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Keeping Children Safe in Out‐of‐School‐Hours Care: Perceptions of Staff and Managers of One Provider in Sydney, Australia
Author(s) -
Hadley Fay,
Waniganayake Manjula,
Mevawalla Zinnia,
Jones Catherine,
Blythin Suzanne,
Beauchamp Diana
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
child abuse review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1099-0852
pISSN - 0952-9136
DOI - 10.1002/car.2683
Subject(s) - child protection , focus group , harm , government (linguistics) , perception , work (physics) , best practice , public relations , medical education , professional development , nursing , psychology , medicine , political science , sociology , social psychology , engineering , mechanical engineering , linguistics , philosophy , neuroscience , anthropology , law
This study explores perceptions of child abuse and child protection matters involving staff working in the out‐of‐school‐hours care (OSHC) sector. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through an online survey, focus group and interviews with staff and managers employed by one organisation that provided OSHC services in Sydney, Australia. This paper reports on their perceptions about implementing mandatory reporting requirements associated with the concepts of ‘significant harm’ and ‘reportable conduct’. The aim of this paper is to engage OSHC stakeholders, including government, in reviewing child protection policies and practices to support educators in their work with children. Key findings indicate the inadequacy of available training, and the importance of relationships and communication between stakeholders, especially OSHC and school staff. This requires systemic change including raising the status of OSHC and the critical role that these educators have in supporting children's development, learning and wellbeing during the early years of school. Key Practitioner Messages It is important that leadership supports educators to engage in respectful partnerships with families and schools to ensure child protection, and thereby child wellbeing and learning outcomes Training in supporting children's safety and wellbeing in OSHC is critical. There is a need for a systems approach to OSHC services which places children's development, learning and wellbeing at the forefront of professional practice.‘Explores perceptions of child abuse and child protection matters involving staff working in the out‐of‐school‐hours care (OSHC) sector’