Looking ahead: What the ECEC sector can expect in 2026

As 2026 begins, early childhood education and care (ECEC) services across Australia are preparing for a year of substantial reform, focused on strengthening child safety and raising the bar on national standards. Following a series of agreements by Education Ministers in 2025, new changes to the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the Education and Care Services National Law will take effect progressively throughout the year. These reforms reflect the shared commitment of educators, families, communities and governments to place child safety and wellbeing at the centre of early learning environments.

• Amendments to the National Quality Standard (NQS) has seen child safety more explicitly integrated into Quality Areas 2 and 7.

• Penalties for breaches of National Law will increase threefold.
• Regulatory authorities will have broader power to issue infringement notices and impose penalties.

• Children’s safety, rights and best interests must become the paramount consideration in all decisions under the NQF.
• New rules will restrict personal electronic devices in services.
• Child protection and child safety training will be expanded and mandated.
• A new offence will be introduced for inappropriate conduct.
• The threshold for misconduct will broaden, allowing regulatory authorities to act earlier.
• The 'no card, no start' requirement will become consistent nationwide for Working with Children Checks.
• Ongoing waivers for service premises that compromise supervision will be removed.
• The ability of regulatory authorities to monitor and regulate related providers will expand.
• A National Early Childhood Worker Register will be established.

• Persons with management or control of a service
• Nominated supervisors
• Persons in day-to-day charge
• All staff members
• Volunteers and students

• Creating a child safe organisational culture
• Child safe policies and expectations for staff conduct
• Children’s rights, harm prevention and wellbeing

• Guide to the NQF
• Child Safety Guides
• Policy and Procedure Guidelines
• National Child Safety Training
• Geccko Registration