21 FAQs about the Personal Devices Ban

The NSW Ministerial Direction called the Education and Care Services (Supply, Authorisation and Use of Devices) Order 2025. came into effect on 6 November 2025.

ACA NSW has developed a set of 21 FAQs to help services better understand how these personal device restrictions apply in practice:

1. When did the ban on personal devices come into effect?
   
   
2. What is the main feature of personal devices that are now banned?
   
   
3. To whom does this ban apply to at the service?
   
   
4. Can services’ personnel still use their own personal devices to record documents (ie not images or videos) about children being educated and cared for at their service?
   
   
5. What is the main feature of personal devices that are now banned?
   
   
6. How do you differentiate eyewear (eg sunglasses and prescription glasses) from others that are banned personal devices?
   
   
7. Are all smartwatches banned personal devices, even if they do not have cameras?
   
   
8. Does this ban on personal devices apply to others who are not employed by the ECEC service?
   
   
9. Are fitness-related bracelets/watches/etc and/or smart rings also banned as personal devices?
   
   
10. When can a staff member have their personal device?
    
    
11. Where should personal devices be kept and why?
    
    
12. What are the records, forms and documents needed?
    
    
13. Do parents and carers fall under this direction?
    
    
14. Do visitors or contractors fall under this direction?
    
    
15. If an approved provider has multiple services, and if the device was legally owned by one of the services, properly authorised to a particular individual to use it for the purposes of providing education and care to children as part of that (particular) service, does that mean that device cannot be used for another service owned by the same Approved Provider?
    
    
16. What about pictures and videos taken by the services' official photographers/videographers?
    
    
17. Are there any other wearable technologies that services should consider that may be impacted by this ban on personal devices?
    
    
18. If the device is legally owned by the service and properly issued to a particular relevant person at the service to use it for the purposes of providing education and care to children as part of that (particular) service as well as for personal use, can that device be regarded as a personal device to be banned in accordance with the above mentioned NSW Ministerial Direction?
    
    
19. If a parent has previously been formally recognised as a volunteer at the service (and as such as a relevant person under the above mentioned NSW Ministerial Direction), then does the parent have to formally declare that they are not a volunteer and do not have any volunteer duties/responsibilities so that s/he can have use of her/his own personal devices while involved in activities of the service?
    
    
20. Can educators use personal devices during excursions?
    
    
21. Under what circumstances can relevant persons in the service be authorised to use their own personal devices?

Click here to view the full list of FAQs and their answers. NOTE: your ACA NSW username + password are required.

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

PUBLISHED: 22 JANUARY 2026