ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø

The content of this article was updated on 28 August 2024 and 6 November 2025.

Quality Area 3 of the National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a benchmark for what early childhood education and care (ECEC) services should do to ensure children’s safety in physical environments. There is some alignment between and the , which provide a framework for enhancing the safety of children in child-related organisations.

Links between the Standards

Child Safe Standard 2 and Standard 3.1 – Design

Physical environments should be designed and set up to facilitate good relationships between educators and children. Strong relationships, where children trust educators, empower children to speak up if they ever feel unsafe or are harmed.

Read our article on creating and maintaining lines of sight and supervision for practical strategies to provide a safe environment for children every day.

Child Safe Standard 8 and Element 3.1.1 – Fit for purpose

Ensuring that physical environments support supervision is key to both Standards. Lines of sight to educator and child interactions, as well as child-to-child interactions, should be clear.

Good supervision practices, together with a sound knowledge of your and reporting obligations (Child Safe Standard 6, 7 and 10), help create a child safe culture where harm and abuse is prevented, responded to and reported.

Environmental scanning also support ECEC staff to be alert and effectively identify, prevent and manage risks that could lead to child harm and abuse.

Child Safe Standards 2 and 4, and Element 3.2.1 – Inclusive environment

A child safe perspective focuses on accessibility and inclusivity as a way of reducing risks of harm and abuse. Children should feel welcome and culturally safe in the service.

Read about the important of inclusive ECEC education and environments in our articles Good for everyone – understanding and practising inclusive education and Creating inclusive learning environments.

Digital technology and the environment

The ECEC sector must provide safe, welcoming and inclusive environments – both physical and online – for children to learn, develop and thrive.

A number of child safety reforms have been introduced to strengthen protections for and priority the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children attending ECEC services. This includes new requirements relating to the safe use of digital and electronic devices and online environments.

Ministerial Direction on the supply, authorisation and use of devices in ECEC for approved providers and staff

On 6 November 2025, Acting Minister for ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø and Early Learning Courtney Houssos issued a Ministerial Direction, ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø and Care Services (Supply, Authorisation and Use of Devices) Order 2025.

The Ministerial Direction sets clear requirements for how devices capable of taking, storing and transmitting images and videos such as phones, tablets and cameras can be supplied, authorised and used in ECEC services to strengthen child safety and privacy.

It restricts all staff, volunteers and students in centre-based services from having personal devices in their possession while working directly with children, except in specific prescribed circumstances such as emergencies, disability or health needs, or where a service-supplied or service-authorised device fails.

It mandates the use of service-supplied devices in centre-based services and service authorised or service-supplied devices in family day care services when taking images and videos of children being educated and cared for at their service. Approved providers must record and securely store details of all device supply and authorisations and ensure regular monitoring to confirm appropriate use.

Ministerial Directions are legally binding, and non-compliance is an offence.

Refer to Compliance focus – devices capable of taking, storing and transmitting images and videos in ECEC for further information on your obligations under the Ministerial Direction.

Safe use of digital technology and online environments

requires services to have a policy and procedures in place for the safe use of digital technologies and online environments.

The policy and procedures must address:

• the legal requirements set out in the ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø and Care Services (Supply, Authorisation and Use of Devices) Order 2025, including
  • mandating the use of service-supplied devices in centre-based services and service authorised or service-supplied devices in family day care services when taking images and videos of children being educated and cared for at their service
  • restrictions on possessing or controlling a personal device when working directly with children in centre-based services (including in outside of school hours care (OOSH)), except in prescribed circumstances
  • processes for supplying, authorising, recording and monitoring service-supplied and service-authorised devices and for keeping secure records of any authorisations or exemptions
• the taking, use storage and destruction of images and videos of children
• obtaining authorisation from parents to take, use and store images and videos of children
• how information is stored online and the security of apps used to communicate with families
• the use of any optical surveillance device (e.g. CCTV)
• the use of any digital device issued by the service
• how to monitor online channels, such as WhatsApp groups
• the use of digital devices by children.

The use of personal digital and electronic devices by children

If children are accessing digital devices while at your service, you should ensure the physical and online environments support appropriate use and supervision of children when they are online. While there are many benefits to online learning, there are also risks, which vary across different service types and the way devices are used.

To help you manage these risks, here are some questions to consider in your service:

• Are devices used appropriately and safely within the environment?
• Is there adequate supervision when digital devices are used?
• Are child safe practices in place to ensure appropriate access? For example, do children have access to education apps only and are security measures or limitations on internet viewing in place?
• What support is provided to children about online safety? How do you communicate with families about your digital device practices?
• Within OOSH services, do you have procedures around children’s use of personal devices? How is the use and posting of material managed at your service?

Other online considerations include:

• how information is stored online and the security of apps used to communicate with families
• how and when CCTV is used
• how to monitor online channels, such as WhatsApp groups.

ACECQA has developed a new voluntary to promote a child safe culture when it comes to taking, sharing and storing images or videos of children. The Code applies to centre-based services that provide education and care for children aged 0-5 years. Although not directly applying to OSHC, these services are encouraged to apply the Code to their service context as appropriate. Resources, including an explainer video and posters, are available on the ACECQA website to support your service to engage with the Model Code.

eSafety Commissioner resources

The eSafety Commissioner website has a range of resources to educate children, educators and parents on how to keep children safe online, including:

• .

OSHC services can also use resources for schools, such as:

• the eSafety Commissioner’s , which includes checklists and resources to assess and manage online risks
• to educate school-aged children about online risks in age-appropriate ways.

More information

Visit the website or email childsafe@ocg.nsw.gov.au for support and guidance on the Child Safe Standards.

Tools and resources

OCG

ACECQA

NSW Department of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø

• Providing a child safe environment
• Compliance focus – harm and hazards in the physical environment
• Tips to meet Standard 2.2: protecting children through effective supervision and emergency management