Home / Education / Australia Boosts Childcare Safety with Mandatory Training Closures
Australia Boosts Childcare Safety with Mandatory Training Closures
30 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Childcare centers will close one hour early five times annually for safety training.
- This initiative is a response to recent alleged child abuse incidents in the sector.
- The federal government will fund $40 million for the new training program.
Starting in February, Australian childcare centers will implement early closures five times annually, shutting down at 5 pm for mandatory staff safety training. This significant reform comes in response to a concerning increase in reported alleged abuse cases within the sector. The federal government has committed $40 million to support the development and rollout of this crucial training.
The training, developed by the Australian Centre for Child Protection, is designed to equip educators with the skills to detect, intervene, and report instances of child abuse effectively. Ministers have stressed that prioritizing the upskilling of childcare workers is paramount to ensuring the safety and well-being of children.
These enhanced safety protocols, including mandatory training, are being introduced alongside other measures such as a CCTV trial in selected centers and improvements to the national register of childcare workers. These steps aim to create a more robust safeguarding environment for children nationwide.
