It seems that day after day, we are confronted with allegations of misconduct, neglect and abuse, in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. While these stories are heartbreaking and should serve as a wake-up call for a sector in crisis, we must also recognise they do not represent the majority of educators.
Across the nation, thousands of dedicated ECEC teachers, educators and carers show up every day with integrity, compassion and unwavering commitment to the children in their care. Their work is demanding and often underappreciated – and deserve our gratitude as the system around them undergoes scrutiny.
These reported stories are symptoms of a sector that has undergone significant expansion which has outpaced the regulatory frameworks in place – with regulators under-resourced, leading to infrequent inspections.
Over the last decade, the number of ECEC places has risen by 50%, due to increased subsidies and reforms making ECEC more affordable and accessible. Most of this growth has come from for-profit services. This rapid surge has compounded staffing shortages, with many providers resorting to underqualified staff – sometimes leveraging exemptions or fast-tracked qualifications – to meet demand.
Data shows that for-profit providers are, on average, rated lower in quality than not-for-profit services. A 2023 childcare inquiry report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found that typically, not-for-profit providers paid educators at higher levels above the award. For-profit providers have a higher proportion of part-time and casual staff, which leads to higher attrition rates further fuelling this disparity in quality.
On 31 July 2025, the federal government passed legislation to strip funding from childcare centres if they are not providing “high quality and safe care”, noting that around 70% of an average centre’s operations are funded by the Child Care Subsidy.
While this is a welcome but overdue step, further measures must be explored to safeguard and maintain high quality in our ECEC sector.
Unlike primary or secondary school teachers, early childhood educators in some states and territories are not required to hold formal accreditation through teaching standards bodies. We need national consistency in educator qualifications and accreditation – ensuring all early childhood professionals meet the same credentialled expectations as teachers in schools. But raising the bar cannot come without raising the floor. Higher standards must be accompanied by better pay, improved working conditions, and the respect that reflects the essential nature of their work. That way, perhaps we can attract more quality educators into the profession.
It is also pleasing to see recent rhetoric around reforming Working with Children Checks. While states and territories have their own processes in managing these checks, it is vital that real-time information sharing between states and territories is introduced, leading to a ‘banned in one, banned in all’ policy across jurisdictions. A national register to flag individuals with serious allegations – even if those allegations have not led to prosecution – is required; to prevent offenders from moving between services undetected.
What is clear is that piecemeal responses will not be enough. We need a coordinated, national approach that prioritises child safety, supports high-quality care, and uplifts the profession at its core.
This is our opportunity to get it right.
