Code of conduct for families

Early Learning Victoria welcomes all families, no matter their background or situation.

We work with families as partners. We also believe that all adults in our centres should follow a high standard of behaviour. This includes treating everyone equally and with respect.

Together, we can ensure that all children, families and staff feel safe, welcomed and included.

1. Scope

This policy applies to children, families, staff, management and visitors of Early Learning Victoria centres. This includes volunteers, students on placement and contractors or labour hire employees of Early Learning Victoria.

2. Policy statement

This Code of conduct for families sets out the behaviour we expect from families, carers and other visitors to Early Learning Victoria centres.

Adults in Early Learning Victoria centres should be respectful of others. This includes children, staff and other members of the community.

We also expect staff to follow high standards. These follow the Victorian Public Sector values of Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights.

These values are a good model for all adults at Early Learning Victoria centres, including families.

2.1 Requirements

Early Learning Victoria has a duty of care to all children attending its centres. This means staff must take all reasonable steps to protect children from harm or any hazard likely to cause injury.

The Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010(opens in a new window) (National Law) and the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011(opens in a new window) (the Regulations) set out the type of spaces children need to learn and grow safely.

These spaces need to:

encourage children to express themselves and their opinions
offer children activities that build their independence and self-esteem
maintain the dignity and rights of each child
guide children’s behaviour in a positive way
take account of the family and cultural values, ages and abilities of each child.

As an employer, Early Learning Victoria must provide a safe and respectful workplace. This includes a workplace that is free from discrimination.

If staff learn of any behaviour that affects the health, safety or wellbeing of children or staff, the person responsible may be denied entry or asked to leave the centre.

3. Actions and procedures

All families and visitors should help make Early Learning Victoria centres safe, welcoming and inclusive.

Everyone should treat staff, families and children with respect. They should promote a positive and supportive space and respect people’s privacy.

Families also need to support their child's learning and care. This includes talking openly with educators, sharing any worries about child safety and following the rules for drop-offs and pick-ups.

Unacceptable behaviours and consequences

How you behave towards someone can affect their health, safety and wellbeing.

Unacceptable behaviour can include:

violence or threats of violence (this includes aggressive gestures or invading personal space)
rude, aggressive, or threatening behaviour (in person, via email, social media, or phone)
sending demanding, rude, or threatening messages
discriminatory or derogatory remarks (that is, remarks about someone's personal traits, such as their gender or cultural background) including on social media
using social media to make inappropriate or threatening remarks about the Early Learning Victoria centre, staff, or children.

If parents or carers behave unacceptably, the nominated supervisor will contact the person to try to find a solution.

If a solution can’t be found, the people involved may be asked to attend a mediation or counselling session. Other steps can include written warnings, exclusion from the Early Learning Victoria centre grounds, reports to Victoria Police, or legal action.

Relationships with families outside of Early Learning Victoria centres

Early Learning Victoria staff must not babysit for families, whether paid or unpaid (this does not include if the child is a family member).

They must not provide personal contact details, attend families’ events, or connect with or interact with families on social media.

There is one exception. The only time they may interact on social media is in Early Learning Victoria-approved posts and in Early Learning Victoria service-related contact with families on Kidsoft.

3.1 Responsibilities of families and visitors

All families and visitors need to:

respect the rights of all children and staff
commit to the safety and wellbeing of all children at the centre
treat everyone equally and with respect and dignity
value diversity and not harass or discriminate against others
always act as positive role models
not take or be affected by alcohol, tobacco or other drugs when attending Early Learning Victoria centres (see the Preventing exposure to tobacco, e-cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs policy)
support children to connect with each other as they learn to build positive relationships
use polite and appropriate language (do not swear or use insulting, harassing or offensive words)
ensure they and their children raise any concerns, frustrations or feedback in a respectful way
ensure personal devices that can take images or videos are away and out of sight when entering children’s rooms and the outdoor play area
ensure they do not take any images or videos of children, including their own, during the educational program or special events
always maintain the confidentiality and privacy of children and their families
ensure they do not post photos or videos online that include other children (no photos or videos should be taken unless advised, see the Electronic devices and photography policy)
follow the Handling complaints and feedback policy to make a complaint or provide feedback about the centre or a staff member.

