Child Safety Changes – Effective 1 September 2025

Initial regulatory changes to strengthen child safety will commence in education and care services under the NQF from 1 September 2025.

This email is intended to provide you an update on where to find further details about these changes and provide details on recent communications that have occurred across the sector.

The following changes to the National Regulations will come into effect as of 1 September 2025, these changes are to enhance child safety in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector. It is expected that approved providers will ensure all services are ready to implement these changes effective on that same day.

The changes relate to:

• Digital technology and online environments: approved providers need to make sure services have a policy and procedure about the safe use of digital technologies and online environments. The policy should consider restricting the use of personal mobile phones or digital devices capable of taking images or videos while working directly with children in centre-based services.
  • Approved providers and their services should adopt the National Model Code when developing the required safe use of digital technologies and online environments policy and procedure.
  • Approved providers should consider the restrictions on personal mobile devices documented within the National Model Code so that only service-issued electronic devices are used when taking images or videos of children. It is an expectation that personal devices are not used when you are actively providing education and care.
• Notification timeframes: approved providers must notify the regulatory authority of allegations or incidents of physical and sexual abuse within 24 hours (down from 7 days).
• Vaping: services need to be free from vaping substances and vaping devices

For practical guidance and support to meet the changes read the information sheet provided by ACECQA and see also the Child Safety info page.

You may also like to review the Department of Education and Training policy and procedure that has been developed by the Department for use at all Department operated early childhood education and care settings, including preschools. These documents may provide guidance on the development of your own policies and procures and provide consideration to if you wish to include a device register, or exemption process. This information is intended to be provided as a sample, and not required to be used by any service that is not operated by the Department of Education and Training directly.

You may have also heard about further changes to strengthen safety and quality in ECEC. At the Education Ministers Meeting on 22 August, the Australian Government, in coordinated action with all states and territories, announced it will invest up to $189 million to strengthen safety and quality in ECEC settings. This includes the above-mentioned banning or restricted use of personal mobile phones or digital devices capable of taking images or videos whilst working directly with children.

It was agreed that all jurisdictions, including the NT will be actively regulating these restrictions. QECNT will do this by communicating with you when visiting, or when we call you. We will ask to see your new ‘safe use of digital technologies and online environments’ policy and procedure and discuss with you how you are ensuring safe use of technology, including the restrictions on taking images of children with personal devices and utilising service issued devices only.

We understand that context is important in all legislative changes including these, and we are happy to answer any question your may have.

Please contact the team to speak to an authorised officer on 8999 3561 or email Qualityecnt.det@education.nt.gov.au.