By BEST Childcare Consulting
In January 2026, significant changes came into effect under the National Quality Standard, with the most prominent and far-reaching update occurring in Element 2.2.3 – Child Safety and Protection. These changes reflect a stronger national commitment to child safe cultures, clearer accountability for adults, and more explicit expectations around how services identify, prevent and respond to harm.
With the Guide to the National Quality Standard now spanning 692 pages, it is neither practical nor necessary for busy educators and leaders to digest every detail. What matters most is understanding what has changed, what assessors are now looking for, and what services need to do differently in practice.
BEST Childcare Consulting was proud to be part of the consultation group for the new national child protection training, providing sector-informed input into how these requirements translate into real, workable practice for early childhood services.
This article provides a clear, assessment-ready breakdown of the exact new and strengthened wording in Element 2.2.3, with each phrase explained through:
- practical actions services can implement immediately, and
- guidance on where to access appropriate training, if required.
At the core of these changes is a clear expectation that services maintain a consolidated, intentional approach to child safety training, where all educators, staff, relief educators, students and volunteers complete the National Child Safety Training as a baseline, supported by WA-specific mandatory reporting obligations and ongoing learning in protective behaviours, online safety, trauma-informed practice and cultural safety.
This summary is designed to help services move beyond compliance — and confidently demonstrate embedded, consistent and Exceeding-level practice under the updated NQS.
3 Most Important starting points
1.Become a child safe organisation
2.Register on Geccko site for free mandatory national child safety training beginning 27 Feb 2026
https://learning.education.gov.au/register
3.WA Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Training & Guidance
https://www.wa.gov.au/service/community-services/child-protection/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse
Element 2.2.3 – Child safety and protection
NEW: Management, educators and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities regarding child safety, including the need to identify and respond to every child at risk of abuse or neglect.
Practical actions to implement
- Require all educators, staff, relief educators, students and volunteers to complete:
- the free mandatory National Child Safety Training as a baseline requirement
- WA-specific mandatory reporting and child protection training
- Embed child safety responsibilities into:
- position descriptions
- induction processes
- supervision and performance review discussions
- Hold regular, scenario-based staff discussions to practise identifying and responding to concerns.
- Clearly document internal and external reporting pathways.
How the National Child Safety Training supports this requirement
- Establishes a consistent national baseline of child safety knowledge
- Builds confidence to identify and respond to risk
- Aligns practice with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
Training
National Child Safety Training (Free & Mandatory)
https://training.childsafety.gov.au
WA Mandatory Reporting – Child Protection Training
https://www.wa.gov.au/service/community-services/child-protection/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse
Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority – Child safety guidance
https://www.acecqa.gov.au
NEW: Assessors may observe educators teaching children about consent and body safety in an age and developmentally appropriate way, based on the approved learning frameworks and in collaboration with families.
Practical actions to implement
- Embed consent and body safety into everyday routines.
- Use correct anatomical language appropriately.
- Program protective behaviours aligned with EYLF v2.0.
- Communicate clearly with families about what is taught and why.
Training
Bravehearts – Body Safety & Protective Behaviours (Early Childhood)
https://bravehearts.org.au/what-we-do/education
Act for Kids – Protective Behaviours for Young Children
https://www.actforkids.com.au/education
Emerging Minds – Trauma-informed, child-centred practice
https://emergingminds.com.au
NEW: Assessors may discuss how new or relieving educators, family day care educator assistants and other staff members are made aware of their responsibilities in relation to child protection and the particular protection needs of individual children in the service.
Practical actions to implement
- Require completion of the National Child Safety Training as part of induction.
- Provide a Child Safety Induction Pack for all new and relief staff.
- Ensure nominated supervisors brief relief staff on daily expectations and risks.
Training
National Child Safety Training (Induction requirement)
https://training.childsafety.gov.au
WA Mandatory Reporting Refresher
https://www.wa.gov.au/service/community-services/child-protection/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse
NEW: Assessors may discuss how nominated supervisors, educators, family day care co-ordinators, educator assistants and staff members demonstrate relevant National Principles for Child Safe Organisations in their daily practice (and/or Child Safe Standards, if applicable).
Practical actions to implement
- Embed the National Principles into policies, QIP and leadership practices.
- Use National Child Safety Training learnings to strengthen:
- child voice
- shared responsibility
- ethical adult behaviour
- Ensure culturally safe practice for Aboriginal children and families.
Training
National Child Safety Training – National Principles focus
https://training.childsafety.gov.au
Australian Human Rights Commission – Child Safe Organisations resources
https://humanrights.gov.au/child-safe-organisations
Cultural Safety Training (WA context)
https://www.telethonkids.org.au/our-research/brain-and-behaviour/aboriginal-health/
NEW: Assessors may discuss how educators communicate with families about child safe pedagogical practices, for example teaching children about consent and body safety.
Practical actions to implement
- Provide clear information to families through enrolment packs and newsletters.
- Explain consent, body safety and protective behaviours in respectful language.
- Invite family feedback and cultural perspectives.
Training
Bravehearts – Talking to families about body safety
https://bravehearts.org.au
Raising Children Network – Consent and body safety
https://raisingchildren.net.au
NEW: Assessors may discuss how educators identify and manage risks in online environments, including where adults may have opportunities to interact with children unsupervised online, to protect all children from harm.
Practical actions to implement
- Conduct digital and online risk assessments.
- Ensure children are never exposed to unsupervised online interactions.
- Define acceptable digital conduct for all staff.
