Four things happened between late September and 10 November 2026. From 1 January 2027 two early childhood teacher rules change. Regulation 242, which let some people still studying count as ECTs, expires on 31 December 2026, and the remote-area flexibility in regulation 239A becomes regulation 134A. ACECQA’s Q3 2026 Snapshot shows 93% of services rated Meeting NQS or above, the highest on record. Education Ministers agreed on 2 November to develop national CCTV guidance and to change the regulations to define what adequate supervision requires. They also agreed to a voluntary National Model Code on when educators working towards a qualification can count in ratios, and progressed a national Early Education and Care Commission. None of the 2 November items is law yet.
A sourced summary of the regulatory changes and announcements that matter to Australian childcare providers this month, and what each one means for a service.
| Change | Date | What it means for services | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulation 242 expires. People taken to be ECTs while studying no longer count as ECTs in the ACT, NSW, NT, Tasmania or WA (it never applied in Queensland or Victoria; SA keeps its own requirements) | 31 December 2026 | Check everyone currently counted as an ECT under regulation 242. From 1 January 2027 they meet ECT requirements only if they have finished the qualification or another arrangement applies, and some services may need a waiver | ACECQA, 28 September 2026 |
| Regulation 239A becomes regulation 134A. The remote and very remote ECT attendance arrangements continue on an ongoing basis in the NT, SA, Tasmania and WA, and in NSW only for services under regulation 272(1A). Not in the ACT, Queensland or Victoria | 1 January 2027 | Remote services keep their current flexibility under a new regulation number. Update policy and roster references | ACECQA |
The full detail is in early childhood teacher changes 2027.
More visits means a greater chance of an unannounced visit; see regulatory authority visits and the most common breaches. With fewer waivers held across the sector, a new staffing waiver application is likely to face close scrutiny; see waivers.
| Decision | Status |
|---|---|
| CCTV: Ministers considered the National Assessment of CCTV use, which drew on more than 300 services, and agreed to develop national best practice guidance. The Australian Government announced an $11.5 million grants program for not-for-profit services to install or upgrade CCTV | Guidance to be developed. No requirement to install CCTV has been made |
| Supervision: regulatory change to define the factors relevant to determining and assessing whether supervision is adequate | Agreed. The drafting and commencement date are not yet published |
| Working towards qualifications: a voluntary National Model Code for when educators working towards a qualification may be counted in ratios | To be developed. Regulation 10 is unchanged for now |
| Early Education and Care Commission: purpose agreed, key functions agreed in principle (supply and demand analytics, workforce development, a strategic approach to quality, safety and regulation), plus shared stewardship principles | Still a proposal. Ministers had agreed in July that any Commission would involve reforming ACECQA (July 2026 actions) |
Source: communiqué, 2 November 2026. The next Education Ministers Meeting is in 2027. Earlier, in July 2026, Ministers agreed to a second tranche of reforms on supervision, transparency and fencing safety, with legislation planned for introduction as soon as possible in 2027 (Department of Education).
No. ACECQA has confirmed it expires as scheduled on 31 December 2026 in the ACT, NSW, NT, Tasmania and WA; it already did not apply in Queensland or Victoria, and South Australia maintains its own requirements.
No. On 2 November 2026 Education Ministers agreed to develop national best practice guidance on CCTV, and the Australian Government announced grants for not-for-profit services. No national requirement to install CCTV has been made.
ACECQA's Q3 2026 NQF Snapshot, released on 8 November 2026, shows 93% of services rated Meeting NQS or above, the highest proportion on record.
Not yet. Ministers agreed on 2 November 2026 to regulatory change defining the factors for adequate supervision; the drafting and start date have not been published.
WIDEN Law answers National Quality Framework questions with inline citations to the National Law, the Regulations and the NQS, so you can check the source provision yourself.
14-day free trial, no card →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.