Dear Crèche Families,
At Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre (NARC), your family's safety and trust are incredibly important to us. As the provider of crèche services at our centre, Bridge Darebin plays a central role in ensuring that your children are cared for in a safe, nurturing, and professional environment.
In light of recent distressing reports in the media involving childcare practices at unrelated centres in Melbourne’s west, Bridge Darebin has issued a formal statement to reassure families of the robust safety measures in place at our crèche.
We are sharing the message in full below, as received from Chris Lombardo, CEO of Bridge Darebin:
Statement from the CEO, Bridge Darebin
At Bridge Darebin Community Childcare and our crèche services at NARC, our number one priority is the safety and well-being of the children in our care.
In response to recent terrible events reported in the media concerning a childcare educator operating at centres in the west, we want to be fully transparent about the systems we have in place to protect our children and ensure that our families can continue to feel safe and supported.
All educators at our service:
- Hold a current, verified Working with Children Check (renewed every 5 years)
- Hold or are actively working toward an Australian-recognised qualification in early childhood education (Certificate III, Diploma, or Degree)
- Maintain current First Aid certification, including Asthma and Anaphylaxis (updated every 3 years)
- Complete CPR training annually
- Complete Child Protection/Mandatory Reporting training annually
- Complete immediate upskilling when new child safe policies or safety procedures are released
In addition, our recruitment, induction, and supervision policies include:
- Daily checks of WWCC validity for all casual educators before their shift
- A comprehensive induction for all staff, which includes reading, understanding and signing our “Commitment to Child Safety Statement”
- Clear expectations around professional conduct, supervision, and safe practice, reinforced by regular feedback and observation
- Strict safeguarding procedures: casual educators are not left alone with children, nor are they permitted to assist with nappy changes or toileting
Bridge Darebin has a zero-tolerance policy for any form of abuse or misconduct. Our Board of Governance is comprised of highly skilled local professionals who remain vigilant regarding compliance across all service areas, including Childcare.
We are committed to maintaining a culture of safety, security, and care. We work closely in partnership with the staff and management at NARC to maintain this high standard.
If you would like further information about our child safety policies or any other matter, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Chris Lombardo
Chief Executive Officer
Bridge Darebin
📧 ceo@bridgedarebin.org.au
If you have any questions or concerns, you are always welcome to speak with a member of our NARC team. We remain committed, together with Bridge Darebin, to upholding the highest standards of care for your children.
Warm regards,
The NARC Team