Australia’s Education Ministers have endorsed the next phase of national early childhood education and care (ECEC) reform, agreeing to explore the establishment of an Early Education and Care Commission while progressing further measures to strengthen child safety, workforce quality and regulatory oversight.
Meeting in Parramatta on 15 July, Ministers considered a broad education agenda, but early childhood featured prominently, with discussions focusing on the continued implementation of nationally agreed child safety reforms and the future governance of the sector.
The most significant announcement for the ECEC sector was Ministers’ agreement to explore the establishment of a national Early Education and Care Commission.
If established, the Commission could play a broader role in strengthening safety and quality, providing workforce intelligence, supporting strategic service planning and helping ensure early learning services are located where families need them most.
Ministers also agreed that any future Commission should involve reform of the existing Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), potentially reshaping national governance arrangements across the sector.
A Working Group, co-chaired by the Australian and South Australian Governments, will now develop advice for Ministers ahead of their October meeting, supported by a time-limited expert panel undertaking targeted consultation.
Ministers were updated on the implementation of the nationally agreed child safety reforms announced earlier this year, with almost $500 million committed across Commonwealth and state and territory governments to strengthen quality and safety across the ECEC sector.
Among the updates provided:
- 99 per cent of educators have completed the first round of mandatory National Child Safety Training, with advanced training scheduled to commence later this month.
- Further work will continue on the proposed National Early Childhood Worker Register.
- Ministers agreed to progress reforms relating to educator-to-child ratios, the use of Working Towards Qualifications, enhanced regulatory powers around adequate supervision, and improvements to transparency and fencing safety.
The meeting also heard that the first early learning service has had its Child Care Subsidy approval revoked on safety and quality grounds under legislation introduced by the Australian Government last year.
Ministers also received an update on the extension of the 15 per cent Worker Retention Payment.
The payment will now include an additional condition requiring participating services to meet health and safety requirements under the National Quality Standard, reinforcing the link between workforce investment and quality outcomes.
While many of the announced reforms are already underway, the communiqué confirms that governments remain focused on strengthening national consistency across safety, regulation and workforce capability.
For approved providers, the next phase of reform is likely to include:
- stronger regulatory oversight
- greater workforce transparency
- continued investment in child safety capability
- closer scrutiny of supervision practices
- potential changes to qualification requirements
- a possible new national governance model through an Early Education and Care Commission.
Education Ministers will meet again in October, when they are expected to receive detailed advice on the proposed Early Education and Care Commission, alongside further updates on the National Early Childhood Worker Register, child safety reforms and workforce initiatives.
For the ECEC sector, the next meeting is likely to provide greater clarity on how these reforms will be implemented and what they will mean for providers, educators and families.
Read the full Ministers communique here.
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