Child safety reforms are being rolled out at a national and state level. And in New South Wales, a new tranche of child safety reforms has just come into effect.

From 24 April 2026, there are changes to how the National Law applies in NSW, to strengthen the safeguards for children in ECEC.

It’s important to be aware of the changes, but there’s also action that approved providers and services now need to take.

So, here’s what’s required, and the resources available at OWNA and elsewhere, to help you comply with the latest child safety reforms.

Early childhood education and care worker looking at legislative requirements

1. Review your staffing policies around child safe recruitment and employment practices

If you’re an approved provider in NSW, you must now ensure that your staffing policies outline clear child safe recruitment and employment practices.

This is mandated by changes to Regulation 168(2)(i)(ia) and 168(2)(i)(ib).

To help:

The NSW Early Learning Commission has developed a Child Safe recruitment, induction and training toolkit, with checklists and other resources to guide you.

2. Update your service’s child safe environment policies and procedures

Changes to Regulation 168(2)(h) mean that in NSW, your service’s child safe environment policies and procedures must be updated to include:

  • A clear commitment that children’s safety, welfare and wellbeing are paramount in all decisions and actions concerning each child
  • How your service will meet child protection training requirements
  • Processes for maintaining a register of child protection concerns
  • Clear ways for staff to report any concerns, and easily access the NSW Early Learning Commission’s Reporting Guide
  • How your service will conduct regular child protection risk assessments
  • How attendance records and daily practices will be used to make sure all children are always accounted for during the day

To help:

OWNA’s childcare management software is designed with compliance and child safety in mind.

And when it comes to maintaining a register of child protection concerns, we provide a Custom Form template in the Template Marketplace.

This can be used to record child protection concerns, and all you need to do is:

OWNA childcare compliance software for ECEC providers and services

3. Make sure you have a protected disclosures policy

Under Section 300E in NSW, every approved provider and service must now have a protected disclosures (whistleblower protections) policy that clearly explains how disclosures are managed.

Regular training and awareness sessions must also be provided, so staff understand how important it is to raise any concerns, and feel protected in doing so.

To help:

The NSW Early Learning Commission has developed a protected disclosures model policy for providers and leaders to use, and services to adapt.

4. Ensure a name and signature is added to incident records

Changes to Regulation 87(3)(e)(iii) in NSW mean that all incident, injury, trauma and illness records must now include the name and signature of the person who gave, or tried to give, notice of the incident.

To help:

OWNA has updated the child incident report for all customers.

So, just check that your OWNA app is up-to-date on the latest version.

Updating incident reports at childcare services

5. Keep detailed records for educators working directly with children

As of 24 April 2026, updates to Regulation 151 mean that records must be kept showing:

  • The rooms and times that each educator is allocated, and
  • The Working with Children Check number for each educator.

To help:

OWNA stores this information under the Daily Room Snapshot, and all you need to do is:

  • Ensure you have a Staff Document added for each educator member using the tag ‘WWCC’
  • Ensure you are publishing Rosters to indicate which rooms educators are allocated to, and
  • Ensure staff use Room check-in to record movements within the service. This will trigger their addition to the Daily Room Snapshot.

6. Check that your team understands child protection law

Changes to Regulation 84 mean that, as of 24 April 2026, approved providers in NSW must make sure all staff working with children understand child protection law.

This means each person can clearly explain their obligations as a mandatory reporter, and know when and how to make a report.

To help:

The NSW Government shares advice and resources here.

Whistle blower protections at childcare services as part of the child safety reforms in NSW

7. Get things in writing when someone becomes an educational leader

As of 24 April 2026, updates to Regulation 118 in NSW mean that an educational leader must accept their position in writing. Additionally, they must understand the obligations that come with the role.

A record also needs to be kept of their role description, resume, qualifications and written acceptance.

8. Meet the expanded conditions around ownership transparency

As of 24 April 2026, Section 19 in NSW has been expanded to better identify, monitor and regulate providers linked to a service.

To help:

The NSW Department of Education provides guidance here.

Increased ownership transparency for childcare providers in NSW

Stay tuned for more child safety reforms

A final tranche of child safety reforms will commence later this year in NSW.

So, make sure you take the necessary action now, lean into OWNA’s helpful tools, and be aware that further reform is on the way.