Best practice measures in early childhood education made legal requirements

On Monday, the federal government announced tougher measures to help keep children safer in the early childhood education sector.

Coming into effect in September, the new measures include a ban on vapes, stronger protections around photographing and filming children, and a new requirement for mandatory critical incidents to be reported within 24 hours, instead of within 7 days.

It comes after a 2023 review by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority and increasing reports and media attention about critical incidents in early childcare services.

Image: Image: Unsplash – Jason Sung

Produced By: Jessica O’Bryan

Featured In Story: Dr Erin Harper, Lecturer in early childhood education at the University of Sydney, and Nesha Hutchinson, Vice President at the Australian Childcare Alliance

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 18 June 2025