Education Ministers met in Sydney on Friday 22 August 2025 for a special purpose meeting on child safety in early childhood education and care (ECEC). As part of that discussion, ministers agreed to the reforms outlined in the Decision Regulation Impact Statement (DRIS).
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The agreed reforms:
- were informed by public feedback and cost-benefit analysis
- reflect government and community expectations
- prioritise the safety of children above all else.
Key reforms at a glance
The reforms aim to address critical areas of child safety, including to:
- ensure the safe use of digital devices in ECEC services
- mandate child safety training for all staff, volunteers and students
- establish ‘inappropriate conduct’ as an offence for all staff and volunteers
- enable regulators to proactively share the identity of prohibited individuals and individuals subject to enforceable undertakings with their current approved providers
- broaden the range of regulatory responses available for addressing misconduct
- require individuals to hold a valid working with children check before starting work in an ECEC service
- mandate notification to providers and regulators of any changes to working with children check status
- remove the ability to apply for service waivers related to regulation 115 – premises designed to facilitate supervision
- allow the effective identification, monitoring and regulation of ‘related providers’
- extend the limitation period for offences to enable prosecution to be undertaken
- expand the powers of regulators to gather and share information with/from recruitment agencies
- require assessments of Family Day Care residences to include areas near the FDC residence that may be accessible to children
- enable authorised officers to access areas beyond the FDC service premises for a specific purpose or instance.
National Actions
During the meeting, Education Ministers also agreed on National Actions to strengthen child safety in ECEC services.
Read more about the National Actions
Implementation
Governments will start implementing the reforms in September 2025. Some measures are subject to the passage of legislation later in 2025.
ACECQA, regulators and independent experts will support a smooth transition. They will provide guidance, training and resources to allow adequate preparation.
Public consultation
The DRIS was informed by national public consultation, which closed on 11 June 2025. Deloitte Access Economics facilitated the process on behalf of all governments. Engagement methods included:
- webinars
- focus groups
- surveys
- submissions.
SNAICC – National Voice for Our Children supported cultural safety during the consultations. They contributed to developing the considerations for First Nations peoples for each reform area.