Tougher new laws and a stronger regulator are helping improve child safety, lift standards and restore confidence in the early learning sector under the Minns Labor Government.
Since the NSW Parliament passed nation-leading reforms last October and established the independent Early Learning Commission on 1 December 2025, new data shows the reforms are driving stronger compliance and enforcement across the sector.
Statistics for the period since the Commission was established show significant increases in monitoring visits, compliance actions, and suspensions compared to the same time last year.
This includes:
- Visits by Early Learning Commission officers increasing by 10 per cent to 4,837 services, of which 69 per cent were unannounced;
- Emergency action notices increasing by 233 per cent to 80;
- The number of providers cancelled increasing by more than 1000 per cent to 217.
The tougher regulatory environment is also driving poor-quality operators out of the sector at unprecedented rates.
During this period, the number of applications by approved providers transferring their service approval increased by 141 per cent, with 70 services in NSW applying to transfer to a new operator - a strong indication that operators unwilling to meet higher standards are leaving the sector.
In October last year, acting on the recommendations of an independent review into the sector, the Minns Labor Government introduced tougher penalties, greater transparency for parents, a ban on mobile phones in services, and stronger powers to suspend or prohibit providers and individuals.
Armed with these new powers, the independent regulator is weeding out substandard operators while maintaining access for families, with the total number of services across NSW remaining stable at around 6,200.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
"Parents should have confidence that when they drop their child off at an early learning service, their child will be safe.
"The regulatory regime we inherited was clearly not fit for purpose. The Minns Labor Government stepped in with nation-leading reforms that put child safety first, and other jurisdictions followed.
"We make no apologies for driving poor-quality operators out of the sector while supporting high-quality providers to expand. The NSW Early Learning Commission is doing its job - putting child safety first.
"Under the former Liberal-National Government, the sector was allowed to grow unchecked. We are taking action to lift standards, strengthen oversight and restore confidence for families."
