Health and safety self-check
Check children's health and safety at Meeting and Exceeding, then workers' health and safety, using observe, discuss, sight.
Yaga Smart | www.yagasmart.com.au
Psychosocial hazard checklist
Fifteen hazards, written for early childhood and OSHC services. Work through them with your team, rate the risk, and turn what you find into action. It looks at how work is set up, not at any one person.
How to use it
- Work through it with staff, not for them. Consultation is part of managing these risks.
- Talk through the questions under each hazard. Some answers point to a risk and others to a strength, so note what worries you.
- Rate each hazard using the risk matrix.
- Choose your highest risks and agree actions, starting with changes to the work itself, not coping tips. Give each one an owner and a date, come back to it, and tell the team what changed.
Rate the risk
| Likelihood | Low severity | Medium severity | High severity | Extreme severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almost certain | Medium | High | Extreme | Extreme |
| Likely | Medium | High | Extreme | Extreme |
| Occasional | Low | Medium | High | Extreme |
| Rare | Low | Low | Medium | High |
Severity
- Low: distress that passes and settles within the shift, with no treatment or time off.
- Medium: short-term distress, needing EAP or brief GP support and minor adjustments.
- High: a significant stress reaction, needing medical care or days off. A claim is likely.
- Extreme: serious psychological injury, prolonged absence or hospital care, or several workers affected.
Likelihood
- Rare: could happen in exceptional circumstances, and not seen in the past 2 to 3 years.
- Occasional: has happened before, or could reasonably happen each year.
- Likely: happens several times a year, or under predictable conditions.
- Almost certain: recurrent or sustained exposure.
1. Workload and job demands
- Are educators often multitasking across teaching, supervising, cleaning and admin at once?
- Do staff regularly miss meal or rest breaks because of workload?
- Do rooms often run at minimum ratios with no buffer, causing overload?
- Do educators feel constantly rushed, or unable to finish tasks on time?
- Do frequent last-minute changes add stress?
2. Low or monotonous work demands
- Are some staff always given repetitive or low-skill tasks?
- Do educators feel under-stimulated or undervalued in their roles?
- Do tasks match each educator's qualifications and skills?
- Do casual or relief staff often sit idle without meaningful work?
3. Traumatic or distressing events
- Have staff had to manage serious child injuries or medical emergencies?
- Do educators often hear disclosures of abuse or neglect from children?
- Are staff supported after violent or distressing incidents?
- Are debriefing or counselling services available after traumatic events?
4. Role conflict or lack of role clarity
- Are educators given conflicting instructions, such as focus on play but finish the paperwork?
- Are roles and responsibilities clearly explained to new and casual staff?
- Do duties change suddenly, without training or support?
- Are expectations for leadership and room responsibilities clear?
5. Low job control
- Do educators have input into daily schedules and routines?
- Can staff request shift or roster changes when needed?
- Can educators adapt learning activities to children's needs?
- Does micromanagement reduce people's autonomy?
6. Poor support from supervisors or managers
- Do supervisors regularly check in about workload and wellbeing?
- Is constructive feedback given consistently?
- Are educators confident management will support them at peak stress?
- Are leaders available to discuss concerns?
7. Poor co-worker support
- Do team members help each other at busy times, such as meals and transitions?
- Do staff share information and resources?
- Do educators feel isolated, or left alone with challenges?
- Are peer relationships generally positive and supportive?
8. Interpersonal conflict and bullying
- Are there reports of gossip, exclusion or cliques?
- Have staff reported repeated belittling or intimidation?
- Do conflicts between staff escalate without being resolved?
- Are bullying complaints taken seriously and managed promptly?
9. Workplace violence or aggression
- Have families or visitors behaved aggressively towards staff?
- Does children's behaviour, such as biting or hitting, put educators at risk of harm?
- Are staff trained to respond to violent or aggressive incidents?
- Are procedures in place to protect staff from threatening behaviour?
10. Harassment, including sexual harassment
- Do staff report inappropriate comments or treatment based on gender, race or age?
