Approved providers and staff at education and care services under the
Education and Care Services Act 2013 (ECS Act) have a range of notification requirements to the Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (Regulatory Authority), parents and other organisations. Notifications provide transparency and accountability, and allow risks to the safety, health and wellbeing of children to be effectively monitored and resolved.
Approved providers are responsible for understanding and complying with the requirements under the ECS Act and ECS Regulation.
Notifications to the Regulatory Authority
Approved providers under the ECS Act must notify the Regulatory Authority of certain matters, including but not limited to:
- appointing or removing persons with management or control
- changes in the suitability of the approved provider to operate the service
- proposed changes to any aspect of the service premises
- serious incidents
- temporary closures
- complaints
- emergency attendances
- surrendering a provider or service approval
- appointing a nominee.
ECS Act sections
51,
114 and
124–127 outline the notification requirements.
To notify the Regulatory Authority, approved providers must complete and submit the relevant form below along with any supporting information.
Notifications to parents
The approved provider must notify parents of the following changes to the service operation and incidents involving the child enrolled at the service:
- suspension or cancellation of provider or service approval
- intention to voluntarily suspend and intention to voluntarily surrender a provider approval (ECS Act sections 36–38)
- suspension, cancellation, intention to voluntarily suspend and intention to voluntarily surrender a service approval (ECS Act sections 88–90)
- transfer of a service approval (ECS Act section 75)
- injury or illness of the child, including medical attention provided (ECS Regulation 21)
- occurrences of infectious disease outbreaks (ECS Regulation 24)
- certain changes to policies and procedures (ECS Regulation 67).
Reporting requirements under other legislation
Reportable Conduct Scheme
Both the
Reportable Conduct Scheme (RCS) and the ECS Act require education and care (EC) services to report a worker's inappropriate conduct or alleged abuse of children.
While notification requirements under the ECS Act have not changed, the following table shows that incidents or allegations of this nature may also have to be reported to the
Queensland Child and Family Commission (QFCC) under the RCS from 1 July 2026.
Note: The table below only relates to matters that occur during EC operational hours and does not include any other mandatory reporting requirements to QPS,
Blue Cards Services,
Child Safety or RCS (such as worker conduct outside of EC hours).
| When it applies | Conduct
only while providing EC | Conduct anytime (e.g while providing EC at the service
or while off duty)
|
|---|
| What to report |
Notify complaints alleging: - a child's safety, health or wellbeing has or is being compromised
- that the ECS Act has been or is being contravened
| Report
allegations and
convictions of
reportable conduct. This includes: - a child sexual offence
- sexual misconduct committed in relation to, or in the presence of a child
- ill-treatment of a child
- significant neglect of a child
- physical violence committed in relation to, or in the presence of a child
- behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm to a child
|
|---|
| Who reports | Approved provider (AP) to regulatory authority (RA) |
Workers to the head of entity
Head of the entity to QFCC |
|---|
| By when | Within 24 hours of AP becoming aware | Workers—as soon as practicable. Head of entity—within 3 business days of becoming aware |
|---|
| How to report |
Local regional office |
QFCC |
|---|
For more information on the Reportable Conduct Scheme, contact
QFCC.
Mandatory reporting
All early childhood education and care professionals are mandatory reporters under the
Child Protection Act 1999, and are therefore legally required to report to Child Safety where they reasonably suspect that a child:
- has suffered, is suffering, or is at risk of suffering significant harm caused by sexual or physical abuse
- may not have a parent who is willing and able to protect them from harm.
For information on mandatory reporting, visit the
Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety website.
Other legislation
Approved providers are responsible for being aware of and complying with their reporting obligations under legislation other than the ECS Act and ECS Regulation.
Service closures
In the event of an emergency, approved providers make the decision to close and re-open their early childhood education and care (ECEC) service(s) and are required to notify the Regulatory Authority within 24 hours of the service closing. Services under the ECS Act should do so by emailing the ECEC Emergency Closures mailbox at
ececemergencyclosures@qed.qld.gov.au.
Disaster recovery
The Regulatory Authority has prepared
guidance on reopening a service after an emergency.
Publication of information about ECEC service closures
It is essential that parents, caregivers and families have access to up-to-date information about ECEC service closures during an emergency.
Information about ECEC service closures is made available to the public via the
Service and temporary closure information tool maintained by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.
Help and support
If you have questions about notifications or service closures, please contact your
local regional office.