Mandatory reporting in childcare by state

Last reviewed: 9 November 2026. Checked against the AIFS (CFCA) resource sheets Mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect (August 2023) and Reporting child abuse and neglect, and the WA mandatory reporting FAQs (May 2025), on 9 November 2026. State laws change; check the state department before relying on a threshold.

Quick answer

Early childhood educators are mandatory reporters in every state and territory, but what must be reported differs. NSW, SA, Tasmania and the NT cover physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect (NSW and Tasmania also exposure to domestic violence). Victoria, Queensland and the ACT require reports of physical and sexual abuse. In WA the mandatory duty is for sexual abuse, and applies to early childhood workers from 1 November 2023. In the NT every adult is a mandatory reporter. Serious concerns are reported by phone; call 000 if a child is in immediate danger. This is separate from notifying the education and care regulator.

Who must report, what they must report and on what threshold in each state, the numbers to call, and how mandatory reporting fits with the NQF notifications.

Mandatory reporting by state

State	Law	Must report	Threshold	Report to
NSW	Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, ss 23, 27	Physical, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic violence	Suspicion on reasonable grounds of risk of significant harm	Child Protection Helpline 13 21 11 (24/7)
Victoria	Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, ss 182, 184	Physical injury and sexual abuse	Belief on reasonable grounds that the child needs protection on those grounds	Business-hours divisional intake lines; after hours 13 12 78
Queensland	Child Protection Act 1999, s 13E	Physical and sexual abuse	Reasonable suspicion of significant harm where the child may lack a parent able and willing to protect	1800 811 810; after hours 1800 177 135
WA	Children and Community Services Act 2004, ss 124A, 124B	Sexual abuse	Belief on reasonable grounds	Central Intake 1800 273 889; Crisis Care 1800 199 008
SA	Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017, ss 30, 31	Physical, sexual, mental or emotional abuse, neglect	Suspicion on reasonable grounds that the child is or may be at risk	Child Abuse Report Line 13 14 78 (24/7)
Tasmania	Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1997, s 14	Sexual abuse, physical, emotional or psychological abuse, neglect, exposure to family violence	Belief, suspicion or knowledge on reasonable grounds	Child Safety Service 1800 000 123 (24 hours)
ACT	Children and Young People Act 2008, s 356	Physical abuse (non-accidental injury) and sexual abuse	Belief on reasonable grounds	Child and Youth Protection Services 1300 556 729 (24/7)
NT	Care and Protection of Children Act 2007, ss 15, 16, 26	Physical, sexual and other exploitation, emotional abuse, neglect, exposure to violence	Belief on reasonable grounds; every adult must report	Child Protection Hotline 1800 700 250 (24/7)

Sources: AIFS mandatory reporting resource sheet (reporting duties and thresholds); AIFS reporting resource sheet (contact numbers); WA FAQs. Victoria’s intake numbers vary by division; Queensland lists an enquiries number and an after-hours service. Many states also expect reports of concerns below the mandatory threshold, and some have additional duties for all adults.

How this fits with the NQF

A mandatory report to child protection does not replace notifying the education and care regulator. An allegation that physical or sexual abuse of a child has occurred or is occurring while the child is at the service must be notified to the regulator, as must a serious incident. See serious incident notification.
If the allegation is about a staff member or volunteer, a reportable conduct scheme may also apply. See child safe standards and reportable conduct by state.
Staff, volunteers and nominated supervisors must be advised of the child protection law and their obligations under it, and must complete child protection training. See child protection requirements.

What to do when you have a concern

If a child is in immediate danger, call 000.
Make the report through your state’s process; do not assume that telling a manager meets your own legal duty.
Record what you saw or heard, in the child’s words where possible, with dates and times, and keep it confidential.
Tell the nominated supervisor so the service can make any regulator or reportable conduct notification, unless that person is the subject of the concern.

Frequently asked questions

Are childcare workers mandatory reporters in Australia?

Yes, in every state and territory, though the types of abuse covered and the threshold differ. In the NT every adult is a mandatory reporter.

What must childcare workers report in Victoria?

Under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, approved providers, nominated supervisors and qualified staff must report a belief on reasonable grounds that a child needs protection because of physical injury or sexual abuse.

Is a childcare worker in WA a mandatory reporter?

Yes, for child sexual abuse. Early childhood workers were added to WA's mandatory reporting scheme from 1 November 2023.

Does a mandatory report also need to go to the regulator?

Often, yes. An allegation of physical or sexual abuse occurring while the child is at the service must also be notified to the education and care regulatory authority, and a reportable conduct notification may also be required.

Ask the question in your own words

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.

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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.