Systemic failures have left children vulnerable in early childhood education and care; federal leadership must continue

28 Oct 2025 – The revelation of more cases of child sexual abuse in early learning and care, as detailed in last night’s ABC Four Corners program, is deeply distressing and underscores the need for comprehensive, lasting reform.

Every early childhood education and care service should be a safe and nurturing place for every child. Every parent deserves to be able to drop their children off in the morning knowing they will be properly cared for and protected from harm, regardless of whether the service is for-profit or not-for-profit.

The systematic failures that have left children vulnerable in early childhood education and care centres are unacceptable. While we commend federal, state and territory governments for taking some swift and important actions in recent months, we need to ensure our world-leading National Quality Framework is delivering on its promises and being adhered to.

Instead of responding to abuse after the fact, governments must create the conditions that will stamp it out before it occurs. As the main funder of the system through the Child Care Subsidy, the federal government has the opportunity and responsibility to lead this work. Australia’s early childhood education and care services must be funded, designed and led in a way that puts the safety and wellbeing of children above profit.

This starts with early childhood educators, the vast majority of whom do the right thing. They are the eyes on the ground and the first line of defence against harmful behaviour, but too many are working in high-stress, understaffed environments, without adequate training and support to identify and report risks.

We need reform to ensure:

• Children are at the heart of the system
• Educators have the time, training and support to spot risks and act
• Systems incentivise providers to take appropriate and timely action when they receive information or complaints from staff or parents
• Systems are designed to prevent abuse, not just respond to it
• The funding model incentivises safe, high-quality care – not the pursuit of profit

These reforms are possible but require strong national leadership and coordination across states and territories. That’s why we are calling for the federal government to establish an independent National Early Childhood Commission, as recommended by the Productivity Commission.

Quote attributable to Penny Dakin from Minderoo Foundation’s Thrive By Five campaign

“Now more than ever we need to ensure early childhood education and care – a vital service for hundreds of thousands of Australian families – is free of the systemic flaws that have allowed this horrific abuse to take place. The government must ensure the system does not incentivise the pursuit of profit over safety, but rather put children’s safety and wellbeing at the centre.”

Quote attributable to Dr Caroline Croser-Barlow, CEO of early childhood thinktank, The Front Project

“For too long we’ve had a piecemeal approach to government planning and regulation of early childhood education and care. National cooperation and federal leadership are crucial for creating safe environments, so the steps that education ministers from around the country have taken together in recent months are heartening. But we need assurance that more comprehensive, lasting reform is coming.”

Quote attributable to Jacqueline Emery, CEO of rural and remote children’s charity, Royal Far West

“Every child deserves to feel safe, supported and seen, no matter where they live. For children in rural and remote communities, access to safe, high-quality early childhood education is not just a right – it’s a lifeline. We welcome the government’s steps to hold providers accountable, but we also call for a National Early Childhood Commission to ensure consistent, proactive oversight across Australia. Child safety must never be optional, it is the foundation upon which all learning and development is built.”

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