National Early Childhood Worker Register: commencing 27 February 2026

The introduction of the National Early Childhood Worker Register from the 27 February, has signalled a significant shift in workforce oversight across early childhood education and care (ECEC).

Established by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), the Register forms part of broader child safety reforms under the National Quality Framework (NQF). Rather than creating new categories of workers or replacing existing compliance requirements, the reform digitises and centralises workforce information that approved providers are already required to maintain.

For service leaders, the focus now shifts to readiness, governance oversight and process integration.

The Register will operate within the National Quality Agenda IT System (NQA ITS) and record key information about individuals working in ECEC services across Australia.

It is designed to give regulatory authorities clearer national visibility of:

• who is working in the sector
• where individuals are engaged
• workforce participation patterns across jurisdictions
• potential risks that require regulatory response.

Importantly, the Register does not function as a rostering system. It records employment or engagement periods at a service level, including start and end dates, rather than daily attendance.

The reform aligns with national child safety objectives and strengthens information sharing across regulatory authorities.

The introduction of the Register does not remove or replace existing obligations under the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations.

Approved providers must still:

• verify educator qualifications and training
• maintain staffing records
• confirm Working With Children Check or Vulnerable People Check validity
• comply with prohibited persons requirements
• meet all recruitment and screening responsibilities.

The key change is that core workforce information will now also be entered and maintained within the national system.

This elevates workforce record accuracy from a service-level compliance matter to a nationally visible accountability measure.

For boards, Approved Providers and centre managers, the Register reinforces the importance of strong workforce governance under Quality Area 4, Staffing arrangements.

Accurate documentation of:

• qualifications
• employment dates
• role classifications

Screening currency will become even more critical, particularly as data will be visible to regulatory authorities nationally.

Services with informal or inconsistent HR documentation processes may need to strengthen systems before implementation.

A structured workforce records audit is a sensible starting point. This should confirm that:

• all educator and staff files are complete and current
• qualification records align with declared status
• employment start dates are accurately documented
• exit processes clearly record end dates.

Services should also clarify who within the organisation will be responsible for Register data entry and updates, and ensure that onboarding and offboarding processes incorporate these requirements.

Embedding these steps into existing HR workflows will reduce compliance risk and administrative burden once the Register is operational.

The National Early Childhood Worker Register represents more than a technical system update. It reflects a broader national shift toward enhanced child safety oversight and workforce transparency in ECEC.

For service leaders, the reform reinforces three priorities:

• rigorous workforce documentation
• proactive compliance management
• governance-level oversight of staffing risk.

While implementation will require administrative adjustment, the long-term intent is clear, to strengthen child safety and regulatory assurance across the sector.

As the reform progresses, services that treat workforce data as a strategic governance asset rather than a procedural requirement will be best positioned to adapt confidently.

Approved providers and service leaders seeking detailed guidance, implementation timelines and FAQs can access official resources via the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) website.