The National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) is dedicated to promoting and protecting the interests of Australian women, including in intellectual, cultural, political, social, economic, legal, industrial and domestic spheres, and ensuring that the aims and ideals of the women’s movement and its collective wisdom are handed on to new generations of women. We are a feminist organisation, independent of party politics and working in partnership with other women’s organisations. In our advocacy work, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of Country throughout Australia and pay our respects to their elders past and present.
Background
The issue of children’s safety in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services has become a central issue for Australian governments and parents around Australia following the arrest of two educators charged with numerous cases of child sexual abuse in Queensland in August 2023 and Victoria in May 2025, and two charged with assault of a toddler in New South Wales in July 2025. An ongoing Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) investigation into child safety in the ECEC sector has been the main source of publicly available information on incidents of abuse and follow up.
We note that the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) published a Review of Child Safety Arrangements under the National Quality Framework (Child Safety Review) in December 2023. Following a consultation period which closed in June 2025, a Decision Regulation Impact Statement (DRIS) was published in mid-August 2025. Federal, state and territory governments have responded with a raft of measures and are working on joint initiatives to improve child safety. Our understanding is that options agreed by Education Ministers in August 2025 will proceed to legislation through the Victorian Parliament (as the host jurisdiction of the National Law) for adoption by other jurisdictions. Timeframes for legislative amendments to take effect will be determined by Education Ministers. Legislation was also introduced and passed by the Australian Parliament in July 2025 to address a number of key issues relating to child safety and quality in ECEC in Australia, regulation, compliance and training.