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NSW child-safety watchdog faces rising reportable conduct workload: What the latest data means for ECEC services
Recent NSW media coverage has again put the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) under the spotlight, focusing on whether the state’s child-safety systems are keeping pace with rising allegations and screening demands.
2026-01-16 07:35:37
by Fiona Alston
Policy
Practice
Provider
Quality
Standard 7.1 now explicitly embeds child safety: What “governance” needs to look like in 2026
A subtle wording change in the National Quality Standard (NQS) is sending a clear signal to approved providers and service leaders: child safety is not only a practice matter, it is a governance responsibility.
2026-01-16 07:15:42
by Fiona Alston
Research
Practice
Quality
When heat shapes learning before school: What a major cross-national study means for ECEC practice
Heat management in early childhood services is usually framed as a health and safety issue, sun protection, hydration, rest, and reducing the risk of heat illness. New research suggests it may also be a learning and development issue, with unusually high temperatures linked to lower rates of being “developmentally on track” for some foundational skills in the preschool years.
2026-01-15 08:30:08
by Fiona Alston
Economics
Policy
Provider
Quality
Workforce
Cost of living eased with Three-Day Guarantee
For many Australians, the Three Day Guarantee launched this week may pass quietly in the background, particularly for those not directly engaged in the early learning system... But for families raising young children today and participating in early learning, the Albanese Government’s decision to provide three days of subsidised child care each week for all children, is a tangible and long-overdue step toward easing household pressures through cost-of-living relief.
2026-01-15 07:00:50
by Fiona Alston
Policy
Quality
Practice
Provider
Workforce
NSW signals tougher child safety oversight: what a funding boost to the Office of the Children’s Guardian could mean for ECEC services
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services across New South Wales should expect increased compliance activity after the NSW Government announced additional funding to strengthen the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG), the state’s independent child safety regulator.
2026-01-14 13:45:15
by Fiona Alston
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Sustaining the spark: How early childhood leaders and educators can avoid burnout
2026-01-12 08:00:31
by Fiona Alston
Economics
Provider
Research
Workforce
Australia’s population outlook: What it means for the early childhood sector
2026-01-13 08:00:47
by Fiona Alston
Workforce
Practice
Quality
Setting intentional goals for 2026: Supporting educators to grow, reflect and thrive
2026-01-14 06:46:06
by Fiona Alston
