In Focus

June 2026

Regulatory Spotlight

Real Skills Deserve Real Recognition

The Australian Government has recently launched the Real Skills Deserve Real Recognition campaign to support clearer understanding of recognition of prior learning (RPL) within the national vocational education and training (VET) system.

The campaign provides practical information on when RPL is appropriate, what quality training and assessment should look like, and common red flags that may indicate concerns, such as qualifications being issued very quickly or without sufficient evidence of competence.

For early childhood education and care services, this information supports assurance that educators hold legitimate, nationally recognised qualifications that meet regulatory requirements.

Unique Student Identifier

Service providers can also use the Unique Student Identifier (USI) system to help verify employee qualifications. A USI VET transcript is a government‑authenticated record of a person’s completed nationally recognised VET training, including qualifications and units of competency. It provides a reliable way to confirm what training has been completed and when it was issued.

Reporting training concerns

The national vocational education and training (VET) regulator, the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), continues to take action against dishonest training providers and fraudulently issued qualifications If you have concerns about how a qualification is delivered or assessed, including training quality issues, fraudulent conduct, or other threats to VET sector integrity, you can report them to ASQA via a tip-off. Information may be submitted anonymously and helps support early identification of potential fraudulent behaviours in the VET sector.

National Child Safety Training

Community of Practice Resources

The Australian Centre for Child Protection has developed a suite of Community of Practice resources to support sustained learning and help embed the training in everyday practice. Regular discussion and reflection strengthen shared understanding, build child-safe culture, and enhance safety for children in education and care settings. These resources can be facilitated by any individual who has completed the course.

More information about Communities of Practice, how they work, and how to facilitate them is available in the Community of Practice Facilitator Guide. 

Child Safety Amendments

The Summary of Child Safety Review changes 2025–2026 outlines the key legislative and regulatory reforms arising from the Child Safety Review under the National Quality Framework (NQF). However, this document does not reflect Western Australia’s implementation timeframes for all amendments, due to the State’s transition to Applied Law.

While commencement dates for some amendments are yet to be finalised due to ongoing parliamentary processes, approved providers are encouraged to prepare for implementation by reviewing the resources and guidance materials developed by ACECQA. The following amendments have not yet commenced in Western Australia:

• Increased penalties, and expanded infringement offences and regulatory penalties.
• Making children's safety, rights and best interests the paramount consideration in the operation of education and care services.
• Managing devices in education and care services.
• Mandating child protection and national child safety training.
• Establishing an inappropriate conduct offence.
• Expanding regulatory authority powers to respond to misconduct.
• Strengthening Working with Children Check requirements.
• Removing ongoing service waivers related to service building design.
• Enabling effective identification and monitoring of related providers.
• Expanding regulatory authority powers to enter and inspect family day care services.
• Expanding approved provider responsibilities to assess areas near family day care residences and venues.
• Establishing a National Early Childhood Worker Register.

Please refer to the updated Guide to the NQF and Summary of Child Safety Review changes 2025–2026 for further information and support in preparing for these changes.

Further updates for WA will be provided once finalised, including access to a webinar facilitated by the Education and Care Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations team.

Important information for employers

from the Teachers Registration Board (TRB) of WA

As in previous years, the TRB are contacting providers of centre-based education and care services in Western Australia about the obligations placed on employers of registered teachers, by the Teacher Registration Act 2012 (TR Act).

As background, the TR Act requires that all teachers teaching in ‘educational institutions’ in Western Australia be registered with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (Board). One of the ‘educational institutions’ defined within the TR Act is ‘a child care centre’.

The information sheet, ‘Employer Obligations and other useful information’ contains important information about:

• employer notification obligations;
• unregistered teachers;
• conditions of registration;
• renewal of registration; and
• the annual fee.

The registration status of a teacher is publicly available on the TRBWA Register of Teachers which can be accessed on the TRBWA website.

Teacher Registration Information (Professional) – TRIP

Planning is also underway for the wide-scale sector rollout of TRIP for education and care services, in accordance with s 37(3) of the TR Act prescribing who can access TRIP and the information it holds.

TRIP is an online tool which employers can use to keep current the list of teachers at their educational institution, including details relevant to a teacher’s registration. In addition, applications for Limited Registration will shortly be moving from a paper to an online format for all educational institutions. Employers will be able to go to a new “Limited Registration” tab in TRIP to complete all Limited Registration applications. Teachers will complete their requirements through Teacher Login and employers will have full visibility of their progress in completing their part of the application.

The roll-out of TRIP for education and care services is anticipated to start in the coming months, to assist education and care employers in the regulatory compliance of their teaching staff, and make the online Limited Registration application process simpler and easier for employers and for teachers.

Paper-based Limited Registration applications will continue to be accepted from education and care services until TRIP access is in place, and for a transitional period afterwards, but we encourage all employers to make the transition as soon as the system is available.

Introduction of multi factor authentication

From 25 May 2026, users of Teacher Login and TRIP will be required to verify their user identity with multi factor authentication (MFA), to help to protect online accounts. Users will be required to use a 2-step process to access their account.  TRB have created resources to make setting up MFA as simple as possible,

If you have any questions, please contact info@trb.education.wa.edu.au, Telephone (08)9223 9100, Country Callers 1300 652 911.

Magnets attract danger- reduce the risk

Magnets can be fascinating to children - but when swallowed, they can be life-threatening. If a child ingests more than one small magnet, the powerful magnetic force can cause them to attract through the walls of the stomach or intestines. This can lead to serious injuries, internal damage or even death.

In November 2012, a permanent ban on small, high-powered magnets came into effect to reduce the risk of injury or death associated with the ingestion of magnets of a certain size and power (flux index greater than 50).

Despite this, the ACCC has recently identified toy games being sold with magnetic stones that exceed the allowed limit. These products have since been recalled, but it’s a timely reminder to stay vigilant.

Some tips to keep your service and children magnet-safe are:

• Check that all toys coming into the service are age-appropriate and do not contain magnets that could come loose.
• Keep toys with strong magnets or small magnetic parts well out of reach of young children.
• Use the choke checker safety tool to assess whether a toy poses a choking hazard, especially if it contains magnets.
• Regularly check the Product Safety Recalls list to ensure no recalled items are in use.  

Head over to the Consumer Protection website to familiarise yourself with how Consumer Protection can assist you or visit Product Safety Australia to view the latest updates.

Intergenerational Programs in Western Australia

If your organisation delivers or participates in an intergenerational program in WA, particularly involving older adults, please consider completing this short survey for the Department of Communities’ (Communities) Seniors Team – Intergenerational Programs in WA – Fill out form.

The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete, and the questions ask for high-level information about your organisation and the intergenerational program. 

The Communities' Seniors portfolio implements initiatives and strategies that support older people in ageing safely, happily, with dignity and respect. You can find more information online at: https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/seniors.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Seniors Team directly at seniors@communities.wa.gov.au