- Have there been incidents of unwanted physical contact or harassment?
- Is there a clear way to report harassment?
- Do staff feel safe to complain without fear of retaliation?
11. Inadequate reward and recognition
- Are staff efforts regularly acknowledged?
- Do educators feel their contributions are valued?
- Are extra responsibilities, such as mentoring new staff, recognised?
- Are professional development opportunities offered fairly to all staff?
12. Hazardous or demanding physical environment
- Are noise levels in rooms and outdoor areas monitored and managed?
- Are shade, ventilation and air conditioning adequate for staff comfort?
- Are educators exposed to illness without proper protective measures?
- Do staff often do physically demanding tasks, such as lifting, bending and cleaning?
13. Remote or isolated work
- Do staff often work alone without immediate support?
- Are there safe ways to check in with isolated staff, such as when working late?
- Can help arrive quickly in an emergency?
- Do staff on early or late shifts feel unsafe or unsupported?
14. Poor procedural justice
- Are policies and rules applied consistently to all staff?
- Do some staff get preferential treatment for shifts or opportunities?
- Are mistakes and issues handled fairly and transparently?
- Do staff trust management to make impartial decisions?
15. Poor consultation about change
- Are staff consulted before major changes, such as rosters, policies or restructures?
- Do educators get clear communication about changes in advance?
- Are staff supported with training or resources when roles change?
- Are changes reviewed for their impact on staff wellbeing?
What we'll do about it
| Hazard | Risk rating | What we'll change | Who owns it | By when | Did it help? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
If someone needs support now, use your Employee Assistance Program if you have one, or call Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call 000.
Based on the NSW Code of Practice for managing psychosocial hazards at work, and the common hazards listed by Safe Work Australia. Read the NSW Code. Checked 31 October 2026.
Important: please read
This tool is general information only, provided free and as is. It is not legal, WHS or other professional advice. It is not an official tool of ACECQA, a regulatory authority or a WHS regulator, and using it doesn't make Yaga Smart your adviser.
You stay responsible for your service's compliance and for the decisions you make. Requirements vary by state and territory and they change, so confirm your obligations with your regulator or a qualified adviser before relying on anything here.
We don't promise this tool is complete, current or right for your service. Using it doesn't guarantee a rating, an assessment result or any regulatory outcome, and it doesn't show that a risk has been managed.
To the fullest extent the law allows, Yaga Smart and its people aren't liable for any loss, damage, cost, claim or penalty that comes from using or relying on this tool, including through negligence. Nothing here excludes rights that can't legally be excluded, including under the Australian Consumer Law. Our terms also apply: www.yagasmart.com.au/terms-and-conditions.
This checklist doesn't replace a risk assessment or consultation with workers. It isn't a clinical or counselling tool. © 2026 Yaga Smart. Free to use within your own service. Please don't resell or republish it.
Want to go further with your team?
We run psychosocial safety training for early childhood teams.
Common questions
What is a psychosocial hazard?
Something in how work is designed, managed or experienced that can cause psychological or physical harm. High workload, poor support, aggression and bullying are common examples.
What are examples of psychosocial hazards in childcare?
Constant multitasking, missed breaks, rooms running with no buffer, distressing incidents, aggressive behaviour from adults, working alone, and change without consultation. This checklist covers 15 hazards in all.
Who has to manage psychosocial risks in a childcare service?
The person conducting the business or undertaking, often the approved provider. They must eliminate the risk where reasonably practicable, or otherwise minimise it, starting with changes to the work itself. Officers and workers have duties too. In NSW, the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025 strengthened these requirements, so check the rules for your state or territory.
Should staff be involved in the check?
Yes. Consulting workers is part of managing these risks, and they usually know where the pressure is.
Does this checklist replace a risk assessment?
No. It helps you start the conversation and see where to look first. Your service still needs to assess its own risks, control them and review them.
Keep going
More free tools
Active supervision shift check
A one-shift check for room leaders: zones, positioning, transitions, handovers and a headcount log.
Read our guide to psychosocial safety · See all free resources