Queensland Government leads national child safety reform in early childhood sector

The Queensland Government has reaffirmed its national leadership in child safety reform, announcing a suite of new measures to strengthen protections for children in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings.

Following a meeting of State and Territory Education Ministers, Queensland Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek confirmed the Crisafulli Government’s endorsement of a national reform package, including the introduction of a national register for early childhood educators and a trial of CCTV cameras in childcare services.

The reforms build on Queensland’s existing commitments under what Minister Langbroek described as “the strongest child protection framework in the nation”, which includes the Queensland Commission of Inquiry, a Review of the Blue Card System, and the fast-tracked implementation of a Reportable Conduct Scheme set to commence in July 2026.

In addition to backing national initiatives, Queensland has announced a new $3.7 million investment to expand protective behaviours training and education programs delivered in partnership with the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) and Autism Queensland. These programs aim to empower children, families and educators with the skills and knowledge to identify and respond to potential risks in supportive, inclusive ways.

Further state-based initiatives include:

• $12.7 million over four years for an additional 29 full-time early childhood regulatory officers to focus on compliance and enforcement.
• $20 million investment in Queensland’s early childhood workforce strategy, targeting recruitment, development and retention of skilled professionals.
• A national partnership with the Australian Centre for Child Protection to co-develop Australia’s first formal child safety training package for the ECEC workforce.

Minister Langbroek said the reforms stemmed from broad public consultation and aim to address critical areas of child safety such as digital device use, staff conduct and mandatory training.

“Queensland welcomes the additional agreed national actions to further strengthen child safety and quality including a CCTV assessment and National Early Childhood Educator register,” Minister Langbroek said.

“Queensland has proudly spearheaded the push for a national register and these reforms reflect our commitment to making Queensland a leader in child safety across all early childhood settings.”

He confirmed that sector engagement will continue through a forthcoming Child Safety Roundtable, inviting ECEC stakeholders and peak bodies to contribute to future planning and implementation.

“Our commitment is reflected in The Review of System Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that is currently underway. We look forward to receiving and acting on those recommendations in the coming months,” Minister Langbroek added.

The Crisafulli Government has also pledged to bring forward legislation this week to establish the Queensland Community Protection and Public Child Sex Offender Register. This move is part of a broader agenda to place the safety and rights of children, families and victims at the centre of public policy.

The new reforms come amid a wider national push to embed child safety measures consistently across jurisdictions, ensuring every child in Australia is safe, supported and able to thrive.

For the full media statement and further details, visit here.