Meli welcomes government reforms aimed at improving child safety across the early childhood sector.
At Meli, the safety and wellbeing of children and young people is our highest priority. We are committed to continuous improvement and support reforms that close loopholes, enhance oversight and ensure consistent national standards.
“As the region’s largest provider of kindergartens, we take our responsibility for providing a safe environment for children to learn very seriously,” Meli Chief Executive Officer Robyn Hayles said.
The Victorian Government has announced a set of sweeping reforms aimed at addressing systemic failures in child safety, following a review into Victoria’s childcare and early education sector. Key recommendations include:
- Establishment of a New Independent Regulator to oversee safety and standards, replacing the current fragmented oversight system
- Overhaul of the Working With Children Check (WWCC) including mandatory child safety training for applicants, and lowering the threshold for cancelling or suspending WWCCs
- Improved information sharing to prevent predators from slipping through the cracks, and
- A comprehensive national register of childcare workers to track misconduct and improve recruitment practices.
“Child safety is embedded in our culture, practices, decision-making and recruitment processes. These reforms will complement our internal efforts and help create a safer environment for all children,” Ms Hayles said.
“We balance our commitment to child safety with respect for the rights of our staff, and ensure all Meli employees receive comprehensive training, ongoing support and clear guidance to uphold and champion Child Safe practices.
“We look forward to opportunities to work with government on these improvements. Meli strongly supports any measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children is prioritised right across the early childhood sector.”
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