Serious incidents in Victorian childcare jump as staff qualifications slide
Almost 5,050 children were injured, became ill or traumatized in childcare centers in Victoria last financial year, according to the Productivity Commission’s latest report published on Tuesday; This rate is an increase of 8 percent.
According to the report, more than 730 children were confined to, or were held in, child care centers in Victoria, or had no information about them. Emergency services were called to the centers 830 times.
The report finds children are less safe in child care centers in Australia and staff are less qualified than in 2021. The data comes amid upheaval in the sector following significant investment to upgrade the skills of early education educators in Victoria and horrific allegations of child sexual abuse in childcare centres, following Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Brown’s alleged abuse of eight children and babies in his care.
In September last year, the government introduced a ban on personal devices in childcare centers and carried out CCTV assessments in centres. In addition, staff are offered mandatory child safety training, a national educator register and a review of staff practices.
The rate of serious incidents that seriously endangered the health, safety or well-being of children attending early childhood education and care services increased from 6,142 to 6,613.
“Staff quality” at early childhood and education centers (which measures staff qualifications and experience) has decreased since the previous workforce census in 2021. In the last financial year, 75 per cent of paid liaison staff had either formal qualifications at certificate III or higher or three or more years of relevant experience, up from 82.1 per cent.
The number of serious incidents of substantiated breaches of the national quality framework (where relevant legislation, regulations or conditions are not met within an approved service) in Victorian early childhood education and care settings has doubled since 2020/2021, from 188 incidents to 533 in 2024/25.
Victorian parents are also paying more for childcare than last year; The average weekly cost of 50 hours of assisted care was $719 in 2025; This figure was 704 dollars the previous year.
All centers also saw an increase in confirmed violations; The number of violations increased from 118.4 in 2023/24 to 145.4 per 100 approved services in 2024/25.
Bambini Family Day Care issued an urgent action statement on safe sleeping following the death of a baby at one of its centers on Skye, south-east of Melbourne, in February last year. The service shut down all 56 of its services across Victoria in October last year.
Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh said the department was working “shoulder to shoulder” with states and territories to strengthen the sector.
“Our $226 million reforms mark the biggest change in the sector since the national early learning system was introduced 15 years ago,” he said.
“That’s why we’re investing in this workforce with our 15 percent salary increase for educators, which helps stabilize the industry.”
Walsh said the department is implementing stronger regulation with increased fines, more regulatory visits and legislation that allows us to siphon funds from poor providers.
“When education ministers from across the country meet later this month they will discuss safety in early learning again,” he said.
Early Childhood Australia CEO Samantha Page said an early childhood services commission was needed.
He said worker retention grants had improved wages in the sector and had a positive impact on stability. But she said too much child care is a problem in some areas.
“We have new services for well-served areas,” he said. “You end up with services that are half full and operating at low enrollment rates with minimal staffing levels,” he said.
