Education Ministers Meeting: October 2026 Update

All 9 Education Ministers the Commonwealth, States and Territories met earlier this week on 2 November 2026.

The official update for the early childhood education and care sector is extracted as follows:

Child safety update
Ministers considered findings from the National Assessment of CCTV use in ECEC settings (the Assessment). The Assessment was supported by an Expert Reference Panel comprising the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Australian Centre for Child Protection (ACCP), as well as other privacy and surveillance experts, and was based on information collected from more than 300 services. Ministers agreed to develop national best practice guidance.

Ministers also agreed to further reforms to strengthen supervision arrangements, including regulatory change to define factors relevant in determining and assessing whether supervision is adequate, and progressing the next stage of Working Towards Qualification reforms by developing a voluntary National Model Code for when educators working towards a qualification may be counted in educator-to-child ratios.

Early Education and Care Commission
Ministers were briefed on stakeholder consultation undertaken on a potential National Early Education and Care Commission (EEC Commission) since their initial decision to explore this reform in July 2026.

Ministers agreed that the purpose of the proposed national EEC Commission will be “to improve outcomes for children by working with governments to provide national leadership to ensure the safety, rights and best interests of children are paramount, and strengthen transparency, accountability and public confidence in the ECEC sector through better evidence and insights into system performance, quality, safety, and outcomes.”

Ministers agreed to an approach to effective stewardship of the ECEC system, including shared principles and characteristics to guide how governments, a potential Commission and the sector could work together to steward the system.

Ministers also agreed-in-principle the key functions of a proposed national EEC including analytics and insights on supply and demand, market shape and workforce development, and a strategic approach to quality safety and regulation of the sector.

ACECQA

Minister Clare and Minister Walsh have acknowledged on behalf of all Education Ministers the resignation of the current ACECQA Board Chair, Ms Annette Whitehead, and thanked her for her leadership and service. Education Ministers tasked officials with developing a proposal for a new ACECQA Board Chair.

The next Education Ministers Meeting is likely to be in February 2027.

For any further information/clarification, members can contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.

PUBLISHED: 5 NOVEMBER 2026