Taking photos and videos of children on personal phones and devices will be restricted by early childhood education centres who adopt the new National Model Code and Guidelines.
In place from today, the new Code and Guidelines set out that only service-issued devices can be used when photographing and filming children.
Minister for Education Jason Clare said in a statement:
“The safety and protection of children in early childhood education is our highest priority. Australia has a very good system of early childhood education and care, but more can be done to make sure safety guidance and measures are fit-for-purpose.”
He added:
“That’s why Education Ministers are acting on this key recommendation to make sure the right rules are in place to keep our children safe while they are in early education and care.”
The Code and Guidelines also outline the strict controls that must be in place for taking, sharing and storing images or videos.
Providers of centre-based early childhood education and care are strongly encouraged to adopt the Code under which, personal devices can only be carried or used in limited circumstances such as for health or family reasons.
The Code and Guidelines form part of a range of actions Federal, State and Territory Governments are taking to respond to the 16 recommendations of the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) Review of Child Safety Arrangements under the National Quality Framework.
Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly observed:
“We’re ensuring child safety measures in early childhood education and care services remain contemporary and fit-for-purpose. This is about helping early childhood education and care providers to embed a child-safe culture in their services. We will continue to act swiftly to ensure all early childhood education and care services remain safe for our children.”
All Education Ministers are committed to progressing work across all recommendations related to physical and online safety, child supervision and staffing requirements, and are actively considering regulatory reform.
Centre-based early childhood education and care services will be guided by the voluntary Code and Guidelines while further child safety regulatory reforms are being progressed.
Support Our Journalism
Global Indian Diaspora and Australia’s multicultural communities need fair, non-hyphenated, and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. The Australia Today – with exceptional reporters, columnists, and editors – is doing just that. Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, or India you can take a paid subscription by clicking Patreon and support honest and fearless journalism.
