Stay compliant and protect the children in your care with essential updates to child safety and child protection training requirements for early childhood educators and services.
The landscape of child safety in early childhood education and care is evolving, and staying informed is essential for every educator and service. Education Ministers across Australia have agreed to significant amendments to the National Law that will strengthen child protection and safety measures in our sector. These changes represent a unified, national approach to creating safer environments for the children in our care, and they'll affect everyone from nominated supervisors to students and volunteers.
Two key requirements are at the heart of these reforms: child protection training under section 162A of the National Law, and the new child safety training under section 162B. While these requirements are complementary, they serve distinct purposes. Child protection training focuses on recognising and responding to child abuse and neglect, while the new child safety training builds broader capabilities around creating safe, respectful environments and understanding child safety standards. Both are essential components of your professional toolkit.
The good news is that transitional arrangements have been carefully designed to give you time to meet these requirements. You'll have between 14 days and six months (depending on your role and the specific training) to complete the necessary modules. This thoughtful approach recognises the practical realities of working in early childhood services while maintaining our sector's unwavering commitment to child safety and wellbeing.
If you're a nominated supervisor, person in day-to-day charge, or family day care coordinator in Queensland, you'll need to hold approved child protection training from 27 February 2026. This means completing one of the approved units listed on the ACECQA website, which will include the units currently published on the Queensland Government Protocol as well as the new national child safety foundation training module developed by the Australian Centre for Child Protection (ACCP), available through Geccko. The important point here is that completion of the new child safety foundation training will be recognised for child protection training purposes in Queensland.
For educators, staff members, volunteers, and students in other roles, you'll have a six-month grace period from 27 February 2026 to complete your approved child protection training. This gives you time to fit the training into your schedule while balancing your existing responsibilities. Additionally, everyone in the sector from persons with management or control right through to students will need to complete the new mandatory child safety training modules available exclusively through Geccko.
The timeline for child safety training is structured to support your learning journey: you'll have six months from 27 February 2026 to complete the foundation modules, and then a further six months from when the advanced modules are published (expected July 2026) to complete those. Advanced modules are required for persons with management or control, nominated supervisors, persons in day-to-day charge, and staff working directly with children. Refresher training will be required every two years, ensuring your knowledge stays current and relevant.
Once the transitional period ends, new staff commencing in any of the nominated roles must complete foundation training within 14 days of starting or before working directly with children. This emphasises the critical importance of these competencies in your day-to-day practice and reinforces the sector's commitment to child safety from day one of employment.
The approved child protection training builds your capability to recognise, respond to, and report suspected child abuse and neglect. This foundational knowledge is non-negotiable in early childhood education and care you are often the first line of defence for vulnerable children, and your ability to identify concerning signs and take appropriate action can genuinely change lives. The training covers indicators of different types of abuse, mandatory reporting obligations, documentation requirements, and how to support children and families through sensitive situations.
The new child safety training takes a broader, proactive approach. The foundation modules cover the Child Safe Standards, creating cultures of safety and respect, understanding child development and behaviour, responding to safety concerns, and working with families and communities. These modules equip you with skills that go beyond crisis response they help you build environments where children feel safe, heard, and valued every single day.
For those required to complete advanced modules including supervisors, management, and educators working directly with children the training delves deeper into leadership responsibilities, risk management, recruitment and screening processes, incident management, and continuous improvement in child safety practices. This advanced knowledge is essential for those who hold greater responsibility for shaping service culture, making operational decisions, and leading teams in best-practice child safety approaches.
Throughout all training modules, you'll develop critical thinking skills, learn to apply child safety principles in real-world scenarios, and gain confidence in having sometimes difficult conversations. The training isn't just about compliance it's about building your professional capability and ensuring you have the knowledge and skills to create truly safe, nurturing environments where children can thrive.
Accessing your required training is straightforward. For child safety training under section 162B, there's only one approved course: the free national child safety training modules available exclusively through Geccko. This ensures consistency across the sector and removes cost as a barrier to compliance. You'll be able to complete the modules at your own pace, fitting them around your work and personal commitments during the six-month transitional period.
For child protection training under section 162A, a list of approved training options for each jurisdiction will be published on the ACECQA website. In Queensland, this will include the units currently on the Queensland Government Protocol and the new national child safety foundation training module available through Geccko. This flexibility means you can choose a training pathway that aligns with your learning preferences and professional development goals, while still meeting regulatory requirements.
At Venture Education, we understand that juggling training requirements alongside your existing commitments can feel overwhelming. That's why we're committed to providing clear information, supportive guidance, and responsive assistance as you navigate these changes. Our trainers and enrolment team are here to help you understand how these new requirements fit with your existing qualifications and how they complement the comprehensive training you receive through our Certificate III and Diploma programs.
These mandatory training requirements sit alongside; not in place of the robust practical training and workplace experience that forms the foundation of your early childhood qualification. Your Certificate III and Diploma studies already cover child development, creating safe environments, and professional responsibilities. The new mandatory modules build on this foundation with specific, standardised content that ensures every person working in early childhood education and care across Australia has consistent baseline knowledge in child safety and protection.
Compliance with training requirements is the starting point, but building a genuine culture of safety goes much deeper. It requires every team member from leadership through to casual staff and volunteers to actively contribute to an environment where child safety and wellbeing are embedded in every decision, every interaction, and every practice. The training you complete gives you the knowledge; the real work happens in how you apply that knowledge every day.
Creating this culture means having open conversations about child safety within your team, reflecting on your practices regularly, and being willing to speak up when something doesn't feel right. It means listening to children, respecting their voices, and ensuring they know they can trust the adults in their lives. It means building strong, respectful partnerships with families, where concerns can be raised and addressed constructively. And it means committing to continuous improvement recognising that creating safe environments is an ongoing journey, not a destination.
For service leaders and managers, these new requirements offer an opportunity to strengthen your team's capabilities and demonstrate your commitment to excellence. Ensuring your entire team completes their training on time, providing time and space for reflection and discussion about what they're learning, and modelling best practice in your own conduct all contribute to building that culture of safety. The advanced modules you'll complete are designed specifically to equip you with the leadership skills to champion child safety within your service.
Remember, you're not alone in this journey. The early childhood education and care sector is built on collaboration, support, and shared commitment to children's wellbeing. Reach out to your networks, access the resources available through regulatory bodies and training providers like Venture Education, and approach these changes with the same care and professionalism you bring to your work with children and families every day. Together, we're building a safer, stronger sector and that benefits every child in our care.