Hand hygiene in childcare

Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. Checked against the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care fact sheet Hand hygiene for children and carers (2026), healthdirect hand washing guidance, ACECQA on Staying Healthy 6th edition and regulations 77, 109 and 112 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations, on 9 November 2026.

Quick answer

Staying Healthy (6th edition) makes hand hygiene a key practice recommendation: educators, other staff and children should all do it regularly. Wash with soap and running water, rubbing every surface for at least 20 seconds, rinse and dry thoroughly; use alcohol-based sanitiser (rub until dry, about 20 to 30 seconds) only when hands are not visibly dirty. Educators clean hands before food and medication and after nappies, toileting, noses and cleaning; children on arrival, before and after eating, and after the toilet, noses, coughs, animals and outdoor play. The regulations require hygienic practices (r 77), child-sized washing and drying facilities (r 109) and adult hand-cleansing beside the nappy area (r 112).

When educators and children must clean their hands, how to do it properly, safe use of sanitiser with young children, and the regulations behind it.

When to do hand hygiene

Educators and staff	Children
Before preparing or eating food, and before helping children eat or drink Before and after giving medication After changing a nappy or helping a child at the toilet After helping a child wipe or blow their nose After cleaning Whenever hands look dirty	On arrival Before and after eating or touching food After going to the toilet After blowing or wiping their nose, sneezing or coughing After touching animals and after playing outdoors Whenever hands look dirty

Source: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.

How to wash hands

Wet hands under running water, preferably warm.
Apply enough soap to cover the hands; ordinary soap works as well as antibacterial soap.
Rub for at least 20 seconds, covering the backs of the hands, between the fingers and the nails.
Rinse off all the soap.
Dry thoroughly with a paper towel, a clean towel or an air dryer; if cloth towels are used, hang them to dry and launder them regularly.

Source: healthdirect. Display the steps at every sink, including child-height sinks.

Hand sanitiser

Use about half a teaspoon and rub over all surfaces until dry, about 20 to 30 seconds.
Sanitiser does not work on visibly dirty hands; wash with soap and water instead.
Children can use sanitiser when soap and water are not available, but always supervise young children so it is not swallowed, and store it out of their reach (ACSQHC).

What the regulations require

Requirement	Regulation
Nominated supervisors, staff and volunteers implement adequate health and hygiene practices	r 77
Adequate, developmentally and age-appropriate toilet, washing and drying facilities for children, safe and convenient to use	r 109
Hand-cleansing facilities for adults in the immediate vicinity of the nappy change area	r 112(3)(b)

Assessors look at hand hygiene under NQS element 2.1.2, health practices and procedures. See Standard 2.1, the nappy changing procedure and exclusion periods.

Building it into the day

Schedule hand washing into transitions: arrival, before meals, after outdoor play.
Teach and model it as part of the program, with songs or visual steps at child height.
Include hand hygiene in the staff induction checklist and the daily safety checklist (soap and towels stocked).

Frequently asked questions

What is the correct hand washing procedure in childcare?

Wet hands under running water, apply soap, rub all surfaces for at least 20 seconds, rinse, and dry thoroughly with a paper towel, clean towel or air dryer.

When should children wash their hands at childcare?

On arrival, before and after eating, after the toilet, after blowing or wiping their nose, sneezing or coughing, after touching animals or playing outdoors, and whenever their hands look dirty.

Can children use hand sanitiser at childcare?

Yes, when soap and water are not available, but young children must be supervised so they do not swallow it, and sanitiser must be stored out of their reach. Sanitiser does not work on visibly dirty hands.

Which regulation covers hand hygiene in childcare?

Regulation 77 requires adequate health and hygiene practices; regulation 109 requires suitable washing and drying facilities for children; regulation 112 requires adult hand-cleansing facilities beside the nappy change area.

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This page is a research summary, not legal or compliance advice. It is written in our own words from the sources linked on the page; confirm the position with your regulatory authority before relying on it for a compliance decision.