Today, 1 September 2025, marks a pivotal shift in Australia’s early childhood education landscape, with strengthened child safety regulations now officially in force under the National Quality Framework (NQF). These reforms—fast-tracked following the national review of child safety arrangements—aim to close regulatory gaps, improve incident response, and safeguard children in increasingly digital environments.

Early childhood education and care providers may offer only certain types of incentives from 1 January 2023 to secure a child's enrollment.

In response to the Royal Commission regarding institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, The Teacher Accreditation Act 2004 has been amended. From now on the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) will be making decisions about teacher accreditation at all levels, including the early childhood sector.