23 October 2025, 12:52 AM
Nation-leading reforms to prioritise the safety and well-being of our youngest learners and crack down on dodgy providers to restore parents’ trust in early childhood education services have passed the NSW Parliament.
The new laws mean service providers will have stronger child-first obligations, families will have more transparency and better access to information, and a mobile phone ban with significant penalties will be introduced in early childhood centres.
Provisions in the Children (Education and Care Services National Law Application) Act 2010 (National Law) that make the rights and best interests of children paramount will take effect immediately upon the legislation receiving assent by the NSW Governor.
The Minns Labor Government introduced the legislation last month after an independent review by the Deputy Premier into early childhood education and care regulation, which found the Regulator was significantly constrained by the existing National Law.
These changes fast-track and significantly expand on nationally agreed reforms. While some improvements to the National Law are being developed, these reforms go further and implement nationally agreed reform for children in NSW now.
More than 30 reforms are included in the legislation. NSW's nation-leading reforms will provide:
Additionally, the legislation brings forward timelines for nationally agreed positions announced earlier this year, and extends the national position in several instances, including:
Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said, “This Government said we’d strengthen the laws, increase fines for poor quality operators, and improve transparency to rebuild trust in the early childhood sector.
“This is the most significant reform to the National Law in 15 years, strengthening protections for every child in early education and care services across NSW.
“These changes – initiated by the Deputy Premier Prue Car – set clear expectations and will allow us to implement all the Wheeler recommendations in short order.
“Families deserve to know their children are safe, respected, and nurtured when they attend childcare, preschool, or outside school care. This legislation will ensure the safety and wellbeing of children comes first.”