Staff Code of Conduct policy

Educators are responsible for:

• adhering to the Code of Conduct for Victorian Public Sector Employees, which outlines employees’ obligations of behaviour in accordance with community expectations
• demonstrating the Victorian Public Sector Values, which are upheld by the Department of Education (the department):
  • Responsiveness
  • Integrity
  • Impartiality
  • Accountability
  • Respect
  • Leadership
  • Human Rights
• demonstrating professional and respectful communication with members of the centre’s community, acting as a positive role model and contributing to a professional workplace culture
• providing for children a safe and inviting environment where they are protected from harms or hazards
• maintaining a safe environment for children by following the Child safety and wellbeing policy
• taking reasonable care for their own health and safety and the safety of others who may be affected by their actions (or omissions) at work
• cooperating with any actions taken by Early Learning Victoria to comply with health, safety and wellbeing requirements
• reporting or escalating any suspected or disclosed child safety concern in line with the Protecting children policy
• actively seeking guidance and direction from management if they are unsure or unclear about the protection of children from hazards and harm
• meeting the requirements of the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 and Regulations and the National Quality Standards
• respecting individuals’ and families’ ethnicities, religions, linguistic backgrounds, nationalities, genders and abilities, and following the Anti-bias approach policy
• behaving respectfully when engaging in personal care activities with children, and promoting children’s independence and agency
• not being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while undertaking workplace duties
• escalating any parent concerns or complaints to the nominated supervisor
• together with centre leadership, notifying the Regulatory Authority and the relevant Early Childhood Improvement Branch of the department 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
• disclosing to their nominated supervisor or manager any potential or perceived conflicts of interests that could influence their ability to perform their role, and recording disclosure in eduPay, documenting strategies to manage or mitigate risk (see the Conflict of interest policy for more information)
• demonstrating professional boundaries in dealings with children and families at the centre. Notwithstanding family relationships, staff must not undertake paid or unpaid babysitting for families, provide personal contact details, attend families’ events and celebrations, or connect or interact via social media platforms, apart from in Early Learning Victoria-approved posts and in centre-related contact with families via Kidsoft (see the Early Learning Victoria Staff Handbook for more information on how to respectfully decline online or in-person contact with families)
• adhering to the Privacy policy in relation to children’s or families’ personal or sensitive information, including images
• following relevant OHS policies and procedures in relation to staff wellbeing, health and safety
• understanding that serious breaches of this code will be deemed as misconduct and may result in disciplinary action.

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

• ensuring that all staff are aware of their role and responsibilities under the Staff code of conduct policy and meet the requirements of their role
• ensuring that discrimination, harassment, bullying or bias in the centre is identified, not tolerated, and managed in line with the relevant policies
• prioritising reflective practice and continuous learning for all staff and developing a culture that promotes positive interactions and constructive feedback
• ensuring adequate supervision and compliance checks of contractors, visitors and agency-employed staff members, and that records are held of compliance checks conducted
• ensuring that the code of conduct is discussed at regular intervals (such as in team meetings) to reinforce expectations of performance
• reporting or escalating any suspected or disclosed child safety concerns, in line with the Protecting children policy
• supporting team members and ensuring that the Regulatory Authority and the relevant Early Childhood Improvement Branch of the department 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
• escalating a family’s concern or complaint to the area manager or Early Learning Victoria central office staff, as relevant, following the Handling complaints and feedback policy
• escalating or seeking guidance from the area manager or relevant Early Learning Victoria executive if unsure or unclear about the protection of children from hazards and harm
• commencing disciplinary action in the event of misconduct or serious breach of the Code of conduct policy, in line with the Guidelines for Managing Conduct and Unsatisfactory Performance in Early Learning Centres
• ensuring that children and families can access abuse-prevention programs and information.

The approved provider is responsible for:

• providing and communicating clear guidance through policy and practices for the nominated supervisor and staff to carry out their duties and responsibilities
• embedding operational practices of accountability to meet all regulatory and safety requirements in the centre
• building a positive workplace culture in which all members of the community are treated with dignity and respect
• providing a safe and inclusive environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation
• developing an accountability culture in which staff hold one another to account regarding professional behaviour and conduct
• ensuring that child safety is embedded into the organisation’s leadership and culture
• notifying WorkSafe of any reportable incidents in the workplace and contacting the OHS service officers for further information.