sharing and one correct way to communicate.

Use

Short repeated messages, familiar routines, play based rehearsal, diverse examples, visual communication and calm opportunities to seek help.

Reflection should result in a clearer understanding, an intentional action or a reasoned decision to retain an effective approach.

Module six

When a child says or shows something concerning

Child safety learning may make it easier for a child to communicate a concern. Educators must be ready to respond without turning the moment into a lesson, interview or group discussion.

Listen

Stay calm and allow the child to communicate in their own way.

Reassure

Tell the child they did the right thing and that the concern is not their fault.

Protect

Assess immediate safety and follow current reporting requirements.

Record

Document exact words, observations, questions and actions securely.

Do not

promise secrecy;
ask repeated, leading or suggestive questions;
express shock, disbelief or blame;
contact the alleged person;
ask the child to repeat the account to several staff;
place the disclosure in the educational program or learning story; or
delay reporting while waiting for proof.

Being able to see a child is only one part of supervision. Educators must know where children are, what they are doing, what may happen next and how they will respond.

Module seven

Programs, families, reflection and evidence

Implementation should be visible across the service without creating unnecessary personal information about children.

Evidence may include

service program plans showing intentional, repeated learning;
observations of children applying general safety concepts;
deidentified examples of children’s questions and ideas;
family information and opportunities for input;
educator reflections on access, language and impact;
environmental evidence such as child friendly rights and help seeking information;
staff learning and meeting records;
QIP actions, owners, timeframes and review evidence; and
evaluation showing what changed for children and practice.

Keep disclosures out of program evidence

A disclosure, suspicion or allegation belongs in the confidential child safety reporting pathway. Program evidence may record that child safety concepts were taught, but must not identify or expose a child’s personal safety information.

Practice scenarios

A child refuses to hug a relative at collection.

Support a safe alternative such as waving or speaking. Do not shame or pressure the child. Calmly reinforce that children may choose how they greet someone while adults continue to manage collection and safety responsibilities.

A child names only one trusted adult.

Help the child build a wider network across home, service and community. Practise what to do if that person is unavailable or does not understand, including telling another trusted adult until someone helps.

A child communicates mainly through gesture and pictures.

Provide accessible safety visuals, model communication choices and ensure familiar adults recognise the child’s individual signs of yes, no, discomfort and help. Spoken language is not a condition of being heard.

A child makes a concerning statement during a group discussion.

Respond calmly and move the conversation to a safe private context without pressing for detail. Follow child safety reporting requirements and secure records. Do not include the statement in the group program display or learning story.

The program records that children completed a body safety activity.

That shows an activity, not impact. Add deidentified evidence of children’s understanding, educator reflection, access adjustments, family communication, next steps and how consistent practice is being embedded across routines and relationships.

Choose the safest response

Select the best educator response to each situation. All three must be correct before the certificate can be unlocked.

A child says no to a non essential hug.

A child identifies one trusted adult who is sometimes unavailable.

A child’s comment may be a disclosure.

Complete all three decisions.

Required learning activity

Apply the learning to your workplace

Write each response in your own words. Do not include children’s names, family names, incident details or other identifying information. Draft responses are saved only in this browser on this device.

1. Describe one everyday decision in your role where the paramount consideration should change or confirm what you do.

2. Identify how children currently learn and practise personal boundaries, voice and help seeking in everyday routines.

3. Explain how children with different communication, sensory, cultural and developmental needs can participate and raise concerns.

4. Identify one practical action that would strengthen child safe culture, adult practice or evidence of implementation at your service.

Knowledge check

Answer all questions. A score of at least seven out of eight is required.

1. What does the paramount consideration require? Children’s interests are considered after operational needs. Children’s safety, rights and best interests are prioritised in every decision and action. Only the approved provider needs to consider child safety.

2. How should a safe refusal of non essential touch be handled? Respect it and offer an appropriate alternative. Require compliance to teach politeness. Ignore it when an adult requested the touch.

3. Why should children identify several trusted adults? So one adult can approve the others. Because adults are always available. So they can keep seeking help if one person is unavailable or does not listen.

4. What counts as children’s voice? Words, gesture, behaviour, play, drawing and communication systems. Spoken group responses only. Only views agreed with by adults.

5. Who remains responsible for preventing and responding to harm? Children after they receive safety education. Adults and the organisation. Families only.

6. What should happen if a child makes a possible disclosure? Add it to the learning story. Ask the group whether it has happened to them. Listen calmly, protect, record securely and follow reporting requirements.

7. What does inclusive child safety education require? Adapted communication and access while retaining the child safety right. Excluding children who cannot join group discussion. One standard script for every child.

8. Which provides stronger evidence of implementation? A purchased poster alone. Program evidence, children’s understanding, family information, reflection and reviewed QIP actions. An educator stating the topic was covered.

Policies and official resources

NERPSA service policies

Current child safety, conduct, interactions, inclusion, complaints, reporting and privacy requirements.

Open policies

Staff Resources

Current program resources, reporting procedures, family information and implementation tools.

Open Staff Resources

Updated VEYLDF

The current Victorian framework, outcomes and practice principles for professionals working with children from birth to eight.

Open the VEYLDF

Paramount consideration

ACECQA prompts for protective behaviours, personal boundaries, unsafe situations and help seeking.

Open ACECQA guidance

Empowerment and participation

Victorian guidance for creating meaningful participation and taking children’s rights seriously.

Open the guide

Child Safe Standard 3

Requirements for rights, participation, sexual abuse prevention information and child friendly ways to raise concerns.

Open Standard 3

Completion requirements

Before recording this course as complete, staff should have:

read each module;
considered the practice scenarios;
completed all three interactive decisions correctly;
completed all four workplace reflections;
achieved at least seven out of eight in the knowledge check; and
generated and submitted the combined completion record through the NERPSA Document Submission Form.

Print your course result and certificate

The print button unlocks after the interactive activity and knowledge check are completed successfully.

Full name

NERPSA service or work area

Role

I confirm that I completed this lesson and assessment myself, the reflections are my own, and I have not included unnecessary identifying or confidential information.

Complete the activity and knowledge check to unlock your certificate.

Save the certificate as a PDF or print and scan it, then submit it through the Document Submission Form on the Forms page in the NERPSA Connect App or Staff Resources website.

This submission is the only acknowledgement required. Please do not email the certificate.

Children learn safety through what adults teach and do

Consistent language matters, but everyday experience matters more. Children are safer when adults respect boundaries, provide accessible ways to speak, take concerns seriously and act protectively.

Children’s Safety, Rights and Best Interests