Educators enthusiastically promote road safety education, embedding it into their policies, ongoing programming and partnerships with families. They recognise opportunities for road safety learning that emerge from children’s interests and from talking with children and families about their journeys out and about. Educators learn about children’s travel experiences, their understanding of safe behaviours and the safe travel practices of their families enabling them to connect their road safety program meaningfully with the lives of families.
Educators use excursions to enhance children’s understanding of the world around them, to promote a sense of belonging and to widen community connections. Walking excursions to community events like the annual NAIDOC Week celebrations, family fun days and Koori Christmas celebrations, support connections with family, culture and place, and provide wonderful opportunities for road safety learning. The safety of children on excursions is paramount, with educators maintaining a ratio of one adult to two children and adults actively supervising and holding hands with children to minimise risk on these community walking excursions.
In line with their excursion policy, the centre Director conducts a thorough written risk assessment prior to each outing. Each risk assessment report takes into account all possible hazards and subsequent risks posed to children and adults. Before each community walk educators also read the ‘Here we go walking holding hands’ book the service created and encourage discussion with children about how they keep safe when they are out and about.
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