National Assessment of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) use in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings - Round 2 is sponsored by Department of Education (Australia). This grant opportunity supports the national assessment of CCTV use in early childhood education and care settings. It likely focuses on research or projects related to the implementation, impact, and policy implications of CCTV in these environments.

Sector invited to contribute to national evaluation of CCTV in early childhood settings Service providers, educators, parents and carers are being invited to share their views on the use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings as part of a national evaluation examining the role technology could play in supporting child safety and quality.

The evaluation, being undertaken by KPMG on behalf of the Australian Government, seeks to capture perspectives from across the sector as governments continue exploring potential approaches to strengthening safeguarding measures within ECEC services. Feedback gathered through the consultation will help inform understanding of both the opportunities and challenges associated with CCTV use in early learning environments.

Balancing safety, quality and privacy The use of CCTV in ECEC settings has become an increasingly prominent topic in national discussions about child safety, supervision and transparency. Advocates argue that CCTV may assist with incident verification, support investigations, strengthen safeguarding practices and provide reassurance for families.

Others have highlighted important considerations relating to privacy, data security, consent, workplace culture, educator wellbeing and the practical management of recorded footage. As governments continue examining potential approaches, policymakers are seeking to better understand how the sector views the benefits, risks and operational implications of CCTV implementation.

The evaluation is intended to ensure a broad range of perspectives are considered before any future policy decisions are made. Service providers, approved providers, nominated supervisors and educators are being encouraged to participate in the consultation.

The survey explores a range of issues including: Potential child safety benefits Operational and implementation challenges Privacy and data management considerations Safeguards and supports that may be required if CCTV were introduced more broadly The service provider and educator survey is open now and closes on 18 June 2026 and can be accessed here.

Families encouraged to participate Parents and carers are also being invited to contribute their views through a separate survey. Governments have indicated that family perspectives will be an important component of the evaluation, particularly in understanding expectations around transparency, child safety and the use of technology within early learning settings.

Services are being encouraged to share information about the consultation through their existing family communication channels to help ensure parent and carer voices are represented. The parent and carer survey takes less than 15 minutes to complete, responses are anonymous and the survey closes at 6pm AEST on 18 June 2026. The survey can be accessed here.

Part of a broader safeguarding conversation The consultation forms part of a wider national conversation about child safety, governance and accountability within ECEC services. Across Australia, governments and regulators have increased their focus on safeguarding practices, child-safe cultures and mechanisms designed to strengthen oversight and protect children.

While CCTV represents only one potential element within a broader safeguarding framework, the evaluation provides an opportunity for those working in and using ECEC services to contribute directly to the discussion. Additional information can be access on the Department of Education website.

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UK regulator steps up unannounced visits and the parallels with Australia are hard to ignore Ofsted's decision to increase unannounced visits to early years settings in England comes at a time when Australia's own early childhood education and care (ECEC) regulatory environment is facing heightened scrutiny around quality, compliance and child safety.

ECEC awards finalists highlight excellence across large and small providers The announcement of this year's Excellence in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Awards finalists has revealed an inspiring picture of quality, innovation and dedication across the sector, with organisations of all sizes earning recognition for their contribution to children, families and communities.

What a potential NSW community preschool funding boost could mean for early learning The NSW Government has signalled that increased funding for community preschools may be on the horizon, with the Independent Education Union of Australia (IEU) NSW/ACT Branch advising that it has been informed that a funding announcement is likely in the coming weeks.

New national project to strengthen equity in early learning underway A new national project supported by the Investment Dialogue for Australia's Children (IDAC) is set to examine how Australia's early childhood education and care (ECEC) system can better respond to the diverse needs of children, families and communities.

Nido shareholders approve CEO incentive plan linked to quality and compliance outcomes Nido Education shareholders have approved a revised executive incentive plan that links a significant portion of Chief Executive Officer Adam Lai's long-term remuneration to quality ratings, compliance performance and safety outcomes across the provider's early learning network.

UK regulator steps up unannounced visits and the parallels with Australia are hard to ignore Ofsted's decision to increase unannounced visits to early years settings in England comes at a time when Australia's own early childhood education and care (ECEC) regulatory environment is facing heightened scrutiny around quality, compliance and child safety.

ECEC awards finalists highlight excellence across large and small providers The announcement of this year's Excellence in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Awards finalists has revealed an inspiring picture of quality, innovation and dedication across the sector, with organisations of all sizes earning recognition for their contribution to children, families and communities.

What a potential NSW community preschool funding boost could mean for early learning The NSW Government has signalled that increased funding for community preschools may be on the horizon, with the Independent Education Union of Australia (IEU) NSW/ACT Branch advising that it has been informed that a funding announcement is likely in the coming weeks.

New national project to strengthen equity in early learning underway A new national project supported by the Investment Dialogue for Australia's Children (IDAC) is set to examine how Australia's early childhood education and care (ECEC) system can better respond to the diverse needs of children, families and communities.

The News Start your day informed The Podcast Tune in on the go The Marketplace Key Partner Messages Nido shareholders approve CEO incentive plan linked to quality and compliance outcomes UK regulator steps up unannounced visits and the parallels with Australia are hard to ignore ECEC awards finalists highlight excellence across large and small providers Affordability & Accessibility What a potential NSW community preschool funding boost could mean for early learning New national project to strengthen equity in early learning underway New national RPL resources released to help educators and employers identify quality training Shaping Bright Futures: WorkinEarlyLearning launches to tackle the ECEC Sector's workforce crisis NSW ECEC sector grows as monitoring activity rises and new service applications decline NSW introduces enhancements to Assessment and Rating from 1 July 2026 Sector invited to contribute to national evaluation of CCTV in early childhood settings | The Sector