In this episode, Vanessa Hextall of Junior Adventures Group Australia gives her insights on child safety in a post-COVID world, and balancing protection with new learning opportunities.
Our Expert Vanessa Hextall
Vanessa Hextall is the General Manager of Risk & Quality Service Development at Junior Adventures Group, with over 15 years of experience in education management, specializing in compliance, risk management, and multi-site leadership across Long Day Care, OSHC, and VET. Skilled in strategic planning and coaching, she is passionate about driving quality and innovation. Born and raised in Southwest Sydney with Argentinian heritage, she has a deep love for football and an energetic, problem-solving mindset. Outside of work, she enjoys watching her kids' soccer games, hiking, and jet skiing with family and friends.
About Junior Adventures Group
Junior Adventures Group (JAG) is a global leader in Outside School Hours Care (OSHC), dedicated to enriching children's lives beyond the classroom. Serving over 90,000 children across more than 1,000 partner schools worldwide, JAG offers programs that foster growth, learning, and joy, ensuring every child thrives in a nurturing environment. Their portfolio includes OSHClub, Helping Hands Network, Primary OSHCare, JAG UK, Sherpa Kids, and sKids NZ, each committed to delivering high-quality care and engaging experiences. With a passionate team and a global reach, JAG integrates the best educational practices to support each child in realizing their full potential.
In this episode we cover:
- The evolution of safeguarding post-COVID
- Challenges in child behaviour and social connections
- Balancing safety and risk in childcare
- Advice for aspiring educators
A sneak peek inside the episode:
"While safety is non-negotiable, we also need to acknowledge the critical role that risky play has in building resilience, problem-solving, skills, and confidence. The key is managed risk - not eliminating risk entirely, but ensuring that it's developmentally appropriate and properly supervised at the same time."
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