Early childhood teachers union backs new safety legislation, calls for stronger protections

The Independent Education Union of Australia (IEU) has endorsed new federal legislation aimed at improving safety in early childhood education and care (ECEC), welcoming the proposed withdrawal of government funding from providers that repeatedly fail to meet safety standards.

Carol Matthews, Secretary of the IEU’s NSW/ACT Branch, said the union supported tough action against services that prioritise profits over the wellbeing of children.

“The IEU supports cutting federal funding from providers that do not prioritise child safety and those that put profits ahead of the children they care for,” Ms Matthews said.

The legislation, introduced in federal parliament this week by Education Minister Jason Clare, empowers the Commonwealth to revoke funding from services that fail to comply with safety and quality standards after receiving formal warnings.

The union also welcomed the government’s broader child safety agenda, which includes a nationwide educator register, mandatory training, and improved reporting mechanisms for staff who are legally required to report concerns.

“Staff in the sector need mandatory training in their obligations and assurance of a safe mechanism for making a report when they are legally required to do so,” Ms Matthews said.

The IEU has called for compulsory training for all early childhood providers to support the creation of genuinely child-safe environments.

While the union supports the development of a national educator register, it has requested clarification around how this will apply to degree-qualified early childhood teachers who are already required to hold registration under existing state legislation.

Ms Matthews also raised concerns about the manipulation of educator-to-child ratios by some providers, warning this practice undermines adequate supervision and increases the risk of safety breaches.

“While CCTV has its place, it is no magic bullet,” she said. “It cannot be installed in bathrooms or baby-change areas, and it is no substitute for a strong culture of child safety supported by well-trained, properly paid staff.”

Reports from union members indicate that educators are increasingly burdened by non-teaching tasks such as cleaning and excessive paperwork — responsibilities the union argues detract from the core focus of educating and caring for children.

“Regulations must enhance the delivery of early childhood education and care, not reduce its quality,” Ms Matthews said.

The IEU reiterated its longstanding position that improvements in educator pay, working conditions and professional development are essential to lifting standards and embedding a culture of safety across the sector.

“Our members have always pushed for better pay, conditions and training to ensure higher standards of early childhood education and a strong culture of child safety,” Ms Matthews said.

As education ministers prepare to meet to discuss a national reform package, the union’s message is clear: legislation must be accompanied by systemic change, robust regulation and genuine support for the educators at the heart of the sector.

Read the full media release from the Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch here.