New National Register to strengthen oversight of early childhood education workforce

Early Childhood Worker Register to improve risk monitoring and sector accountability.

A new National Early Childhood Worker Register is being introduced to enhance regulatory visibility of the early childhood education and care (ECEC) workforce across Australia.

The Register will enable regulatory authorities to identify and respond more effectively to risks by providing greater oversight of who is working in education and care settings, and where. The initiative forms part of broader reforms aimed at improving workforce safety, integrity and child protection.

In its initial phase, the Register will support the existing functions of regulatory authorities by improving their ability to monitor individuals across services, including where they move between employers or jurisdictions.

Approved providers will be required to enter and maintain information on the Register for:

• Educators (including FDC educators and assistants)
• Non-educator staff
• Volunteers and students
• Teachers (whether or not registered with a teacher regulatory body)
• Nominated supervisors
• Coordinators
• Family Day Care (FDC) educator assistants

Importantly, this requirement extends to all individuals working in or with an approved service, not just those in teaching or leadership roles.

While many of these workforce details are already captured in staff and educator records under National Law obligations, the Register will centralise this information, making it more accessible for regulatory authorities.

Further details on specific data requirements and record-keeping processes are expected to be outlined in accompanying guidance material.

An Information Sheet – Early Childhood Worker Register has been published to help services understand the new requirement, along with dedicated FAQs tailored for:

• Educators and other staff
• Approved providers
• Families and the community

To meet this requirement, approved providers are recommeneded to:

• Review and update staff record-keeping systems to align with Register requirements
• Ensure all relevant personnel are included in Register entries
• Monitor for further updates from ACECQA and state or territory regulatory authorities

The Register represents a key step toward a more consistent, transparent, and child-safe early learning system across jurisdictions.