Parents welcome national childcare safety reforms

STATEMENT

February 27,  2026

Parents welcome national childcare safety reforms

Parents across Australia will welcome today’s announcement by Education Minister Jason Clare and Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh, on behalf of all Commonwealth, state and territory education ministers, introducing new national safety measures across early childhood education and care.

The introduction of a National Early Childhood Worker Register, mandatory child safety training for educators and centre leaders, stronger compliance action against unsafe providers, and the decision to close staffing loopholes that weakened supervision rules together represent important progress toward restoring trust in the system.

These reforms recognise what families expect — that every childcare service is properly staffed, educators are supported to identify and respond to risks, and governments act quickly when children’s safety is compromised.

Closing the so-called “under the roof” loophole and clearly defining adequate supervision is a particularly important step to ensure educator-to-child ratios work in practice, not just on paper.

Today’s coordinated action by education ministers shows governments are listening to parents and working together nationally to lift safety standards across the sector.

But reform can’t stop here. The steps taken so far have made early learning safer, but without consistent national oversight, enforcement will remain uneven and quality standards will continue to depend on where a family happens to live.

Australia needs a National Early Childhood Commission to embed consistency, strengthen accountability and ensure transparency across the sector. A national commission would help guarantee that every service meets the same high standards of quality and safety, while also supporting the long-term viability of the sector.

Safety and quality must go hand in hand with sustainability. Enforcing the rules and supporting the workforce must be properly funded so families aren’t left paying higher fees simply to ensure services meet the standards their children deserve.

Every child deserves access to safe, high-quality early learning delivered by a well-supported workforce. Today’s decision is an important and welcome step toward that goal.

Georgie Dent
CEO, The Parenthood

The Parenthood is Australia’s leading parent advocacy organisation, representing families nationwide and working to make early childhood education and care safer, more affordable and accessible for every child.