ELACCA and its members are committed to delivering safe, quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) for all children. Across all the priorities we pursue in our work, nothing is more important than the safety and wellbeing of children. We are collectively driven by a zero-tolerance approach to child harm, in all its forms.
We know that qualified early childhood teachers and educators remain the single most critical guarantor of child safety. We pay tribute to our early childhood teachers and educators – overwhelmingly, they are skilled professionals who consistently demonstrate their commitment to the paramount importance of the child.
ELACCA supports an ECEC system in which:
- Child safety is the paramount consideration
- Approved providers – including all their staff – have a clear understanding of standards and regulations
- Educators feel supported and empowered to act in the best interests of children
- High-quality pedagogy underpins the standards
- Innovation and customisation – including educational programs that are specific to places and communities – are encouraged.
We welcomed the package of child safety reforms announced by Australia’s Education Ministers in August 2025. We are currently engaging with governments across the country to ensure that legislative, policy and regulatory changes are impactful, feasible, and aligned with high-quality service delivery.
As large providers of ECEC services, ELACCA members are uniquely positioned to lead in embedding child safety improvements at scale. We will continue to contribute our time, energy and resources to support the national reforms.
The emerging suite of improvements to ECEC system infrastructure and regulatory practice, combined with investment in educator training, will strengthen our collective capacity to prevent harm to children.
Importantly, our members are committed to working with families to explain the new safety measures, and to build relationships of trust, vigilance and accountability. Following a series of highly publicised cases of alleged and proven abuse of children, it is vital that we build the confidence of families, by embedding safeguarding practices across the entire sector.
ELACCA members understand the scale of the challenge, and are committed to building a world-class system of child safety. Australia’s children deserve nothing less.