Safeguarding in early childhood education: rights-based, socio-cultural, and ecological perspectives from Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand

Safeguarding is a central ethical and professional responsibility in early childhood education and care (ECEC), grounded in the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. While Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand share commitments to children's rights, limited comparative research has examined how their regulatory systems interpret and operationalise safeguarding within distinct governance contexts. This paper addresses that gap through qualitative document analysis of national policy and regulatory frameworks in the three countries, including recent reforms. Drawing on rights-based, socio-cultural, and ecological perspectives, the analysis explores how each system positions children's safety, agency, and wellbeing, and how educators are expected to enact safeguarding in practice. Findings indicate a shared commitment to children's rights alongside divergent orientations: Australia foregrounds relational pedagogy within quality assurance systems, the United Kingdom emphasises procedural accountability, and New Zealand integrates bicultural principles of collective wellbeing. The study advances a multi-lens understanding of safeguarding as an intersection of rights, relationships, and regulation, offering insights for strengthening coherent and culturally responsive policy and practice in ECEC.