27 February is a really important date for anyone choosing, using or providing childcare. See what’s changing one week from now.    

BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

FEBRUARY 20, 2026

It’s absolutely critical that our kids are kept safe and well while at their education and care service, and although 1 September 2025 was a big date for child safety reform, there is more being done to protect our precious children.  

This means that from 27 February 2026, you’ll see two important child safety reforms coming into effect.  

The first is mandatory use of the new National Early Childhood Worker Register.   

This Register has been developed by the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (aka ACECQA) to provide a clearer picture of who’s working in the education and care sector, and where they’re working. 

The Register will help regulatory authorities to monitor, identify and respond to risk around Australia. 

And from 27 February 2026, approved providers have one month to enter information about every worker at their service, including:  

• Educators 

• Teachers 

• Nominated supervisors 

• Coordinators 

• Family day care educator assistants 

• Volunteers 

• Students, and  

• Non-educator staff.   
  
  

This won’t be difficult for providers, because they’re entering info they already hold about their staff, and the Register will include things like: 

• Identity details for each person 

• Evidence of their relevant qualifications and approved training 

• Current safety checks, like their Working with Children Check, and the  

• Nature of each person’s employment. 

Providers will have to keep the information current, instead of just entering it once. 

And the Register itself will probably evolve over time, to help providers screen workers better. So, watch this space.  

The second big change relates to mandatory national child safety training.  

From 27 February 2026, these people working in early childhood education and care must complete this training: 

• People with management or control 

• Nominated supervisors 

• People who are in charge day-to-day 

• Family day care educators, and 

• Other staff, volunteers and students. 

This covers people on the floor and in oversight positions. 

And the national child safety training has been carefully developed by the Queensland government and the Australian Centre for Child Protection. 

Childcare workers will complete it online, with Foundation training available from 27 February, and Advanced modules coming in July. 

Staff will need kid-free time to complete the training, so you might find that your childcare service closes from 5pm a few days this year, to enable team members to focus on their training.  

Don't worry, though. You’ll get plenty of notice about any change to hours, so you can work out the logistics of an early pick-up.  

All in all, these reforms are good to see.  

They’re designed to strengthen child safety in the education and care sector – and this is positive for people on the floor and very comforting for families at home.  

So, although 27 February isn’t one of those exciting dates – like 25 December – it is a really important one.