Every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and supported, wherever they learn and grow.
The National Child Safety Training Project is a landmark national initiative to strengthen child safety across Australia’s Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector. Led by the Australian Centre for Child Protection (ACCP) on behalf of the Queensland Department of Education and all state, territory and Australian governments, the project is developing training that will help those working in the ECEC sector build safe, inclusive, and responsive environments where children can thrive.
In September 2025, ACCP commenced development of a suite of nationally consistent training courses to strengthen safeguarding practices and promote a shared culture of child safety across the ECEC sector. This follows a national scoping project completed by ACCP in July 2025, which identified sector needs, training priorities, and opportunities for training.
The project responds directly to recommendations from the Review of Child Safety Arrangements under the National Quality Framework, which recommended the need for mandatory child safety training as a key strategy in improving the safeguarding of children in ECEC contexts.
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What is the training?
The National Child Safety Training is being designed to ensure that adults working with children in ECEC contexts across Australia have a shared foundation of knowledge, skills, and confidence to keep children safe.
The training aims to:
- Establish a national minimum standard of child safety understanding and practice, so that all children, regardless of where they live or the type of care they attend, have equal access to safe, supportive environments.
- Promote environments that support children’s wellbeing and development, emphasising genuine, respectful interactions and the valuing of children’s and families’ voices.
- Strengthen preventative practices within services by supporting the creation of conditions that reduce the likelihood of harm occurring, while increasing the likelihood that any concerns or incidents are identified early and responded to appropriately.
- Build capacity across the sector to identify and respond to potential risks or concerns in a timely, appropriate, and child-centered way.
Together, these aims contribute to a national culture of child safety, where safeguarding is embedded in everyday practice, relationships, and decision-making across the ECEC sector.
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Who is this training for?
This industry-specific training package has been developed for staff and volunteers who work in Approved Provider settings across the ECEC sector, including teachers, educators, care staff, support staff, volunteers, managers, leaders, and those with oversight responsibility. It will support participants to:
- Apply the principles of child safety and wellbeing in everyday practice
- Understand their roles and legal responsibilities in safeguarding children
- Recognise and respond effectively when concerns arise
- Contribute to positive, safe, and inclusive learning environments where children feel seen, heard, and supported
The training will be rolled out throughout 2026, with completion becoming mandatory for all staff and volunteers who work in approved provider ECEC settings across Australia.
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What is ACCP providing?
ACCP is responsible for designing and developing the National Child Safety Training package, drawing on the latest research, best practice, and extensive consultation with the ECEC sector and child safety experts.
The training will be accessible through arrangements led by state, territory, and federal governments. Details of how individuals and organisations can access the training will be provided by the Queensland Department of Education towards the end of 2025.
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Stay Informed
The National Child Safety Training Project is a large, collaborative national initiative. As development progresses, we’ll share updates on consultation activities, training design, and rollout timelines.
To stay updated, you can follow the ACCP on LinkedIn, subscribe to our ACCP Inform quarterly newsletter or check this page for regular updates.
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Project Updates
October 9: We have completed the first round of ECEC sector consultations for educators, teachers and volunteers, as well as those in management roles within the sector. The results of these online workshops will help our team tailor the content and design of the National Child Safety Training to what is needed on the ground.
Anyone working and volunteering in the ECEC sector can still contribute to consultations through our survey, open until October 17, 2025.
Next, we will draw on the outcomes of these consultations as we move into development of the National Child Safe Training Package. As this progresses, the ACCP will hold further consultations on the Draft Foundation Course later this year.
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Further Information
For all inquiries about the National Child Safety Training, please contact childprotection@unisa.edu.au
