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BY BEST Childcare Consulting
September 2025 brings important updates for childcare services, with new regulations and guidance now in effect. Key documents from ACECQA, ECRU, and the WA Department of Communities provide the tools services need to stay compliant and strengthen child safety practices.
Quick Checklist – What You Should Have Saved/downloaded
- ACECQA Information Sheet (Sept 2025)
- NQF Child Safe Culture Guide
- NQF Online Safety Guide
- National Model Code on Digital Technology & Images
- Current Guide to the NQF
- ECRU Compliance Bulletins (WA)
- ECRU Legislation Updates (WA)
- ECRU Monitoring & Spot Check Guidance (WA)
- WA Dept. of Communities – Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse resources & training
1. ACECQA Information Sheet
Title: Information Sheet | NQF Child Safety Changes from 1 September 2025 and 1 January 2026
Why: Summarises all national changes now in force:
Safe use of digital technologies
24-hour reporting of abuse allegations
Vape-free services
January 2026 NQS refinements
Download: ACECQA Information Sheet PDF
2. NQF Child Safety Guides
Child Safe Culture Guide
Online Safety Guide
Why: Practical tools to embed a child-safe culture and manage online/digital safety.
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/child-safety
3. National Model Code (Digital Technology & Images)
Why: Provides sector-wide standards for taking, storing, and using children’s images and videos.
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/child-safety
4. Guide to the NQF
Why: The reference document for all services. Updates are coming in January 2026 to embed child-safety expectations in QA2 & QA7.
Download: ACECQA Guide to the NQF
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/about/guide
5. ECRU (WA) Monitoring & Compliance
Compliance Bulletins
Ongoing bulletins explaining common breaches and how to avoid them.
Latest covers personal phone/device restrictions and child-safety monitoring.
Legislation Updates
WA’s adoption of the 1 Sept 2025 reforms (Regs 82, 168, 176) + January 2026 NQS changes.
Sector Updates
Includes ECRU Monitoring and Compliance Spot Checks, outlining what ECRU will be inspecting during visits.
6. Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse (WA)
Issued by: Department of Communities, Government of Western Australia
Why: Provides mandatory reporting obligations, referral pathways, and free training for WA childcare staff.
Download/Access: Mandatory Reporting – Child Sexual Abuse WA
BEST Childcare Consulting
At BEST Childcare Consulting, we help services stay ahead of regulatory changes with clear, practical tools. With the September 2025 updates now in effect, we can support you to review your policies, prepare for ECRU monitoring, and embed child-safe practices that go beyond compliance.
Contact us TODAY
