National child safety training: who, when, and a tracker

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026. Courses, roles and deadlines taken from the Department of Education’s national child safety training page and ACECQA’s strengthened NQF child safety and protections page, both checked on 12 November 2026, and regulations 128B, 128D and 128E of the National Regulations (Queensland reprint current from 12 August 2026). The tracker runs in your browser and keeps entries only on this device. Check state-specific requirements with your regulatory authority. General information, not legal advice.

Quick answer

National child safety training is mandatory for everyone who works or volunteers at an NQF service. It is free and done only in Geccko, the Australian Government’s learning platform. Everyone completes Foundations (courses 1 and 2). Staff who work directly with children also complete advanced courses 3 and 4. Nominated supervisors and persons in day-to-day charge complete courses 3, 4 and 5. Persons with management or control complete Foundations and course 5. New people must finish Foundations before they start working directly with children or within 14 days of being employed, whichever comes first. Advanced training is due by 31 March 2027 for people in a relevant role before 30 September 2026, and within 3 months of starting for everyone else. Refresher training is every 2 years. Approved providers must check certificates and record completion in the National Early Childhood Worker Register.

A free tracker for approved providers: which national child safety training courses each person needs, when each is due, and who is overdue.

National child safety training tracker

Keep training deadlines in one calendar

A free WIDEN Law account includes the compliance calendar with email reminders for child safety training, CPR and first aid. The 14-day trial adds answers cited to the National Law and Regulations, for example whether a casual relief educator needs advanced training. No card needed.

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Which courses each role needs

Role	Foundations (courses 1 and 2)	Advanced (courses 3 and 4)	Advanced (course 5)
Persons with management or control	Yes		Yes
Nominated supervisors	Yes	Yes	Yes
Persons in day-to-day charge	Yes	Yes	Yes
Staff who work directly with children	Yes	Yes
Other staff	Yes
Volunteers and students	Yes

Source: the Department of Education’s national child safety training page. The provider decides who needs which courses, based on each person’s role and duties, how regularly they are engaged, their contact with children and the service’s child safety risk assessment. If unsure, take a precautionary approach and ask your regulatory authority.

The deadlines

Foundations, new people: before they start working directly with children, or within 14 days of being employed, whichever comes first. The deadline for staff already in place was 27 August 2026.
Advanced: by 31 March 2027 if the person held the role before 30 September 2026; otherwise within 3 months of starting in the role.
Refresher: foundation training every 2 years (r 128D(3)) and advanced training every 2 years for the roles that need it (r 128E(3)).
In the Regulations: foundation training before the earlier of 14 days after the person is employed, engaged or appointed, or starting to work directly with children (r 128D(4)); advanced training within 3 months of being employed, engaged or appointed (r 128E(4)). The duty sits with the approved provider under section 162B of the National Law.
Child protection training is separate: the course published for your jurisdiction on the ACECQA website, on the same 14-day deadline (r 128B).

What the approved provider must do

Make sure each person completes the right courses. The training is done only in Geccko: courses from other platforms do not meet the requirement.
Collect each person’s Geccko completion certificate as evidence; certificates are not sent to employers automatically.
Record foundation and advanced training separately in the National Early Childhood Worker Register.
Child Care Subsidy approved providers can claim CCS for up to 5 hours a year of after-5pm closure to complete the training, or apply for a professional development subsidy, but not both for the same hours.

For the wider changes, see child safety reforms 2026; for child protection training and reporting, see child protection requirements. To track qualifications and first aid as well, use the staff qualification register.

Frequently asked questions

Who has to do national child safety training in childcare?

Everyone who works or volunteers at an NQF service, including persons with management or control, nominated supervisors, persons in day-to-day charge, staff, volunteers and students. The courses depend on the role.

When must new staff complete child safety training?

Foundation training must be completed before they start working directly with children, or within 14 days of being employed, whichever comes first. Advanced training, where the role needs it, is due within 3 months of starting in the role.

When is advanced child safety training due for existing staff?

By 31 March 2027 for people who held a relevant role before 30 September 2026.

Where is national child safety training done?

Only in Geccko, the Australian Government's online learning platform for early childhood education and care. It is free. Training from other platforms does not meet the requirement.

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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.