Children’s Commissioner and early learning leaders push for national child safety overhaul after Four Corners

A federal Minister for Children, a national early education commission and consistent child safety training are among proposals put forward following the ABC’s Four Corners investigation.

National Children’s Commissioner Deb Tsorbaris, ten not-for-profit early learning providers and the Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) have called for stronger protections following reports of abuse in early childhood settings.

Their statements condemned the reported harm and expressed concern for affected children and families, with proposals addressing government leadership, regulatory coverage, supervision and funding.

“Children rely on adults and institutions to keep them safe. When safeguards fail, it is children who bear the consequences,” Ms Tsorbaris said.

Commissioner calls for a federal Minister for Children

“Despite children being affected by decisions across multiple portfolios, responsibility for their safety and wellbeing remains fragmented,” Ms Tsorbaris said.

She said a standalone Minister for Children could strengthen national leadership and coordinate action across education, health, child protection, housing, disability and justice.

She called for safeguards that prevent abuse, identify risks early and ensure concerns prompt swift action. Her response also raised concerns about how promptly reports were handled and accountability to families.

National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Sue-Anne Hunter called for adequate funding for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. Ms Tsorbaris similarly highlighted the need to resource community-led services, particularly in very remote locations.

Ten providers seek a national early education commission

In a joint statement, leaders of ten not-for-profit providers called for a National Early Education and Care Commission. They said further coordination was needed across service planning, approvals, workforce entry and regulatory responses.

The group called for government-funded services to operate under the National Quality Framework (NQF), meet qualification and facility requirements, and undergo assessment and rating.

“Changing laws and regulatory actions are important but only go so far,” the joint statement said.

The providers committed to reporting concerns and being open to regulatory scrutiny. They also said providers must ensure educators understand their child safety responsibilities and receive support to meet them.

Signatories included CEO and senior leaders from Goodstart Early Learning, KU Children’s Services, C&K, SDN Children’s Services, BFS Children’s Services, Uniting NSW/ACT, Uniting Vic/Tas, Gowrie NSW, Gowrie and ECMS.

ACA calls for stronger supervision and consistent training

ACA President Paul Mondo urged education ministers to strengthen supervision practices while recognising differences between services and locations. The alliance also called for services outside the NQF to undertake the government-developed mandatory child safety training.

“Every child deserves the same fundamental protections,” Mr Mondo said.

ACA acknowledged that bringing services into the NQF could be complex where geography and community circumstances create different operating conditions. ACA said many services outside the NQF also needed more reliable funding.

SNAICC has separately reiterated its support for nationally consistent standards that recognise culture and sustainable funding for community-controlled services. It explained that some Aboriginal community-controlled services sit outside the NQF but remain regulated by state and territory governments.

Read the Australian Human Rights Commission’s statement here and the joint statement from ten not-for-profit early learning providers here.