Queensland proposes mandatory early childhood teacher registration from July 2028

Queensland early childhood teachers working in regulated centre-based services would be required to hold professional registration from 1 July 2028 under legislation introduced to the State Parliament.

The Queensland Government’s 29 September announcement says the reform would bring early childhood teachers within the Queensland College of Teachers’ registration framework and affect more than 2,300 kindergartens, long day care centres and preschools.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the changes were intended to strengthen child safety and recognise early childhood teachers as part of Queensland’s teaching profession. The government says most early childhood teachers are already registered. 

For services, the proposal involves changes to employment checks and reporting systems, alongside a broader pathway for recognising early childhood teaching qualifications.

The Education Legislation (Registration of Early Childhood Teachers) Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced on 17 September.

Its published legislative history records introduction and an indicative reprint. The proposed requirements should therefore be distinguished from obligations already in force. 

According to the Department of Education’s sector update, registration is currently voluntary for early childhood teachers in education and care services.

If passed, the legislation would apply to people employed as early childhood teachers in approved centre-based services, including long day care and kindergarten. It would not require every educator or staff member to register as a teacher.

The department identifies family day care, outside school hours care and services regulated under Queensland’s Education and Care Services Act 2013 as outside the reform’s scope. 

The proposal would expand eligibility to include early childhood teaching qualifications approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, or assessed by ACECQA as equivalent, where they are not currently recognised by the QCT.

The department says these qualification changes would begin once the legislation is passed, assented to and the relevant amendments commence. Mandatory registration and associated employing-authority obligations would begin later, on 1 July 2028. 

The Bill also provides for registration restricted to teaching in education and care services. Under its proposed provisions, a teacher whose registration carries an education and care service condition would not thereby be approved to teach in a school. 

Recognition of a qualification is one part of registration. The QCT’s current application guidance explains that assessments also consider identity, English language proficiency and suitability to teach.

Applicants complete the process through myQCT, supply supporting documents and pay the applicable fee. The College may request additional information during assessment. 

The Bill would prohibit employing a person to satisfy an early childhood teaching requirement unless they were registered, subject to applicable National Law waivers or other exceptions.

It would also prohibit services from allowing a registered teacher to teach while their registration was suspended by the QCT or Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Proposed offences would apply to employing authorities and individuals. 

The department says employing authorities would have duties to notify the QCT about prescribed allegations involving harm or risk of harm arising from a teacher’s conduct, investigation outcomes and certain dismissals involving competence concerns. 

For providers, a practical preparation step is to identify which employees fill early childhood teacher roles, check their registration position and plan how recruitment and reporting procedures would accommodate the changes.

Professional teacher registration has a different function from the National Early Childhood Worker Register.

ACECQA’s guidance explains that the national register gives regulators visibility of who works in services and where. It includes teachers regardless of whether they hold professional registration, alongside other workers, students and volunteers. 

Services will need to understand both systems as implementation progresses. The immediate task is to follow the Bill’s passage, assess workforce readiness and await detailed guidance before treating the proposed requirements as settled law.