At present, “under the roof” ratios are not yet formally abolished in law, but Education Ministers announced in February 2026 that they intend to remove this practice. ACECQA has flagged that ratios will soon be required per room, with educators counted only when physically present and supervising children.

Until the National Law and Regulations are officially amended and ACECQA issues binding guidance, services using service‑wide calculations are not breaching current regulations, provided they maintain adequate supervision.

On July 15, educators are once again being called to walk off the job, demanding a 15% wage increase. It’s a familiar rallying cry, one we’ve heard in previous years, with little lasting change. Yet while wages matter, the government has already acted through the gender pay equity evaluation, with increases scheduled over the next five years. The real crisis isn’t pay. It’s ratios.

Every abuse case, every supervision failure, every moment when educators are stretched too thin points to one undeniable truth: without safe ratios, children are at risk and educators are set up to fail. Walking off for wages already promised risks missing the bigger fight. If we want to transform early childhood education, protect children, and restore trust, our collective energy must shift toward demanding ratio reform.

Every time a shocking case of child abuse surfaces, the sector braces for another wave of reactionary policies. Device bans, endless training modules, and compliance paperwork pile up on educators who already uphold professional standards. Yet none of these measures address the core issue: ratios.

Education Minister Jess Walsh has announced today that the government is banning the unsafe business practice of misuse of “under-the-roofline” ratios. For many educators, this statement feels like a long-awaited victory. Yet the choice of wording — misuse — leaves room for interpretation, and that ambiguity deserves closer scrutiny.

At the end of 2026, the early childhood sector is still waiting for ratio reform. Despite years of advocacy, despite mounting evidence, and despite repeated calls from educators, families, and sector leaders, ratios remain unchanged. Everything else seems to be happening—new frameworks, reporting requirements, compliance checks—but the most fundamental safeguard, the number of adults available to protect and nurture children, is still overlooked.

As 2026 winds down, educators across Australia are asking the same question they’ve been asking all year: Why haven’t ratios been addressed?

Despite months of advocacy, countless submissions, and direct feedback from the floor, the issue remains untouched. Ratios, the single most urgent concern raised by educators, have been sidelined in favour of training modules, registers, and compliance tweaks.

Yes, we’ve seen movement in workforce pay, child safety training, and regulation. But the one thing that determines whether educators can actually keep children safe, supported, and emotionally secure—staffing ratios and group sizes is still being tiptoed around.

To Decision-Makers in Education and Care,

I write to you as an educator and advocate for the safety and well-being of children and staff in early childhood education.

Educator ratios must be upheld at all times, including during care tasks unless supervision is compromised, in which case coverage is legally required. Here’s a guide to help educators understand their rights and responsibilities around ratios and supervision, with more examples and direct links to authoritative sources.

In early childhood education, ratios are more than numbers. They are the heartbeat of safety, connection, and quality care. Yet across Australia, educators are sounding the alarm: current ratios are failing both children and staff. The sector is bleeding talent, and the emotional toll is mounting. It’s time to reform ratios—not just to meet minimum standards, but to honour the dignity of every child and the well-being of every educator.

In the wake of child abuse allegations and the rollout of policies like Four Eyes, early childhood educators are being asked to be more present, more vigilant, and more accountable. But presence alone is not enough. True safeguarding requires witnessing—not just watching. To witness is to be emotionally attuned, relationally responsive, and ethically grounded. It means seeing the child not as a subject of supervision, but as a whole person—worthy of affirmation, protection, and care.