In Focus

September 2025

Regulatory Spotlight

Service Approval Applications

Approved providers are reminded that due to the increased number of service approval applications received at this time of year, all applications for new services intending to operate from term one 2026 must be submitted by 31 October 2025. This deadline ensures adequate time for the required assessment and decision.

Applications received after this time cannot be guaranteed to be assessed within 90 calendar days.

Applications for outside of school hours care (OSHC) services on school sites will be accepted without a building practitioner's verification of unencumbered space, however, the application cannot be approved until this is provided. OSHC providers are encouraged to ensure they have access to school sites during the holiday period as ECRU are required to complete pre-approval visits as part of the service approval process. Additionally, providers must ensure they have adequate amounts of age-appropriate resources at the service for the number of the children the application is seeking approval for.

Assessment and Rating

Following the Australian Government's introduction of legislation to strengthen the regulation of the early childhood education and care sector, ECRU have reviewed the internal processes for determining partial reassessments.

Effective immediately, ECRU will complete a full assessment and rating for any service who has not been reassessed within a five-year period, and every alternate reassessment will be a full reassessment. This strategy will enable a comprehensive reassessment process to ensure the continuity of quality practice across all quality areas, further enabling current quality information to be shared with families.

ECRU will also be changing how the reduced notice period of between one to five days is applied. Services who may be identified as higher risk may receive less than the current five days’ notice. All services are required to have a current Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) available at the education and care service premises, or in the case of family day care, at the principal office. Please refer to regulations 31, 55 and 56 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2012 for further information.

Changes to the NQF commenced on 1 September 2025

On 1 September 2025, new regulatory requirements came into effect in response to the review of child safety arrangements under the National Quality Framework (NQF).

Approved providers must ensure the following have been considered in policy updates and that all staff are aware of the new requirements.

Policies and procedures about safe use of digital technologies and online environments, must include:

• 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
• the use of any optical surveillance device (e.g. CCTV)
• the use of any digital device issued by the service
• the use of digital devices by children.

Notifying within 24 hours to report incidents or allegations of physical or sexual abuse.

Ensuring service environments are free from vaping substances and vaping devices.

The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) has published an information sheet to support services to implement the new requirements under the NQF child safety changes from 1 September 2025.

In addition to these changes, the Hon Sabine Winton MLA, Minister for Early Childhood, has announced that Western Australia will bring forward restrictions on the use of personal devices in centre-based services.

ECRU (the Regulatory Authority) expects approved providers of centre-based services to ensure their service policies and procedures align with the National Model Code – Taking images in early childhood education and care (National Model Code), released by ACECQA in July 2024.

This additional requirement covers the use of personal electronic devices that can take images or videos, and personal storage and file transfer media to ensure they are not in the possession of any person while providing education and care and working with children, except for limited essential purposes.

All approved providers must implement the additional requirements covering the restricted use of personal devices by Friday 26 September 2025. The Regulatory Authority will monitor compliance as part of the ongoing compliance monitoring visits and investigations and may request a copy of a service's policy at any time. The Long Day Care and Outside School Hours Care Compliance Monitoring Checklists, are available on the ECRU website and have been updated to include requirements under regulation 168(2)(ha) of the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2012.

Approved providers are encouraged to utilise the below resources to assist with the development of policies and procedures to ensure compliance. 

• NQF Child Safe Culture Guide 
• NQF Online Safety Guide 
• National Model Code – Taking images in early childhood education and care 
• Safe Use of Digital Technologies and Online Environments - Policy Guidelines

More transparency for families on StartingBlocks.gov.au

StartingBlocks.gov.au has new features to help families make informed choices about ECEC. These updates support transparency, trust and ease of access to information.

Families can now see compliance and regulatory information, including:

• the date the local regulator last visited a service
• conditions placed on a provider or service by the regulator
• a clearer link between a service and their provider.

