As outlined in our March edition, all early childhood education and care (ECEC) staff and volunteers must complete child safety training. Some ECEC staff and volunteers must also complete child protection training. All training must be done by Thursday 27 August 2026.
The training will help create safer environments for children. It also supports consistent standards of protection across all services.
National child safety training – Foundation courses
Any person who works in a National Quality Framework (NQF) regulated service must complete national child safety foundation training by Thursday 27 August 2026. This includes people who do not work directly with children.
To determine who must complete the training, refer to the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) Child Safety and Child Protection webpage. To access the training, refer to: the National child safety training webpage.
Victoria’s child protection training
Some staff, students and volunteers who work in a NQF-regulated service in Victoria must also complete a child protection training module. This module is called Protecting Children – Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations for Early Childhood (EC PROTECT).
For information on who needs to do the training, refer to the Child protection and child safety training in early childhood webpage. To access the module, refer to: Protecting children: Mandatory reporting and other obligations.
People who start working in relevant roles on or after Friday 14 August 2026 must complete the training within 14 days or before working with children, whichever comes first.
National child safety training – Advanced courses
Advanced training builds on the Foundations of Child Safety courses by focusing on 2 critical dimensions of safeguarding practice:
- Prevention – creating child safe cultures through everyday practice.
- Response – recognising, assessing and responding to safeguarding concerns when they arise.
Advanced training includes 3 courses that must be completed by people in designated roles.
Courses 3 and 4 were launched on 31 July 2026. Course 5 is expected to be available from Wednesday 30 September 2026.
Anyone who is required to complete advanced training must do so within 6 months of course 5 being published. People who start working in the sector after course 5 is published must complete advanced training within 3 months of their start date.
For information on who needs to do the training, refer to the ACECQA Child Safety and Child Protection webpage. To access the training, refer to: the Australian Government National child safety training webpage.
Find out more
For more information, refer to: Child protection and child safety training in early childhood.
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