The Professional Development Subsidy – National Child Safety Training will be open for applications on 28 April 2026, giving providers the opportunity to strengthen staff skills and support professional growth. These subsidies are paid directly to providers, who then pass the funding on to staff. Individual staff members cannot apply themselves, so it’s important to talk with your service leadership if you think you may be eligible.

The new national child safety training requirement ensures that all educators across Australia are equipped with consistent knowledge and practices to safeguard children. To support this, the government has introduced a measure allowing Child Care Subsidy (CCS)-approved services to close briefly each year so staff can complete the training without disrupting families.

The government has made National Child Safety Training mandatory for everyone working in early childhood education and care (ECEC). This training is free to complete, but it takes time—and that’s where the subsidy comes in.

National child safety training is now mandatory for everybody working or volunteering in an ECEC service regulated under the NQF. Foundation training is the first stage of national child safety training and is available now. Foundation training is mandatory for any person who works or volunteers in an ECEC service regulated under the NQF.