National Child Safety Training – Courses 3 & 4 Now Available

Written by Lorina
August 3, 2026
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Mandatory child safety courses 3 & 4 are now available. Educators must complete practice and systems training to strengthen safeguarding culture.

Early childhood educators across Australia are now required to complete Course 3 (Child Safety in Practice) and Course 4 (Strengthening Systems and Culture) under the National Child Safety Training framework. These modules, released on 01 August 2026, are mandatory for leadership roles and staff working directly with children. They build on foundation training and prepare the sector for advanced training (Course 5).

This article explains who must complete Courses 3 and 4, outlines course content and outcomes, and clarifies compliance requirements under the National Law and National Quality Framework (NQF).

Who Must Complete Courses 3 and 4

Courses 3 and 4 are mandatory for educators in leadership and frontline roles. These modules ensure that those with direct responsibility for children, or oversight of services, have the skills and systems knowledge to safeguard effectively. By requiring completion across these roles, the framework guarantees consistency in practice and accountability across the sector.

Persons with management or control (PMC)
Nominated supervisors
Persons in day-to-day charge
Staff working directly with children

Course 3: Child Safety in Practice

This course moves educators beyond awareness into applied safeguarding. It focuses on the everyday realities of working with children and equips staff with practical strategies to identify and respond to risks. By embedding safety checks into daily routines, educators can act decisively and confidently when safeguarding concerns arise.

Practical scenarios educators may face in services.
Identifying early warning signs of risk.
Responding appropriately to disclosures or concerns.
Strengthening everyday routines with safety checks.

Outcome: Educators gain confidence in acting on knowledge, ensuring child safety is embedded in daily practice.

Course 4: Strengthening Systems and Culture

This course shifts the focus from individual practice to service-wide systems. It ensures that child safety is not just the responsibility of individual educators but is embedded into the governance, policies, and culture of the service. By strengthening communication pathways and linking practice to the National Quality Framework, services can create a consistent safeguarding culture across all staff.

Building strong reporting and escalation pathways.
Embedding safety into policies, procedures, and governance.
Encouraging open communication with families and communities.
Linking practice to QA2 (Children’s Health and Safety) and QA5 (Relationships with Children) under the National Quality Framework.

Outcome: Establishes a system‑wide safeguarding approach, ensuring consistency across staff and leadership.

Completion Requirements

Courses 3 and 4 are available now (01 August 2026) and must be completed by all required roles. They form the bridge to advanced training (Course 5), which will be released later. Refresher training is required every two years to maintain compliance and safeguarding standards.

Courses 3 & 4 are available now (01 August 2026).
Mandatory for leadership roles and staff working directly with children.
Course 5 (Advanced Training) will be released later (expected 30 September 2026).
Refresher training is required every 2 years for all staff.

Child safety is the cornerstone of quality early childhood education. Courses 3 and 4 ensure that educators are not only aware of safeguarding principles but can apply them in practice and embed them into service culture. This dual focus strengthens both individual confidence and organisational accountability, ensuring that every child is protected consistently across the sector.