National child safety reforms are reshaping expectations across early childhood education and care (ECEC). While annual third-party outdoor audits are not universally mandated, regulatory direction suggests that minimum compliance may no longer be sufficient. While annual third-party outdoor audits are not yet universally mandated, regulatory direction increasingly suggests that minimum compliance may no longer be sufficient.
The early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector continues to operate in a complex and shifting environment.
Significant changes to award wages and classification structures will take effect across the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector from 1 March 2026. The reforms follow a landmark Fair Work Commission decision addressing gender-based undervaluation and will directly affect services operating under the Children’s Services Award 2010.
Regulator issues emergency action notice following serious transport compliance breaches, reinforcing safe transportation obligations under the National Quality Framework.
Recent media reports have highlighted widespread noncompliance with the new personal smartphone ban introduced in New South Wales, with surprise inspections suggesting around half of services inspected found in breach. Footage aired by 7NEWS showed educators using their phones during shifts, despite the regulations explicitly prohibiting personal device use while caring for children. Further reporting has also noted that while the new rules include significant penalties for non-compliance, there is little publicly available evidence that these sanctions are being actively enforced. This apparent gap between regulatory intent and implementation raises legitimate questions about the consistency and effectiveness of the new requirements in practice.
Australia’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector was the subject of renewed scrutiny at the Senate Education and Employment References Committee hearing on 24 February 2026, with witnesses raising concerns about child safety, workforce pressures and system design under the National Quality Framework (NQF).
A Western Australian approved provider has been fined $20,000 after an eight-month-old child sustained a deep partial thickness burn in a babies room incident involving a bottle warmer.
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