Four recent regulatory changes keeping children safe

Strengthened National Quality Framework child safety requirements

From 1 January 2026, Australia’s National Quality Framework (NQF) applies to early childhood education and care services. It is being strengthened so that the safety of the child and young person is clearly and explicitly required, not just implied. Changes came into effect from 1 January 2026.

The changes mean organisations must deliberately plan, document and demonstrate the child’s health and wellbeing. As a result, the safety of the child will be more strongly assessed through service leadership and governance.

The broader NQF child safety changes also include National Regulations changes that started 1 September 2025, covering digital tech policies, abuse notification timeframe changes and vaping.

What do strengthened NQF child safety requirements mean for families

When you choose an early learning or care service, these strengthened requirements mean you should see clearer evidence that:

• staff understand how to recognise signs that a child may be unsafe or distressed
• providers take concerns seriously and know how to respond appropriately
• The child’s safety is part of everyday practice, not just a policy on paper.

What providers must do in light of the strengthened NQF child safety requirements

The NQF changes mean that providers must:

• train staff to recognise and respond to signs of abuse, neglect, or harm
• review and strengthen the child’s safety policies and procedures
• show that leaders and managers actively oversee the child’s safety, not just compliance
• regularly review risks and involve families where appropriate.

Stronger focus on the child’s safety in Quality Areas 2 and 7 of the National Quality Standard

Within the National Quality Standard, Quality Areas 2 and 7 refer to early learning services. The changes introduced on 1 January 2026 mean Quality Areas 2 now focuses more strongly on the child’s safety and protection, not just health and wellbeing. Quality Area 7 places stronger expectations on leadership and governance to ensure the child’s safety is embedded across the service. The changes reinforce that the child’s safety is important at every level.

What the strengthened National Quality Standard means for families

With the changes to Quality Areas 2 and 7, parents and guardians may notice clearer communication about safety practices and more openness about how concerns are handled.

This is because the changes ensure that the child’s safety is a core part of how services are assessed and monitored. Leaders are held accountable for creating child-safe cultures, not just running operations. Safety decisions are expected to be supported at every level of the organisation.

How service providers must respond to NQF changes

To comply with these changes to the National Quality Framework, service providers must be able to show how leadership actively supports the child’s safety in practice. This includes building practice and training into staff supervision, planning, and everyday decision-making. Providers must also keep records that demonstrate ongoing attention to safety and wellbeing over time.

Australia’s new online safety laws

From December 2025, new online safety laws require the impacted social media platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent children under 16 from having accounts. This shifts responsibility away from families alone and places it on platforms to reduce exposure to harmful online content and interactions.

What do Australia’s new online safety laws mean for families?

The online safety laws introduced in December 2025 are sometimes called the ‘social media ban’ or ‘social media delay’. These new laws aim to reduce children’s exposure to online risks such as harmful content, grooming, and exploitation.

The responsibility sits with online platforms to prevent under-age accounts, making online spaces safer by design.

The changes support families who are already navigating complex digital environments.

How online platforms are responding to online safety laws

Some platforms have introduced age checks or account restrictions that families will notice.
The legislation requires that online platforms monitor and respond to risks affecting young users. They also need to be accountable if they fail to protect children online.

The standards take effect in stages. Different sectors have different compliance dates.

What to expect if you are a parent or guardian

These combined regulatory changes mean that the child’s safety is no longer optional, informal, or assumed. Organisations must show how they protect children, respond to concerns, and build safe cultures. Families can expect clearer standards and better protection for their children, in physical settings and online.

At Kanda, we’ve been providing Children, Youth and Family Services since 1997. Person-centred care is at the heart of our purpose.

Kanda’s programs, such as its family support and STEADY Steps transition services, aim to create safe spaces for young people to heal, learn and thrive. Our services are shaped by trauma-informed frameworks like the Sanctuary Model, which prioritises safety, emotional wellbeing, shared decision-making and cultural humility in everyday practice.

Our approach aligns with the intent of the new child safe standards. Kanda team members embed safety into daily interactions, not just into written procedures.