An Australian state will become one of the first to ban all personal devices - including mobile phones - in early learning centres. Photo / 123rf
An Australian state will become one of the first to ban all personal devices - including mobile phones - in early learning centres. Photo / 123rf
South Australia will be one of the first Australian states to ban the use of personal mobile phones in childcare centres.
The regulations will be implemented across all childcare and early learning centres in an effort to strengthen safety and “better protect young children across the state”.
The South Australianand Victorian state governments are among the first to implement the National Model Code, which includes the ban of mobile phones, tablets, iPads, and other devices capable of taking photos or videos, personal storage or files transfer.
South Australia’s Education Minister Blair Boyer said: “The safety and wellbeing of our children is paramount, and we are working quickly to strengthen the safety requirements for long day care services and preschools.
“All providers in South Australia must now ensure they have provided their policies and procedures to ban the use of personal mobile devices to our independent regulator.
“This ban is in line with changes recently announced by the Victorian Government and demonstrates our commitment to child safety.”
As part of the ban, the Education Standards Board will also conduct “spot checks” across childcare and early learning centres to ensure the ban is being implemented.
Board chief executive Ben Gramola said a large number of centres had already implemented the code, which was “great to see” and highlighted a proactive approach that many in the sector were taking to address concerns.
“Services who do not comply with this ban may be subject to regulatory action including placing conditions on their service approval,” he said.
All childcare and early learning centres will be required to provide assurance and a copy of the documents to the board before the end of September.
Businesses that fail to adhere to the policy risk a fine of A$50,000 ($55,000) or suspension.
The move comes after urgent calls for childcare reforms following the alleged abuse of multiple children as young as 5 months at a childcare centre in Victoria.
Joshua Brown is alleged to have abused eight children at the G8 Education-owned Creative Garden Early Learning Centre. Photo / NewsWire
Joshua Brown, 26, is facing 70 child abuse charges including sexual penetration of a child under-12, producing child abuse material, and contaminating food with bodily fluids.
He is alleged to have abused eight children at the G8 Education-owned Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook between April 2022 and January 2023.
New laws passed through Parliament last week enable the Commonwealth to withhold the Childcare Centre Subsidy (CCS) on centres that repeatedly fail to meet standards.
Childcare operators with a bad history will also be prevented from opening new centres, and parents will have access to information on whether a centre has been subject to conditions if it has had its CCS application rejected.
The Coalition has called for further measures, including a national approach to Working with Children Checks and a national register of workers.
Education Minister Jason Clare has said work on a national register is ongoing.
