Early childhood sector fast-tracked into Queensland’s reportable conduct scheme

Queensland’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) services will be among the first to come under the state’s new Reportable Conduct Scheme, with the Crisafulli Government advancing the sector’s inclusion to commence from 1 July 2026.

The move positions the ECEC sector at the forefront of a three-stage rollout of the scheme, originally planned to include early childhood services by mid-2027. The accelerated timeline brings forward critical protections designed to hold organisations accountable for managing and reporting concerning conduct by staff, contractors and volunteers working with children.

Introduced in response to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the Reportable Conduct Scheme aims to ensure that allegations and incidents involving child harm or misconduct ranging from significant neglect to sexual offences are reported and investigated appropriately. Where a matter may constitute a criminal offence, it must be promptly reported to police.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said the government’s decision to fast-track the ECEC sector was informed by interim findings from the Blue Card Review, launched within the government’s first 100 days.

“We are acting now, based on interim findings in our Blue Card Review, and we’ll continue to deliver the strongest protections in the nation for children,” she said.

Minister Frecklington noted the former government had delayed the sector’s inclusion, with Labor’s timeline placing early childhood services last in the staged implementation.

“We have long held concerns about the failures of the Blue Card system under the former Labor Government,” she added.

As part of the changes, the Crisafulli Government has committed an additional $12.7 million in the 2025–26 Budget to strengthen Queensland’s Regulatory Authority. Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek said the funding would increase capacity for regulatory checks across ECEC services.

“Fast-tracking requirements through the Reportable Conduct Scheme will deliver stronger protections for children,” Minister Langbroek said. “It works hand-in-hand with our recent announcement to implement nation-leading child safety training for all early childhood educators.”

Minister for Child Safety Amanda Camm reinforced the government’s commitment to child-safe organisations.

“Parents should feel confident their children are safe from predators and other dangers when dropping them off at day care,” she said.

The legislative amendments required to enact the changes will be introduced in the Queensland Parliament in the coming months.

Child Death Review Board Chairperson and scheme head Commissioner Luke Twyford welcomed the early inclusion of ECEC services.

“The Reportable Conduct Scheme will give Queenslanders a place to report worrying behaviour that does not meet criminal thresholds,” Commissioner Twyford said.

“This is a significant and critical improvement to the safeguards we have in place. While there is work to do to implement new reporting systems and train staff, I can see no reason to delay the application of this new protection.”

The final report of the Child Death Review Board, which is expected to include further recommendations on system responses to child sexual abuse, is due by the end of the year.

Read the media statement here.