NSW Advocacy: National Register for Care Workers

Protecting all children under our care effectively also means that Approved Providers of early childhood education and care services must have the most current and correct information for their attention and action. 

And given the horrific child safety failures of late, not just in NSW but in other jurisdictions too, we need effective tools and systems that our current systems cannot deliver.

Alongside ACA National and all other ACAs across Australia, ACA NSW has begun its engagement with the NSW Government, seeking a national register of care workers that can provide all Approved Providers with the following of their existing and prospective early childhood educators:

• their verified employment history, confirmed by past employers;

• their Working With Children Check status, including suspensions and revocations;

• their qualifications as linked to the Unique Student Identifier (USI), ensuring authenticity; and

• any prior reportable conduct or misconduct findings, as well as current investigations flagged with appropriate safeguards.

ACA NSW is also advocating that this register be connected to the Australian Federal Police and the NSW Police force so that Approved Providers can receive alerts of investigations.

Moreover, we are seeking support for new national legislation to protect Approved Providers as employers from industrial/legal action for "standing aside" employee(s) due to information available from the register.

ACA NSW has begun engaging the following NSW Government Ministers:

1. The Hon Chris Minns MP, NSW Premier

2. The Hon Prue Car MP, NSW Deputy Premier & Minister for Education and Early Learning

3. The Hon Courtney Houssos MLC, acting NSW Minister for  Education and Early Learning
   

4. The Hon Yasmin Catley MP, NSW Minister for Police
   

5. The Hon Jihad Dib MP, NSW Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government
   

6. The Hon Kate Washington MP, NSW Minister for Families & Communities
   

7. The Hon Michael Daley MP, NSW Attorney-General
   

8. The Hon Steve Whan MP, NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE & Tertiary Education
   

9. The Hon Jodie Harrison MP, NSW Minister for Women

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

PUBLISHED: 18 JULY 2025