Foundational National Educator Register to provide greater visibility and accountability across ECEC

A new national educator register is being developed to strengthen workforce oversight and visibility in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector.

Commissioned by Education Ministers and led by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), the foundational National Educator Register is designed to give regulatory authorities a clearer understanding of who is working in the sector and where.

Slated for testing in December 2025, with mandatory use from February 2026, the register will support regulators to monitor, identify and respond to workforce-related risks, and provide approved providers with a streamlined system for meeting staffing record requirements under the Education and Care Services National Law.

What will the register include?

Hosted within the existing National Quality Agenda IT System, the foundational register will not require educators to individually register or apply. Instead, approved providers will be responsible for entering and maintaining relevant data for all staff, including:

• Identity and contact details
• Role and service location
• Employment start/end dates
• Qualifications held or in progress
• First aid and other approved training
• Working With Children Check (or equivalent) numbers and expiry dates
• Teacher registration status (if applicable)

This includes educators, students, volunteers, teachers (whether registered or not), family day care educators and assistants, nominated supervisors, coordinators, and non-educator staff.

A shift toward national workforce cohesion

While the register is not a formal licensing system, its creation marks a step toward a more unified national workforce profile, addressing longstanding concerns about the lack of visibility and cohesion in educator data. It is also expected to support:

• Streamlined compliance and auditing for providers
• Enhanced policy planning and workforce forecasting
• Improved risk monitoring and safeguarding of children

Importantly, ministers have also asked ACECQA to scope the longer-term potential of evolving the foundational register. Future phases to be informed by sector consultation and subject to ministerial approval, may explore options such as:

• National ID verification
• Integration with Working With Children Checks
• A full national registration scheme for educators

What happens next?

The register is currently in development, with further guidance for approved providers to be released ahead of testing in December 2025. Its phased rollout will be supported by legislative amendments mandating participation under the National Law.

For many in the sector, the foundational register represents a significant move toward greater professional recognition, workforce integrity and systemic consistency. It reinforces the sector’s commitment to ensuring that those working with children are appropriately qualified, recorded and accountable, while also reducing duplication and administrative burden for providers.

More information is available on the ACECQA website: www.acecqa.gov.au