NSW launches compliance blitz to enforce transparency reforms in early learning services

Early childhood services across New South Wales are facing increased scrutiny as the NSW Early Childhood Regulator enforces new transparency laws introduced to protect children and inform families.

From 6 November 2025, early learning services have been legally required to prominently display their compliance and quality ratings history, a mandate that has already prompted more than 8,000 downloads by families, with over 3,500 in the first 48 hours.

To ensure compliance, inspectors are now conducting unannounced visits at services across the state. Services found not displaying this information risk enforcement action, including potential prosecution. Large providers could face maximum penalties of up to $154,800, with smaller operators facing fines of up to $51,600.

These actions form part of a suite of amendments to the Children (Education and Care Services National Law Application) Act 2010, introduced by the Minns Labor Government to improve child safety, increase service accountability, and rebuild trust between providers and families.

Key reforms under the new law:

• Mandatory display of each service’s compliance and quality history for family access.
• Ban on personal digital devices, including mobile phones, in early learning settings.
• Increased penalties, up to 900 per cent for large providers and 300 per cent for others.
• Expanded enforcement powers for the regulator, including:
  • Immediate compliance action for digital device misuse
  • Authority to suspend or revoke service quality ratings
  • Capacity to issue supervision orders or suspend individual educators
• New offence for inappropriate conduct by anyone working in early childhood education and care
• Extended prosecution timeframes, starting from the date the Regulator is notified
• Strengthened protections for whistleblowers

Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos emphasised the significance of the reforms:

“It’s important that the Regulator is visiting more services, more often, as we work to keep children safe. Transparency is a key component of the Minns Labor Government’s nation-leading reforms and families have the right to know what is happening at their child’s service.”

The compliance blitz follows the most significant safety reforms in NSW early learning in 15 years, implemented in response to a review commissioned by Deputy Premier Prue Car.

These changes signal a regulatory shift in which family access to quality information, educator conduct, and service governance are subject to stronger enforcement and higher expectations.