Thanks to our wonderful friend, supporter and incredible author, Jayneen Sanders as well as Consent Parenting for creating this list of very useful questions you can ask your child’s child care centre and/or school. Originally shared on Jayneen’s instagram here.
There has been such hideous, unthinkable tragedy all over the news recently about abuse happening in child cares around Australia. Please be diligent and ensure the child care has every possible caution in place so this is never something happening to you and your child.
Please make sure you check out Jayneen’s website here to find many useful publications and resources to help you share important messages to the children in your life.
Questions you can ask your child’s child-care centre and school
- Is there a code of conduct for staff and other parents?
- What checks are undertaken when employing staff and bringing in volunteers including other parents?
- What is the ratio of child to adult?
- Is a child ever left alone with an adult and out of view of others?
- Does the service have a specific approach to seeking references from recent employers?
- Does the service have a social media policy about how it manages children’s privacy?
- Is training provided to staff about the tactics of perpetrators ie grooming of a child for sexual abuse, current statistics, what to do if there is a disclosure and reporting policies re peer on peer abuse?
- Is there training on how to listen and act on children’s expression of concern and/or noticing red flags in children?
- In Australia, do staff receive training in the National Child Safety Standards and how often is this training reviewed and updated?
- Is there a clear complaints policy?
- Do the staff know their obligations under mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse?
- Do the staff know what procedures to follow if they suspect or know of an adult sexually abusing a child?
- Do staff feel fully supported by management to express concerns about a child or an adult’s behaviours (including colleagues and other parents)?
- Do the children receive key body safety and consent skills?
- Do staff receive training in the language of body safety and consent and how to interact with children in a way that is respectful of the child’s body autonomy?
- Do parents have access to body safety and consent resources and presentations?
- What are bathroom safety policies and supervision of younger children who need help with toileting?