Aggressive, bullying or intimidating behaviour will not be accepted.

3.2 Responsibilities of staff

All centre staff need to:
- provide a safe environment for children and others at the centre
- follow the Staff code of conduct policy
- support families to follow this policy
- communicate professionally and respectfully
- act as a positive role model and contribute to a professional workplace culture
- show professional boundaries in dealings with children and families at the centre.
All staff must also make sure they do not accept any requests for babysitting (whether paid or unpaid). They must not give out personal contact details, attend families’ events or connect with or interact with families on social media (as outlined above).
The nominated supervisor must:
- provide a safe environment for children and others at the centre
- ensure that families know their duties under this policy
- develop a culture that promotes positive interactions and useful feedback
- ensure that discrimination, harassment, bullying or bias in the centre is identified, not tolerated, and managed in line with the relevant policies
- take a family’s concern or complaint to the area manager or Early Learning Victoria central staff, as relevant, following the Handling complaints and feedback policy
- ensure that children and families can access programs and information about preventing abuse
- support educators and other staff members to keep appropriate boundaries with children and families at the centre
- support team members and ensure that the Regulatory Authority is notified within 24 hours of a serious incident or notifiable complaint at the centre (as detailed in the Incident, injury, trauma and illness policy and the Handling complaints and feedback policy).
The approved provider must:
- give the nominated supervisor and other staff clear guidance on how to do their duties. This includes through providing and explaining policies and practices
- put in place accountability practices that meet all regulatory and safety requirements
- create a positive workplace culture where everyone is treated with dignity and respect
- provide a safe and inclusive environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation
- support centre staff to handle inappropriate behaviour that risks the safety or wellbeing of children or staff
- develop a ‘culture of accountability’. This means staff hold each other to account for their professional behaviour
- ensure that child safety is part of the organisation’s leadership and culture
- ensure staff can access an employee assistance program (part of supporting their wellbeing).

4. Resources

Legislation and standards

Relevant legislation and standards include:

Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006
Child Safe Standards
Children, Youth and Families Act 2005
Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005
Disability Discrimination Act 1992
Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
Equal Opportunity Act 2010
Fair Work Act 2009
Fair Work Regulations 2009
National Quality Standard, quality area 2: Children’s health and safety
Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017
Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001
Sex Discrimination Act 1984

Anti-bias approach policy
Child safety and wellbeing policy
Electronic devices and photography policy
Handling complaints and feedback policy
Positive relationships, interactions and behaviour support policy
Preventing exposure to tobacco, e-cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs policy
Privacy policy
Staff code of conduct policy

Definitions

Bullying: Bullying is any repeated behaviour that harms someone. Bullying can be verbal, physical, social or psychological behaviour. It usually involves the misuse of power by a person or group towards others. Bullying may happen when a person or people deliberately and repeatedly upset or hurt another person, or damage their property, reputation or social standing. Examples of bullying could include:

behaving aggressively
teasing or practical jokes
pressuring someone to behave inappropriately
excluding someone from work-related events
making vexatious allegations (accusations that are not based on fact and unlikely to succeed) against another party
spreading rude or inaccurate rumours about someone.

Discrimination: When a person, or a group of people, is treated badly or unfairly because of their background or certain personal characteristics that are protected by law.

Harassment: When someone is demeaning, derogatory, or intimidating towards another person. Harassment includes:

racial taunts
taunts about sexual orientation or gender identity
sexual harassment (unwelcome physical, verbal or written behaviour of a sexual kind)
repeated insulting remarks.

Education

Updated 19 December 2025