Sector invited to contribute to national evaluation of CCTV in early childhood settings

Service providers, educators, parents and carers are being invited to share their views on the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings as part of a national evaluation examining the role technology could play in supporting child safety and quality.

The evaluation, being undertaken by KPMG on behalf of the Australian Government, seeks to capture perspectives from across the sector as governments continue exploring potential approaches to strengthening safeguarding measures within ECEC services.

Feedback gathered through the consultation will help inform understanding of both the opportunities and challenges associated with CCTV use in early learning environments.

Balancing safety, quality and privacy

The use of CCTV in ECEC settings has become an increasingly prominent topic in national discussions about child safety, supervision and transparency.

Advocates argue that CCTV may assist with incident verification, support investigations, strengthen safeguarding practices and provide reassurance for families.

Others have highlighted important considerations relating to privacy, data security, consent, workplace culture, educator wellbeing and the practical management of recorded footage.

As governments continue examining potential approaches, policymakers are seeking to better understand how the sector views the benefits, risks and operational implications of CCTV implementation.

The evaluation is intended to ensure a broad range of perspectives are considered before any future policy decisions are made.

Sector feedback sought

Service providers, approved providers, nominated supervisors and educators are being encouraged to participate in the consultation.

The survey explores a range of issues including:

• Potential child safety benefits
• Workforce impacts
• Operational and implementation challenges
• Privacy and data management considerations
• Safeguards and supports that may be required if CCTV were introduced more broadly

The service provider and educator survey is open now and closes on 18 June 2026 and can be accessed here.

Families encouraged to participate

Parents and carers are also being invited to contribute their views through a separate survey.

Governments have indicated that family perspectives will be an important component of the evaluation, particularly in understanding expectations around transparency, child safety and the use of technology within early learning settings.

Services are being encouraged to share information about the consultation through their existing family communication channels to help ensure parent and carer voices are represented.

The parent and carer survey takes less than 15 minutes to complete, responses are anonymous and the survey closes at 6pm AEST on 18 June 2026. The survey can be accessed here.

Part of a broader safeguarding conversation

The consultation forms part of a wider national conversation about child safety, governance and accountability within ECEC services.

Across Australia, governments and regulators have increased their focus on safeguarding practices, child-safe cultures and mechanisms designed to strengthen oversight and protect children.

While CCTV represents only one potential element within a broader safeguarding framework, the evaluation provides an opportunity for those working in and using ECEC services to contribute directly to the discussion.

Additional information can be access on the Department of Education website.