- Published:
- Thursday 21 May 2026 at 4:50 pm
The Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA) has undertaken taken 799 compliance actions against Victorian childcare services in the first quarter of 2026.
These actions include 689 compliance letters, as well as statutory sanctions such as prohibitions and compliance notices for more serious matters.
The Rapid Child Safety Review, established in response to allegations of child sexual abuse in early childhood, education and care (ECEC) settings, recommended that VECRA increase transparency about its compliance actions.
VECRA’s more transparent approach to publishing compliance actions will make it easier for parents and the public to access information about individual services and make informed judgements regarding childcare.
More information is now available on VECRA’s website, including for the most serious matters. This includes when VECRA has suspended a service from operating, and issued emergency action notices, and where VECRA directs a service to immediately close so that serious safety or compliance issues are addressed before they are permitted to reopen.
VECRA is permitted to publish this information under the Education and Care Services National Law.
Over the coming months, where we are legally permitted to do so, VECRA will increase the amount of information it releases to the public and will provide it in more accessible and easier to understand formats.
This includes a new enforcement section on VECRA’s website, which has been updated to include information about VECRA’s activity from the first quarter of 2026.
In the first 3 months of 2026, VECRA undertook 39 statutory actions compared to 9 in the same period in 2025 – a 333.3% increase. Over the last two quarters, the regulatory authority carried out 88 statutory regulatory actions (Q1 2026/Q4 2025), compared to 24 total in the same time period a year ago (Q1 2025/Q4 2024).
In 2025, the regulatory authority undertook 4,494 compliance actions. Full details of statutory actions for both 2025 and for Quarter 1, 2026 can be found on VECRA’s website.
VECRA will continue to work on improving the transparency of compliance activity and this includes ongoing improvements to the website to improve the accessibility of information.
Quotes attributable to Adam Fennessy PSM, Interim Early Childhood Regulator:
”Increasing the transparency of compliance activity and information for parents is a key priority for VECRA – parents deserve to know that their local service is safe and high quality.”
“The safety, rights and best interests of children is our paramount consideration in every decision and action taken by VECRA. We won’t hesitate to take strong action to keep children safe.”
“Prioritising children’s safety, rights, and best interests in every decision fosters environments where children thrive, feel valued, and are protected, and their wellbeing and developmental needs are consistently supported.”
Further background
On 1 January 2026, the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA) commenced operations as Victoria's new independent early childhood regulator.
A recommendation from the 2025 Rapid Child Safety Review, the new independent regulator oversees safety, quality, and compliance in early childhood services across Victoria.
Media contact: vecra.media@education.vic.gov.au
Updated