In September 2025, the Australian Centre for Child Protection (ACCP) was engaged on behalf of the Queensland Department of Education together with Australian state and territory governments and the Australian Government to develop a suite of nationally consistent training courses to strengthen child safety across the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector.
Development of the National Child Safety Training follows on from an earlier initial scoping project that identified sector needs, training priorities, and opportunities for training. The project responds directly to recommendations from the Review of Child Safety Arrangements (the Review) under the National Quality Framework, which highlighted the need for improved safeguarding, particularly through strengthened workforce capability and the development of a consistent child safe culture across the sector.
A key recommendation from the Review was the introduction of mandatory, nationally consistent, child safety training for all individuals working within Approved Provider organisations in services regulated under the National Quality Framework.
The industry-specific training package will support volunteers (including students), educators, other frontline workers, managers, leaders, and services to understand their responsibilities, recognise and respond to risks of harm, and create environments where children are safe, supported, and able to thrive. Rollout of the training will occur across 2026 with the training to become mandatory for all staff and volunteers (including students).
We invite volunteers, students, staff and those connected with the ECEC sector to participate in the second round of workshop consultations to provide final input into the design and content of Foundation level online courses within the National Child Safety Training. Workshops will be held between 9-12 December 2025 (spaces are limited).
Provide Your Feedback via Online Consultation Workshops
Attend one of the 6 x 2-hour workshops:
|
No. |
Date |
AWST |
ACDT |
AEST/AEDT |
Facilitators |
|
1 |
Tuesday 9 December |
9.30am-11.30am |
12-2pm |
12.30-2.30pm |
Sian Burgess and Holly Pearce |
| 2 |
Tuesday 9 December |
12.30-2.30pm |
3-5pm |
3.30-5.30pm |
Sian Burgess and Emily Russell |
| 3 | Wednesday 10 December |
9.30-11.30am |
12-2pm |
12.30-2.30pm 11.30-1.30pm (QLD AEST) |
Sian Burgess and Holly Pearce |
| 4 | Thursday 11 December |
9.30-11.30am |
12-2pm |
12.30-2.30pm 11.30-1.30pm (QLD AEST) |
Sian Burgess and Amber Alexander |
| 5 |
Thursday 11 December |
12-2pm |
2.30-4.30pm |
3-5pm 2-4pm (QLD AEST) |
Sian Burgess and Emily Russell |
| 6 |
Friday 12 December |
9.30-11.30am |
12-2pm |
12.30-2.30pm 11.30-1.30pm (QLD AEST) |
Sian Burgess and Holly Pearce |
Participation is voluntary, and attendance at only one session is necessary.
Spaces are limited – register now to ensure your voice helps shape this national training package.
Other Related Information
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Consultation Summaries and Participant Review
Following completion of the workshops, participants will receive a plain-language summary of the key discussion points, sent to the email address provided. Participants will have the opportunity to review this summary and suggest corrections if they feel any ideas, concepts, or perspectives have been misrepresented. This helps ensure the accuracy and integrity of the findings.
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Your Privacy and Data Storage
Participation in this consultation is confidential (your responses will only be seen by the Project Team) and voluntary. The information collected will not be used for any purpose other than informing the development of the National Child Safety Training.
By participating in this consultation, you consent to the Project Team collecting and using your input to inform the development of the National Child Safety Training.
Workshops will be recorded to ensure an accurate record of discussions and will be automatically transcribed in near real-time.
You may withdraw from the consultation process at any time. If you choose to withdraw partway through, any data you contributed will be excluded from analysis.
All data collected will be treated as confidential and managed in line with the University of South Australia’s data management and privacy policies. Data will be stored on password-protected computers and secure servers, accessible only to authorised Project Team members, and housed in locked offices at the Australian Centre for Child Protection (South Australia and Western Australia).
Data will be retained in accordance with university policy and securely destroyed after the required retention period.
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Limits to Confidentiality in Group Consultation Workshops
While the Project Team will not disclose any personal information, it is important to note that confidentiality cannot be fully guaranteed in a group workshop setting. Other participants may choose to share details of the discussion outside the session. To help maintain privacy, participants are encouraged to be mindful of what they share and to respect the confidentiality of others.
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Who to Contact for Support
Participation in the workshops may cause distress due to the sensitive nature of the topic. If, at any time before, during or after the consultation process, you feel distressed or require support, we encourage you too:
- Contact a member of the Project Team for assistance
- Access your organisation’s Employee Assistance Program, if available
- Reach out to one of the following confidential support services:
- Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
- 13YARN– 13 92 76
- 1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732
- Blue Knot Foundation – 1300 657 380
- Lifeline – 13 11 14
- National Counselling and Referral Service - Disability – 1800 421 468
Your wellbeing is a priority, and we encourage you to seek support if needed.
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Further Information
If you have any queries or would like more information about the project, please contact Amanda Paton amanda.paton@unisa.edu.au or Sian Burgess sian.burgess@unisa.edu.au.
