Staff Code of Conduct

Educators must demonstrate the Public Sector Values, which are upheld by the Department of Education (the department). These are:

• Responsiveness
• Integrity
• Impartiality
• Accountability
• Respect
• Leadership
• Human Rights.

They must also:

• follow this code and the Child safety code of conduct
• follow the Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees, which sets out the behaviour employees must show, in line with community expectations
• interact with the community in a professional and respectful way
• act as a positive role model and contribute to a positive, professional workplace
• provide a safe and inviting environment for children (including by following the Child safety and wellbeing policy)
• take reasonable care of their own health and safety
• take reasonable care of the safety of people who may be affected by their actions (or failures to act) at work
• cooperate with any actions taken by Early Learning Victoria to follow health, safety and wellbeing requirements
• report or take further action (‘escalate’) about any suspected or disclosed child safety concern, in line with the Protecting children policy
• be proactive in getting guidance from management if they are unsure or unclear about protecting children from hazards and harm
• meet the requirements of the National Law and Regulations
• respect people’s ethnicities, religions, linguistic backgrounds, nationalities, genders and abilities, and follow the Anti-bias approach policy
• behave respectfully in personal care duties with children, while promoting privacy, children’s independence and agency
• never be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while undertaking workplace duties
• take any parent concerns or complaints to the nominated supervisor
• together with service leaders, notify the Regulatory Authority within 24 hours of a serious incident or notifiable complaint at the service (as detailed in the Incident, injury, trauma and illness policy and the Handling complaints and feedback policy)
• tell their nominated supervisor or manager about any potential or perceived conflicts of interests that could influence their ability to perform their role
• record any conflict-of-interest disclosure in eduPay, including strategies to manage or mitigate risk (see the Conflict of interest policy)
• show professional boundaries in all interactions with children and families of the centre*
• follow the Privacy policy in relation to children’s or families’ personal or sensitive information, including images
• follow the Electronic devices and photography policy for the use of electronic devices for taking photos and images, and for the use of personal electronic devices
• follow relevant OHS policies and procedures in relation to staff wellbeing, health and safety
• understand that serious breaches of this code will be deemed ‘misconduct’ and may lead to disciplinary action.

* This includes not babysitting for families, whether paid or not. The exception is someone minding a member of their own family. Staff must not provide personal contact details, attend families’ events and celebrations, or connect or interact with families on social media. The only connection on social media allowed is in Early Learning Victoria approved posts and in Early Learning Victoria service-related contact with families via Kidsoft.

In addition to the responsibilities listed for educators, nominated supervisors must:

• make sure all staff know their role and responsibilities under the Staff code of conduct
• make sure all staff meet the requirements of their role
• make sure discrimination, harassment, bullying or bias is identified, not tolerated, and managed in line with the relevant policies
• prioritise reflective practice and continuous learning for all staff
• develop a culture that promotes positive interactions and constructive feedback
• ensure adequate supervision and compliance checks of contractors, visitors and agency-employed staff members
• make sure records are held of all compliance checks
• make sure the code of conduct is discussed regularly (such as in team meetings) to reinforce expectations
• report or take further action (‘escalate’) any suspected or disclosed child safety concerns, in line with the Protecting children policy
• support team members and ensure the Regulatory Authority is notified within 24 hours of a serious incident or notifiable complaint at the service (as detailed in the Incident, injury, trauma and illness policy and the Handling complaints and feedback policy)
• escalate 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
• escalate or seek guidance from the area manager or relevant Early Learning Victoria executive if unsure or unclear about the protection of children from hazards and harm
• start disciplinary action in the event of misconduct or a serious breach of the Code of conduct or Child safety code of conduct, in line with the Guidelines for managing conduct and unsatisfactory performance in Early Learning Victoria centres
• make sure children and families can access abuse-prevention programs and information.

The approved provider must:

• give the nominated supervisor and staff clear guidance on how to carry out their duties and responsibilities (through policy, practices and other communications)
• embed accountability practices to meet all regulatory and safety requirements in the centre
• build a positive workplace culture in which everyone is treated with dignity and respect
• provide a safe and inclusive environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation (promoting psychological safety)
• develop a culture of accountability in which staff hold one another to account about their professional behaviour and conduct
• make sure child safety is embedded in the organisation’s leadership and culture
• notify WorkSafe about any reportable incidents in the workplace, contacting the OHS service officers for further information.