Training
eSafety Commissioner – Early childhood online safety training
https://www.esafety.gov.au/educators/early-years
National Child Safety Training – Safe adult behaviour
https://training.childsafety.gov.au
NEW: Assessors may sight that current information about child protection procedures and expectations is provided to all service staff, including any processes for internal investigations and who will be involved.
Practical actions to implement
- Maintain clear, current child protection procedures.
- Reinforce expectations through training and supervision.
- Ensure policies are accessible and reviewed regularly.
Training
National Child Safety Training – Roles, responsibilities and escalation
https://training.childsafety.gov.au
WA Child Protection Guidance
https://www.wa.gov.au/service/community-services/child-protection
Assessors may sight documentation that relates to educating about protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies.
Practical actions to implement
- Document intentional teaching of protective behaviours.
- Link learning to EYLF and Element 2.2.3.
- Reflect on children’s agency and confidence.
Training
Act for Kids – Protective behaviours education
https://www.actforkids.com.au
Bravehearts – Help-seeking and body safety
https://bravehearts.org.au
NEW: Assessors may sight the service’s policy and procedures on a child safe environment, including the promotion of a culture of child safety and wellbeing.
Practical actions to implement
- Ensure policies clearly articulate shared responsibility for child safety.
- Mandate National Child Safety Training within policy.
- Model child safe culture through leadership practice.
Training
National Child Safety Training – Child safe culture
https://training.childsafety.gov.au
ACECQA – Child safe environment guidance
https://www.acecqa.gov.au
NEW: Assessors may sight the service’s policies and procedures in relation to the safe use of digital technologies and engagement with online environments at the service.
Practical actions to implement
- Maintain and regularly review digital technologies policies.
- Ensure staff understand and consistently apply procedures.
Training
eSafety Commissioner – Early years digital safety
https://www.esafety.gov.au
ACECQA – Technology and online safety
https://www.acecqa.gov.au
Exceeding Theme 1 – Practice is embedded in service operations
NEW: Consistently maintaining responsive approaches to managing risks associated with online environments and digital technologies, and being attuned to the individual user-trends and patterns of each child accessing digital devices (for example, accessing particular websites, platforms, apps and programs).
Assessors may sight
The service’s policies and procedures in relation to the safe use of digital technologies and engagement with online environments, including how the service identifies, manages and reviews online risks, promotes a culture of child safety and wellbeing, and responds to individual children’s digital use patterns.
Practical actions to implement
• Ensure digital technology and child safety policies explicitly address online grooming risks, inappropriate content exposure, privacy breaches, and unsupervised adult–child online interactions, including tablets, smart boards, apps and communication platforms.
• Embed clear procedures for active supervision of digital device use, including positioning of screens, educator presence, and time-limited access aligned with the EYLF.
• Maintain child-specific risk awareness, with educators attuned to individual children’s online interests, repeated app usage, emerging behaviours, or distress signals associated with digital engagement.
• Use regular team reflection and supervision discussions to identify patterns of digital use and proactively adjust environments, resources and educator practices.
• Ensure all educators, including relief and casual staff, receive induction on digital child safety expectations, acceptable use, reporting concerns, and responding to online incidents.
• Engage families through newsletters, enrolment information and conversations about how digital technologies are used safely, how consent and body safety are taught, and how online risks are managed at the service.
• Regularly review and update policies in line with ACECQA guidance, National Principles for Child Safe Organisations, and emerging online safety risks relevant to young children.
Training
National Child Safety Training – Online safety and child safe environments
https://training.childsafety.gov.au
eSafety Commissioner – Early childhood online safety resources
https://www.esafety.gov.au/educators/early-childhood
ACECQA – Child safe environment and digital technology guidance
https://www.acecqa.gov.au
Summary of where to get training to strengthen your practices
Element 2.2.3 – Child Safety and Protection
Mandatory & Core Child Safety Training
National Child Safety Training (Free & Mandatory)
https://training.childsafety.gov.au
WA Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Training & Guidance
https://www.wa.gov.au/service/community-services/child-protection/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse
Register on Geccko site for free mandatory national child safety training beginning 27 Feb 2026
https://learning.education.gov.au/register
Child Safe Organisations & Child Safe Culture
Australian Human Rights Commission – National Principles for Child Safe Organisations
https://humanrights.gov.au/child-safe-organisations
Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority – Child safety and wellbeing guidance
https://www.acecqa.gov.au
Protective Behaviours, Consent & Body Safety (Early Childhood)
Bravehearts – Body Safety & Protective Behaviours Education
https://bravehearts.org.au/what-we-do/education
Act for Kids – Protective Behaviours for Young Children
https://www.actforkids.com.au/education
Raising Children Network – Consent and Body Safety
https://raisingchildren.net.au
Trauma-Informed and Child-Centred Practice
Emerging Minds – Trauma-informed Practice in Early Childhood
https://emergingminds.com.au
Online Safety & Digital Environments
eSafety Commissioner – Early Years Online Safety Training & Resources
https://www.esafety.gov.au/educators/early-years
Cultural Safety (WA Context)
Telethon Kids Institute – Aboriginal Cultural Safety Resources
https://www.telethonkids.org.au/our-research/brain-and-behaviour/aboriginal-health/
ACECQA – Child safe environment and digital technology guidance
https://www.acecqa.gov.au
BEST Sign-Off
At BEST Childcare Consulting, we work alongside services to translate regulatory change into confident practice. If you need support reviewing your child safety systems, aligning training registers, updating policies, or strengthening your QIP evidence for Element 2.2.3, we are here to help.
Together, we build safer services, stronger practice, and cultures where every child’s safety and wellbeing come first.
Contact us TODAY.
