Journal article
Safety First? Parental Concerns, Communication Preferences, and Perceived Adequacy of Safeguarding in Early Childhood Education and Care
Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, Vol.Advanced access
31-Jul-2026
Abstract
Safeguarding in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia has gained increasing public and policy attention, particularly after widely reported abuse cases. Yet less is known about how parents and carers understand safety within ECEC services. Using quantitative survey data from 303 Australian parents and carers of young children, this exploratory study examines enrolment decision-making alongside perceptions of safeguarding risks, confidence in current practices, and expectations about communication. Comparative analysis explores differences between families with and without current experience of formal care. Findings show safety is a central factor in parental engagement with ECEC, alongside practical considerations such as location and proximity to services. Concerns focus mainly on supervision and staff conduct, while access to safeguarding information and confidence in services' ability to prevent and respond to harm vary. The study offers insight into parental perspectives and implications for improving communication and safeguarding visibility across the sector.
Details
- Title
- Safety First? Parental Concerns, Communication Preferences, and Perceived Adequacy of Safeguarding in Early Childhood Education and Care
- Authors
- Bricklyn Priebe (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine CoastNadine McKillop - University of the Sunshine CoastLarissa Christensen - University of the Sunshine CoastSusan Rayment-McHugh - University of the Sunshine Coast
- Publication details
- Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, Vol.Advanced access
- Publisher
- Sage Publications Ltd.
- DOI
- 10.1177/18369391261475447
- ISSN
- 1839-5961
- Copyright note
- © The Author(s) 2026. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
- Grants
- Parents' views on child safety in early childhood and care facilities: Priorities, decisions, and concerns, 0980031455, University of the Sunshine Coast (Australia, Sunshine Coast) - UniSC
- Organisation Unit
- Healthy Ageing Research Cluster; School of Law and Society; Sexual Violence Research and Prevention Unit
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991248798902621
- Output Type
- Journal article