Victoria is set to roll out a state-based Early Childhood Workforce Register this August—but sector advocates are raising red flags over critical exclusions that may undermine the very purpose of the reform.

In the wake of devastating safeguarding failures, the Albanese Government has introduced legislation granting federal authorities new powers to respond to serious breaches in early childhood settings. Centres that pose harm to children or flout standards may face public exposure, funding loss, and closure—all within a 30-day compliance window.

Under a new bill, centres that seriously breach standards will have one month to rectify issues before losing taxpayer-funded subsidies. While framed as a grace period to avoid sudden shutdowns, critics worry that such leniency could prolong children’s exposure to risk.

Charged with 73 counts involving eight children aged five months to two years, Brown now faces potential additional charges, as investigators continue to compile evidence. The latest court update granted police an extension until December to finalize their hand-up brief. 

The sector is reeling. Again. This week, Queensland authorities confirmed two separate cases of workers with known child harm risks employed at childcare centres—one a young male charged with indecent treatment of a child, the other a convicted sex offender maintaining grounds at his wife’s service. These are not isolated failures. They represent systemic cracks that now gape wide open.

In recent weeks, over 1,300 parents tuned in to a national safety webinar after confronting reports of abuse in early learning centres. The heartbreaking question echoed across the country: “Is my child safe?” For educators, this isn’t just a headline—it’s a summons to take action.

The recent announcement that three Melbourne families are launching legal proceedings against G8 Education marks a pivotal moment in Australia’s childcare crisis. With over 250 families now engaged with legal representatives and one educator charged with 70 offenses against infants and toddlers, this case isn’t just about individual accountability—it’s about exposing the fault lines in our safeguarding systems.

In July 2025, ABC’s 7.30 program aired explosive allegations that Southern Cross University’s 10-month Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education had become a “”crisis”—recruiting thousands of students, cutting corners on placements, and risking child safety. The university’s swift response highlights both the scale of workforce pressures and the urgent need for systemic safeguards.

In New South Wales, a disturbing trend is emerging: early childhood education students are paying thousands of dollars for contract cheating services—outsourcing assignments to third parties, often via encrypted platforms like WhatsApp. Some are reportedly using these fraudulent qualifications to fast-track visa approvals and bypass the very training meant to prepare them to support, nurture, and educate our youngest citizens.

Recent charges against two childcare workers in Western Sydney have reignited critical conversations about child safety, supervision practices, and compliance structures in early learning centers. On June 26, a 17-month-old child was allegedly assaulted twice in separate incidents on the same day—each involving a different educator—raising concerns about how such occurrences go undetected.

We’ve built a sector where “under the roof” staffing logic can mask supervision breakdowns. Where ratios are met on paper, but no one is actively watching. Where a child can be harmed twice in one day—and no one notices until it’s too late.

We need to stop pretending that minimum standards are enough. Because they’re not. Children deserve active supervision, not passive headcounts. Educators deserve clear protocols, not vague staffing models.