The Sector responds: child safety reforms welcome, but deeper structural change is essential

The Albanese Government’s newly announced suite of child safety measures mandating 24-hour reporting of abuse, banning vapes in services, and introducing tighter technology use has been broadly welcomed by the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector. 

However, education professionals, advocates and families say the reforms do not go far enough to address the deeper, systemic issues affecting child safety and service quality.

The reforms, agreed to by all states and territories, arrive amid intense scrutiny of the ECEC sector following the release of thousands of regulatory documents in New South Wales Parliament. These documents have exposed cases of abuse, neglect, poor supervision, and inconsistent compliance with Working With Children Checks (WWCC).

While these measures signal progress, experts caution that they are piecemeal fixes to a system requiring structural repair.

While any measures to strengthen protections for children are necessary, sector voices are increasingly calling for more substantial action particularly the introduction of a national WWCC system, independent oversight of the National Quality Framework (NQF), and stronger enforcement mechanisms for providers that fail to meet quality and safety standards.

In September 2024, the Productivity Commission recommended the establishment of a national childcare commission, an independent body tasked with overseeing quality, access, affordability and safety in early learning.

The Albanese Government’s latest reforms also do not include a review of the National Quality Standard (NQS) or the role of the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), despite mounting evidence that regulatory inconsistencies are undermining the system’s intent.

ECEC professionals continue to report widespread concerns around staffing, training, supervision, and the effectiveness of regulatory responses. Many are frustrated by the disconnect between policy and practice.

Recent survey data collected from NSW educators reveals that over one-third of respondents had avoided reporting serious child safety concerns for fear of retaliation. Others reported being penalised after raising legitimate issues.

Chronic workforce shortages, unsafe educator-to-child ratios, and over-reliance on casual and underqualified staff continue to undermine safe, high-quality provision. 

Reports of educators being left alone with groups of children during routine breaks illustrate the fragility of frontline safety measures.

In 2022–23, inadequate supervision was the second most frequently breached requirement under the National Law, underscoring concerns that basic safeguards are being compromised by staffing pressures and budgetary decisions.

While mandatory reporting reforms are a step forward, experts caution that policies alone cannot shift entrenched cultures. The presence of policies and codes of conduct does not guarantee action or accountability, particularly when staff feel unsupported in raising concerns.

Georgie Dent, CEO of The Parenthood, notes that “surveillance alone will not protect children in a system that too often rewards cost-cutting and corner-cutting.” Dent and other advocates continue to push for funding reform, consistent national oversight, and a rights-based framework that places children’s safety and wellbeing at the centre of service delivery.

Stakeholders across the sector have highlighted a range of proposals that could help strengthen safety and quality outcomes in early childhood education and care. These include:

• Exploring the development of a national, portable Working With Children Check framework
• Reviewing the scope and enforcement mechanisms of the National Quality Standard
• Enhancing workforce capability through targeted investment in training, support and wages
• Ensuring regulators are adequately resourced to respond to serious breaches
• Considering options for independent oversight of service quality, governance and safety

As National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollands recently stated: “Child safety should never be compromised for commercial or government administrative reasons. Currently, we are taking unacceptable risks with the safety of our youngest citizens.”

The Sector remains committed to supporting the implementation of effective, evidence-based reforms that uphold the rights and safety of every child and ensuring that ECEC professionals are equipped, respected and supported in delivering this responsibility.