Reaffirming trust and safety: ‘Day One’ leadership amid the NSW ECEC inquiry

The parliamentary inquiry into New South Wales’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector is underway, with key stakeholders providing evidence during public hearings held on 13 and 14 August.

Established on 20 March 2025, the inquiry led by Greens MLC Abigail Boyd is examining key aspects of the state’s ECEC landscape, including:

• the safety, health and wellbeing of children
• the quality of services and developmental outcomes
• educator pay, conditions and workforce capability
• the effectiveness of the regulatory framework and the NSW ECEC Regulatory Authority
• access to training, funding impacts, and the inclusion of children with disability and additional needs

Submissions closed on 30 May 2025, with public hearings now in progress. The sessions on 14 and 15 August addressed sector-wide risks and oversight challenges.

The inquiry identified the ongoing responsibilities of leadership in early learning, highlighting the importance of building and maintaining trust with families and consistently upholding professional standards including:

• Safety and transparency are foundational – From day one, educators and managers play a critical role in creating environments where children feel secure and families remain well-informed.
• Intentional leadership matters – Emerging insights from the inquiry highlight the importance of reflective practice and policies that meaningfully support educators, children and families.
• Reform is a shared responsibility – Genuine progress requires collaboration between practitioners, families, policymakers and regulatory bodies.

While the inquiry reflects the NSW Government’s commitment to strengthening protections in the sector, some educators and peak bodies have raised concerns around the pace and scope of reform. A number of submissions suggest the current approach places disproportionate emphasis on surveillance and enforcement, without adequately addressing systemic challenges such as educator workloads, staffing shortages and funding pressures.

Interim hearings are scheduled through to October, with the next sitting in September. A final report is expected in March 2026.