One childcare centre has closed and nine others are facing suspension or funding cuts after failing to meet required standards under sweeping reforms introduced last year.
More than 60 centres nationwide have had conditions imposed on them since August after they were found to have failed to meet the minimum National Quality Standard (NQS) for child health and safety for seven or more years. Of these, 30 centres were given a deadline to improve by this month.
So far, 19 centres have returned to compliance. One centre has closed, another is yet to be assessed, and the remaining nine are working with the Department of Education on next steps. These nine risk suspension or losing access to the taxpayer-funded Child Care Subsidy under the new legislation.
Education Minister Jason Clare said the possibility of losing funding had compelled many centres to take corrective action. He stated that national standards exist for a reason and that centres which fail to meet them should not continue receiving public funds. According to him, the threat of cancelling funding has already driven 19 centres to improve, and authorities are prepared to cut funding for those that do not comply.
The centres involved have not yet been publicly named, and parents will not be notified unless a final decision is made to withdraw funding. Clare noted that most of the nine centres at risk of suspension operate as family daycare services.
Two additional reforms have come into effect, including the launch of a new National Early Childhood Register and mandatory child safety training. The register will record Working with Children Checks, qualifications, and identifying details of staff, making it easier to track employees across centres and states. Providers must update the register within 14 days whenever staff join or leave.
Clare said the reforms were strengthened following serious allegations last year involving Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Brown, who faces multiple charges relating to alleged offences against children. He said the case highlighted the need for a national system that allows authorities to quickly identify where childcare workers have been employed.
All providers have one month to upload workforce details to the new register. In addition, mandatory child safety training has commenced, with staff and directors required to complete it within six months. The training is designed to help workers identify and report abuse and grooming.
Clare emphasised that the vast majority of childcare workers are dedicated professionals committed to protecting and educating children. Centres will be permitted to close from 5pm on certain days each year to allow staff to complete the required training.
Other reforms introduced so far include a trial of CCTV systems in hundreds of centres nationwide and a ban on personal mobile phones within childcare facilities.