Smiling Starts

ECRU introduces Smiling Starts which is Western Australia’s Early Childhood Dental Program; a government backed program leading the promotion and education of oral health care for children under five. Smiling Starts is seeking input from early childhood education and care (ECEC) services across WA to understand how to best support you to promote positive oral health. As the program is growing, Smiling Starts is inviting ECEC professionals across Western Australia to help:

1. Understand sector needs: Identify how ECEC services across metropolitan and regional Western Australia currently support oral health and what additional support they need to promote positive oral health outcomes.
2. Build sector capacity: Explore opportunities to co-design tools, resources, and strategies that enable ECEC services to embed oral health promotion into everyday practice, aligned with Smiling Starts goals.
3. Strengthen partnerships: Foster collaborative relationships between the Smiling Starts program and ECEC providers, peak bodies, and local networks to support sustainable, community-led oral health initiatives.
4. Ensure alignment with national standards: Ensure that oral health promotion activities are consistent with the National Quality Framework, particularly:

• Quality Area 1: Educational Program and Practice, which supports intentional teaching and learning about health and wellbeing 1.
• Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety, which emphasises supporting children’s health needs through effective practices 1.
• Quality Area 6: Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities, which encourages services to work with families and community organisations to support children’s development 1

5. Embed the voice of the child: Embed the voice of the child by using play-based activities such as drawing and storytelling to explore their understanding of oral health, including what strong teeth can do, how sore teeth feel, and what helps keep teeth healthy.

If you would prefer to arrange a one-on-one interview at a time that suits you. Please email Smiling Starts to book: ECDP.Commissioning@health.wa.gov.au

Option 1: Complete the sector survey

Description

We want to hear from those working directly with children under five. Early childhood educators, service directors, health coordinators, and anyone involved in planning or delivering education, care and health promotion initiatives in the early childhood sector.

Your insights will help us understand current practices, challenges, and opportunities for us to support your goals and align with national quality standards.

Option 2: Join the online workshop

Description

Participate in one of our online (MS Teams) workshops.

Partnering for Prevention: Supporting Oral Health in Early Childhood Settings

In these workshops we explore how oral health fits into the National Quality Standards, share ideas, and help shape Smiling Starts resources.

*You only need to attend one workshop, as the content will be the same across all sessions. We've scheduled multiple time slots to give you flexibility in choosing a time that works best for you.

Option 3: Embed the voice of the child

Description

We’re inviting children under five years of age to help us design the program by sharing what they know about looking after their teeth and what they need to keep them healthy. Educators can support children to draw a picture or tell a story about:

• What children need to have healthy teeth
• What strong healthy teeth can do
• What it feels like to have sore teeth

By registering your interest, your service will go in the draw to win an oral health prize pack to share with up to 30 participants. We can’t wait to see what children have to say!

Minimising poison and chemical risks for young children

ECRU acknowledges the valuable contribution of Consumer Protection in supporting the education and care sector, with practical safety advice. 

Cleaning products, laundry capsules, hand sanitiser and button batteries are everyday items which can pose serious risks to young children.  

40 Australian children a week are admitted to hospitals because of poisoning.

Consumer Protection have made a checklist below on making sure your surroundings remain safe for little ones.

1. When buying products that contain poisons it’s important to check they have child-resistant packaging and lids.
2. Avoid products that are powered by button batteries. Or if you do end up purchasing ones with them, ensure the battery compartment is child resistant. You should have to use a tool to access or replace the battery.
3. Keep poisons and chemicals in their original containers so you are aware of the product within, this also ensures you are able to read the relevant warnings on the packaging.
4. Store products fully out of reach of children, this means putting a child resistant lock on any cupboards and storing them up high.
5. Be aware that children are often attracted to bright colours and small objects like laundry capsules. Opt for alternative products and never use these capsules when children are nearby.
6. Dispose of used batteries safely immediately after taking them out of a device.

If you are ever unsure and believe a child may be at risk of poisoning, you can call the poison hotline on 13 11 26. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Read more about Consumer Protection

Head over to Product Safety Australia to view the latest product safety updates.