The Australian Government, in partnership with states and territories, is delivering a comprehensive package of reforms to strengthen child safety across the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector.
Since mid-2025, the Australian Government has invested $226 million in national child safety measures and, in coordinated action with states and territories, introduced legislative, regulatory and workforce reforms designed to:
- strengthen protections for children
- increase transparency for families
- improve accountability across the sector.
These reforms build on the commitment made by Education Ministers in August 2025 to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every child in ECEC remains a shared national priority.
Over the past 12 months, governments have:
Passed national child safety legislation
The Early Childhood Education and Care (Strengthening Regulation of Early Education) Act 2025 makes quality and safety a key requirement for services and providers seeking or maintaining CCS approval. It gives the power to suspend or cancel CCS funding if a centre is not meeting quality, safety and other compliance requirements. The legislation also expanded powers to publicise information about compliance actions taken against providers, which increases transparency and encourages compliance.
The Early Childhood Legislation Amendment (Child Safety) Act 2025 introduced the most significant strengthening of child safety requirements in ECEC since the National Quality Framework (NQF) began in 2012. Key regulatory reforms include broadening the range of responses available for addressing misconduct, increasing maximum penalties and infringements, and expanding the powers of regulators.
Many other key reforms are detailed below.
Established a National Early Childhood Worker register
A new $45 million national register for early childhood workers is now in place. By mid-2026, more than 96% of approved ECEC services had entered their workforce details. This is helping regulators see who is working in the sector and where, so they can respond more quickly to child safety risks. More features and improvements will be added over the coming years.
Rolled out mandatory national child safety training
National child safety training is now mandatory for everyone working in services regulated under the NQF. The training helps staff understand their legal obligations, strengthen safeguarding practices and reduce harm to children.
Foundation training is available now and advanced training will be available from 31 July 2026. To date, over 290,000 staff have completed the foundation training.
Strengthened working with children checks
Governments have introduced stronger working with children check requirements, including mandatory checks before a person can start work in an ECEC service and new reporting requirements when a worker's status changes.
Governments are also progressing nationally consistent reforms to make child safety stronger and more consistent across Australia. This includes investment of $37 million over five years to develop a National Continuous Checking Capability to improve information sharing and identification of risks across jurisdictions.
Restricted the use of personal mobile devices
All states and territories have introduced bans or restrictions on the use of personal devices while educators are working directly with children. These restrictions build on nationally agreed guidance to promote child safe practices when taking, storing and sharing images and videos.
Commenced a national CCTV assessment
A national assessment involving more than 300 services is underway to examine the use of CCTV in ECEC settings to enhance child safety outcomes. The assessment is considering ethical, safety and operational issues and will provide evidence to inform nationally consistent guidance for the sector.
Increased unannounced site visits
The Australian Government strengthened its compliance powers to allow authorised officers to conduct unannounced service visits and compliance checks.
Since November 2025, more than 1000 unannounced site visits have been conducted to help identify and address potential safety and compliance risks.
Reviewed child supervision and safeguarding practices
Governments commissioned a rapid assessment into safeguarding practices across the sector. The review examined how existing child safety requirements are implemented in practice, including how services supervise children and apply safeguarding measures. The report was accepted by Education Ministers in February 2026.
Tripled maximum penalties for breaches
Maximum penalties under the National Law and National Regulations were tripled from 1 January 2026. The change ensures penalties better reflect the seriousness of misconduct and provide a stronger deterrent against behaviour that places children at risk.
Increased transparency for families
Families can now access more information through StartingBlocks.gov.au, including regulatory visits, enforcement actions and conditions placed on services and providers.
Linked safety standards to wage increase
From July 2027, services that are not meeting Quality Area 2 (Children's Health and Safety) under the National Quality Standard may have worker retention payment funding cut or suspended.
The government will continue to work with services that are not regulated under the NQF (such as IHC services) to ensure consistency with quality standard requirements.
Started work on an ECEC commission
The Australian Government is working with states and territories to consider the potential establishment of a national ECEC commission. This work responds to the Productivity Commission's recommendation to strengthen governance and stewardship of Australia's ECEC system.
Learn more about quality and safety in ECEC.