A trial of CCTV cameras in childcare centers is set to begin later this year. This initiative aims to enhance the safety of children in these facilities. Education Minister Jason Clare announced the plan after a meeting with federal, state, and territory education leaders in Sydney on Friday.

The trial will involve up to 300 childcare centers and is expected to start in October or November. It will focus on determining the optimal placement of cameras, data ownership, and measures to protect footage from potential hacking. Clare emphasized that while the initiative is not a complete solution, it is a vital step toward improving child safety. "This is not a silver bullet, none of this is. None of it is a guarantee. But it is an essential component in what we need to do if we want to keep our children safe," he stated.

Clare also highlighted the need to balance privacy concerns with safety. He noted, "The even bigger question is about privacy, which is about the threat that any information that is collected with CCTV could be hacked by paedophiles." He added that police have indicated that CCTV can deter inappropriate behavior and assist in investigations when incidents occur.

Childcare centers that are already planning to install cameras will be included in the trial. Additionally, small and medium-sized not-for-profit operators will receive federal funding to participate. An external organization will be engaged to design and review the trial, with support from the Australian Centre for Child Protection and the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority.

In conjunction with the CCTV trial, the federal government is also launching a national register of childcare workers. This register is expected to start in December, with a nationwide rollout planned for February. It will initially include contact information for early childhood education workers and their employment details. Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh stated that the register will evolve to include more comprehensive information, such as regulatory data on prohibited individuals and the status of working with children's checks.

The federal education department is currently issuing compliance notices to childcare centers that have not met national safety and quality standards. Clare noted the importance of transparency, saying, "The big problem is parents do not know what is going on; it sometimes depends on the relationship you have with your individual center."

Starting next month, the Starting Blocks website will provide detailed information about each center, including safety breaches and regulatory inspections. Additionally, all childcare staff will be required to undergo mandatory training focused on child safety, including recognizing signs of grooming or abuse. From next month, centers must implement a policy banning phones while working with children, although only Victoria and South Australia have announced plans for significant fines to enforce this ban.

Concerns about staffing ratios were raised by unions ahead of the meeting, with claims that some centers exploit ratio loopholes. The United Workers Union emphasized that adjusting these rules would significantly enhance safety. In response, education ministers have tasked the Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority with reviewing staffing ratios and reporting back by the end of the year.