At Brenbeal, our philosophy is to provide rich learning experiences.

Confident Children  〰️ Safe Environments  〰️ Connected Communities 〰️

Confident Children  〰️ Safe Environments  〰️ Connected Communities 〰️

We believe children are…

  • Unique, strong, capable and resilient lifelong learners.

  • Equals, and should be treated fairly, regardless of gender, ability, background or beliefs.

  • Entitled to make choices, take risks, and participate at their own pace.

  • Able to develop healthy habits through physical activity and nutritious food.

  • Innately inclined to play as it is the natural and most effective way of learning.

With families we…

  •  Recognise and value parents as their child's first and most important teachers.

  • Support smooth transitions between rooms and on to school.

  • Honour and respect their diverse cultures and values.

  • Partner in centre decision-making and shared leadership.

  • Share practical parenting strategies and child development knowledge.

  • Provide opportunities to engage with and contribute to children's learning.

Educators commit to…

  • Prioritising children's safety and wellbeing, creating a secure and nurturing environment.

  • Implementing a high-quality educational program guided by the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF) and the National Quality Framework (NQF). Our Playwork Approach, which maximises opportunities for rich and meaningful play.

  • Nurturing and mentoring each child by listening and responding to their voice.

  • Respecting children's rights and advocating for their emotional, physical and social needs.

  • Supporting children to connect with nature, modelling and promoting sustainable practices.

  • Investigating all child safety incidents, reporting any allegations of abuse as required by law, and sharing information to safeguard the well-being of children in our care.

  • Engaging in ongoing learning, critical reflection and continuous improvement. Celebrating each other's strengths and working together to elevate the profession.

With communities we…

  •  Acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation.

  • Work towards Reconciliation through the actions of our Reconciliation Action Plan. Embrace and celebrate diversity in all its forms.

  • Mentor Early Childhood students and new graduates entering the profession. Share knowledge through networking with other early learning services.

  • Build strong relationships with local schools to support transition.

  • Partner with allied health professionals to support children with additional needs or from vulnerable backgrounds, fostering their growth in a safe and inclusive environment.

  • Support vulnerable groups in the wider community through raising awareness and charitable donations, fostering children's care, empathy, and social responsibility.

OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY

Child Safety

Brenbeal Children's Centre is committed to child safety and wellbeing. We want all children to be safe, happy, supported and empowered.

We recognise that the physical, emotional, psychological and cultural safety of children is fundamental to their learning and development. Everyone working at Brenbeal shares responsibility for creating an environment that reflects the Victorian Child Safe Standards and promotes a culture where child safety is always at the centre of our practice.

We have zero tolerance for child abuse. All allegations and safety concerns will be treated seriously, responded to promptly, and managed consistently with our legal obligations and robust policies and procedures.

Two young boys with curly hair smiling and standing close together on a playground, holding onto yellow bars.

We are committed to:

  • The safety, participation and empowerment of all children

  • Listening to children and taking their views seriously

  • Supporting families to raise concerns safely

  • Identifying risks early and reducing or removing them

  • Meeting our legislative responsibilities to report and respond to child safety concerns

IMPORTANT

If you believe a child is at immediate risk, phone 000.

  • Children are active participants at Brenbeal. We empower children by involving them in decisions that affect them, especially in ways that are meaningful and child-friendly. We encourage children to express their views, participate in decision-making, and raise concerns in ways that feel safe and supportive.

    We promote diversity and inclusion, and all children are welcomed and respected. In particular, we are committed to:

    • Promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

    • Supporting children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds

    • Ensuring children with a disability or additional needs are safe and able to participate equally

    • Supporting children experiencing vulnerability or those unable to live at home

  • This commitment applies to all staff members, volunteers, students and contractors at Brenbeal. All staff and volunteers are required to uphold our Code of Conduct, which outlines expected behaviours, responsibilities and professional boundaries when working with children.

  • Child safety is everyone's responsibility. Brenbeal provides ongoing training to ensure all staff and volunteers understand the Child Safe Standards, can recognise indicators of abuse or harm, know how to respond appropriately to concerns, and are supported to create culturally safe environments. New staff and volunteers receive induction and regular supervision to ensure safe and appropriate practices are consistently maintained.

  • Brenbeal has strong recruitment practices to reduce the risk of child abuse by new and existing staff and volunteers. We clearly communicate our commitment to child safety, conduct rigorous reference checks and screening, require Working with Children Checks for all staff and volunteers, and actively encourage applications from Aboriginal people, people from diverse backgrounds, and people with a disability.

  • The safety and wellbeing of children is our highest priority. All decisions relating to recruitment, incident responses and disciplinary actions are evidence-based, documented, thorough and consistent, and respectful of the rights of all involved. We record all allegations, incidents and safety concerns securely and provide updates to families as appropriate.

  • Brenbeal respects the privacy and confidentiality of all individuals involved in child safety matters, including children, families, staff and volunteers. Information is handled sensitively and only shared when necessary for child safety or as required by law.

  • Brenbeal takes its legal responsibilities seriously and complies with all relevant child safety legislation, including failure to disclose obligations, mandatory reporting duties, failure to protect requirements for people in authority, reportable conduct obligations to notify the Commission for Children and Young People, and duty of care responsibilities.

  • Brenbeal has risk management procedures in place to proactively assess risks in physical environments, daily routines and supervision practices, online and digital environments, and excursions and community activities.

  • Brenbeal takes all concerns, complaints and allegations seriously. We have clear and accessible processes to ensure children, families, staff and volunteers know what to do if they feel unsafe, who to speak to, and how complaints are handled. All allegations of abuse are investigated promptly and reported to relevant authorities as required by law.

  • Further information about the Victorian Child Safe Standards is available from the Department of Health and Human Services child safe resources and the Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP).