From next year, early childhood education and care (ECEC) services can close from 5pm on a few days each year to conduct mandatory child safety training.
This is in direct response to the sickening alleged incidents that have happened in our ECEC centres.
Our early educators are the best asset we have to keep our children safe.
That's why we are introducing this mandatory safety training.
This is about making sure it is done, and it is done properly.
To minimise inconvenience for families centres must not close earlier than 5pm.
It's expected for most centres this mandatory training will occur after 5pm on five days throughout the year.
Centres will be required to give families plenty of notice of when the training will occur.
The Albanese Government will invest up to $40 million annually of existing Child Care Subsidy expenditure for closures to complete this mandatory safety training.
Mandatory child safety training was announced by Education Ministers in August as part of national reforms to improve safety in ECEC and is being put into the National Law for ECEC.
The training will give educators the skills and backing to detect, step in and report abuse.
The mandatory training is being developed by the Australian Centre for Child Protection and will begin in February.
This is part of a number of reforms agreed by Education Ministers that are rolling out now. Work to trial CCTV in up to 300 centres is now underway and testing will begin soon on the National Register of ECEC workers.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:
"I know this will be a bit of an inconvenience for some families.
"But we are doing this for a reason.
"There is nothing more important than our kids and keeping them safe.
"That's what this mandatory training is all about.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Jess Walsh:
"This is a sensible way for providers to manage new mandatory safety training.
"This is one of a range of ways to deliver the mandatory safety training, including using employer-paid professional development time or through the $21 million the Albanese Government has provided to help centres conduct training.
"The training will enable educators and staff to identify behaviour that should be reported, and to have the confidence to report that behaviour in a timely manner.
"This is essential training which will make all children safer in early childhood education and care settings."
