Yaga Smart WHS

01/10/2026

10/09/2026

Today is R U OK? Day, and it’s an important reminder that the real test of workplace culture is what happens on all the other days.

Some of the most capable, confident people in the room may still be carrying things nobody can see.

Psychological safety is built through daily leadership, such as how people are spoken to, how mistakes are handled, whether concerns are taken seriously, and whether it feels safe to say, “Actually, I’m not OK.”

02/09/2026

Happy Educators’ Day ❤️

To the educators who show up every day with care, patience and purpose — thank you!!

24/08/2026

Body stressing is the leading mechanism of serious workers’ compensation claims in Australia.

And some of the most ordinary parts of an educator’s day can contribute to it.

When floor-level work involves sustained or awkward postures, repetitive movement or force, it can become a hazardous manual task.

So what can services and educators do?

Five practical controls:

1. Services should provide supportive, adult-sized seating in every room. This should be a non-negotiable ergonomic control.

2. Break up prolonged floor-level work and vary your tasks—for example, alternate between floor-based play, standing activities and other duties to avoid staying in the same low posture for extended periods.

3. Change positions regularly—for example, alternate between floor sitting, kneeling, standing and adult-sized seating rather than staying in one posture for long periods.

4. Reduce unnecessary bending, reaching and carrying through better storage and equipment—for example, by relocating heavy and frequently used items from high or low storage levels.

5. Act on discomfort early. Don’t wait for it to become an injury—report recurring back, shoulder, wrist or other discomfort so the task, equipment or work setup can be reviewed and adjusted.

Yaga Smart supports early childhood services with WHS training, hazardous manual task risk assessments, and psychosocial risk management support.

For more information: [email protected]

07/08/2026

Pleased to share that Yaga Smart has joined NEST Network as its exclusive Expert Industry Partner for Work Health & Safety, Safeguarding and Educator Wellbeing.

It is exciting to be part of NEST and to contribute as the network continues to grow.

Welcome to the NEST Family, Yaga Smart!

We're thrilled to welcome Yaga Smart as NEST's Expert Industry Partner for Work Health & Safety, Safeguarding & Educator Wellbeing. 💙

Yaga Smart brings a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to the early childhood sector, supporting services to build safer workplaces, strengthen safeguarding practices and promote educator wellbeing.

As part of the NEST community, members will have access to expert insights, practical resources and professional guidance from Yaga Smart, helping services navigate these critical areas with confidence.

One of the things that makes NEST unique is our commitment to bringing together trusted experts from across Australia, giving Education and Care Services direct access to specialist knowledge, support and collaboration....all in one place.

Please join us in giving Olga and Yaga Smart a very warm NEST welcome! 👏

We're excited to have you on board and can't wait to see the value you'll bring to our members.

Welcome to NEST! 💙🪺

06/08/2026

New ACECQA resource: What adequate supervision looks like in practice

25/07/2026

A major shift in work health and safety: psychosocial hazards are now front and centre across Australia.

Work health and safety clearly includes risks such as:

* excessive workload
* chronic understaffing
* bullying and workplace conflict
* inadequate leadership support
* exposure to aggression or distressing events
* unclear roles and poorly managed change

What does this mean for early childhood services?

Psychosocial hazards may arise from:

* ongoing staffing shortages
* missed breaks and fatigue
* sustained emotional demands
* difficult interactions with families
* fear of making mistakes
* inadequate support from leadership
* exposure to traumatic or distressing incidents

These risks should not be normalised as simply “part of the job”. They require a proper WHS response: identify the hazard, assess the risk, implement effective controls and review whether those controls are working.

All Australian jurisdictions place duties on employers to protect psychological health and manage work-related psychosocial risks. However, the specific legal framework differs.

The model WHS framework generally applies in:

NSW • QLD • SA • TAS • NT • ACT • WA • Commonwealth

These jurisdictions manage psychosocial hazards through WHS legislation, regulations, approved codes of practice and regulator guidance.

Victoria

Victoria does not operate under the model WHS Act. It has a separate occupational health and safety framework, but employers still have duties to provide and maintain a workplace that is safe and without risks to psychological health.

Different frameworks. The same responsibility

General information only. Requirements differ between jurisdictions and may change. Always check the relevant regulator and seek professional advice where appropriate.

20/07/2026

24/06/2026

NSW A&R is changing: inactive periods will be removed, and services will need stronger evidence of ongoing continuous improvement.

Big changes are coming to assessment and rating in New South Wales.

From 2026, enhancements to the assessment and rating process will place a stronger focus on continuous improvement, supporting services to demonstrate how they are progressing over time rather than relying solely on a snapshot in time.

The changes are expected to have significant implications for early childhood education and care providers, educational leaders and service teams across the state.

What could these reforms mean for your service's quality journey?

Read the full story:
https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0-Zrh0