Victorian Greens call for independent watchdog amid renewed concerns over early childhood safety

The Victorian Greens have intensified calls for a dedicated, independent watchdog to oversee early childhood safety, following revelations that government warnings from the Commission for Children and Young People were ignored.

Anasina Gray-Barberio, Victorian Greens spokesperson for Early Childhood, said the current system lacks the oversight and resourcing necessary to prevent harm and ensure accountability across early childhood education and care (ECEC) services.

The Commission for Children and Young People, while acknowledged as performing critical work, is not empowered to oversee the system as a whole. It is limited to post-incident investigations often after children have already been harmed.

“Right now, Labor marks its own homework,” Ms Gray-Barberio said, referring to the Department of Education’s dual role in funding and regulation. “There is no independent oversight and no one to hold the department to account when the system fails.”

The Greens are calling for a new, independent statutory body with powers to:

• Monitor and review the Department of Education’s regulatory functions
• Investigate systemic failings in early childhood settings
• Publicly report on safety, compliance and enforcement outcomes
• Ensure that identified risks are followed up and addressed

Crucially, the proposed body would be guaranteed long-term funding and independence, and operate transparently in the public interest.

The renewed push comes amid frustration over the delayed release of key documents relating to child safety and regulation in the ECEC sector. The Greens say the government failed to produce materials requested in Parliament by the deadline last week.

“It’s heartbreaking that the warning signs were there, and Labor was told but they did nothing,” Ms Gray-Barberio said. “It’s devastating to think what might have been prevented if action had been taken sooner.”

The Greens’ proposal comes at a time of heightened national scrutiny around early childhood regulation, following recent legislative changes introduced by the federal government aimed at improving oversight and safety in the sector.

While those changes provide additional powers to withdraw funding from non-compliant services, critics argue that structural issues, including inconsistent regulation, limited data transparency, and under-resourcing of existing oversight bodies remain unresolved.

“Child safety cannot be an afterthought,” Ms Gray-Barberio said. “We need an independent watchdog with the authority and resources to ensure no child falls through the cracks.”

Read the full media release from the Victorian Greens here.