Standard 7.1 now explicitly embeds child safety: What “governance” needs to look like in 2026

A subtle wording change in the National Quality Standard (NQS) is sending a clear signal to approved providers and service leaders: child safety is not only a practice matter, it is a governance responsibility.

Standard 7.1 Governance, now states: “Governance supports the operation of a quality service that is child safe.” Alongside it, Element 7.1.2, Management systems now reads: “Systems are in place to manage risk and enable the effective management and operation of a quality service that is child safe.”

Many services already work hard to build child safe cultures. The impact of this change is that child safety is now explicitly “owned” at the governance level, not only at the room level.

ACECQA describes the January 2026 refinements as sharpening the focus on child safety by explicitly referencing child safety in Quality Areas 2 and 7, reinforcing that quality education and care services must be child safe services. 

In practice, this means assessors are more likely to look for evidence that child safety is embedded into governance systems, policies, decision-making, resourcing, oversight, risk management, induction, and continuous improvement, rather than treated as a discrete program or training session. 

The updated wording does not create a single checklist that will suit every service type. It does, however, raise expectations that governance decisions consistently protect children and reduce risk.

Assessors may look for evidence that governance documents explicitly reference child safety, leaders can demonstrate how child safety is embedded in decision-making, and families can see transparent accountability. 

ACECQA’s Quality Area 7 guidance positions governance as the framework that enables ethical, effective operation, including systems and processes that support a service to be child safe. 

For many services, the shift will be less about writing new policies and more about demonstrating that governance is active, systematic and child-safety centred. Consider the evidence trail in these areas:

1) Risk management that clearly includes child safety

Element 7.1.2 now ties “managing risk” directly to operating a child safe service. This invites a stronger line of sight between identified risks (including organisational risks) and the controls in place to reduce them.

2) Policies that match current regulatory expectations

Since 1 September 2025, providers have been required to ensure services have a policy and procedures for the safe use of digital technologies and online environments, and notification timeframes for allegations or incidents of physical or sexual abuse reduced from 7 days to 24 hours.

Even though these changes sit in regulations rather than the NQS, they are closely connected to what “management systems” must now demonstrate under 7.1.2. 

3) Training and induction that reaches beyond “mandatory reporting”

ACECQA’s child safety information highlights a growing suite of tools and reforms, including the NQF Child Safe Culture Guide and NQF Online Safety Guide. Governance should ensure professional learning is planned, consistent, and aligned to service risk, not left to individual educator confidence.

4) Oversight, accountability and decision-making discipline

Standard 7.1 is not about what educators do in isolation, it is about how the approved provider and leadership ensure systems actually work.

Expect increasing focus on: role clarity, escalation pathways, recordkeeping practices, audit readiness, complaints handling, and whether resourcing decisions support safety.

To align with the strengthened intent of Standard 7.1, services can prioritise governance actions that are visible, testable and easy to evidence.

Update core governance documents to reflect child safety explicitly

• Service philosophy and purpose statements can reinforce child safety as central, not peripheral. 
• Strategic plans, risk registers and governance meeting minutes should show child safety considerations in decisions, not just in policies. 

Pressure-test management systems against current requirements

• Confirm digital technology and online safety policies are in place and understood, including expectations about images/video, devices and online environments. 
• Confirm incident response systems reflect the 24-hour notification expectations for physical/sexual abuse allegations or incidents, where required. 

Assessors may look for evidence that leaders can articulate how child safety is embedded in everyday operations.

That evidence can include: induction records, refresher training schedules, supervision plans, communication to families, and critical reflection that leads to improvements.

ACECQA’s child safety hub points services to child safe culture and online safety resources designed specifically for the education and care context. 

Standard 7.1’s updated wording is brief, but its implication is substantial: child safety is now explicitly a governance outcome.

In 2026, strong governance is not only about running a compliant service. It is about demonstrating that the service is organised, at every level, to prevent harm, reduce risk, respond appropriately, and uphold children’s safety and rights as a core responsibility.