Serious incident report policy in childcare

Childcare services play a critical role in nurturing and safeguarding our children so they thrive in their physical and mental health until they're ready to start school.

To maintain the highest standard of quality care, every approved service must follow the serious incident reporting rules set out in the Education and Care Services National Regulations, which have applied under the National Quality Framework since 1 January 2012. The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) oversees the framework, and like every policy in the childcare sector, these rules are continuously scrutinised, reviewed and updated. The most recent change came in September 2025, and it shortened the time a service has to report certain incidents.

How quickly must a childcare service report a serious incident?

So what happens if your child gets sick or injured at childcare? Childcare services are obligated to report serious incidents to their regulator within 24 hours of the incident occurring, or within 24 hours of becoming aware of it, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every child in their care.

That 24-hour window now covers abuse too. Since 1 September 2025, services must report any incident or allegation of physical or sexual abuse within 24 hours, down from the previous seven days. A complaint that alleges a serious incident has also occurred must be reported within 24 hours.

If parents or staff members have concerns, there are established processes for escalating these matters. By following the appropriate channels, both parents and staff can contribute to the ongoing improvement and safety of childcare services in Australia.

What counts as a serious incident in childcare?

Serious incidents are events or circumstances that pose a risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of a child or children attending the service. No parent ever wants to get that call to say something serious has happened to their child while in care, but accidents can happen, so there are policies and procedures in place to protect every child in attendance.

Under the National Regulations, a serious incident includes:

• the death of a child at the service, or after an incident at the service
• a serious injury, illness or trauma where the child went to hospital, or should have, or needed urgent attention from a doctor
• any emergency where emergency services attended
• a child who appears to be missing, can't be accounted for or appears to have been taken from the premises
• a child who is mistakenly locked in or out of the premises or any part of it
• any incident where the provider reasonably believes physical or sexual abuse of a child has occurred
• any allegation that physical or sexual abuse of a child has occurred or is occurring

It's important to note that the examples below are only a few ways these incidents can happen. For a more extensive list, see ACECQA's incident, injury, trauma and illness policy guidelines.

Serious injury

This relates to any incident where a child sustains a significant injury while in the care of the childcare service. For instance, a child falling from the playground and sustaining a fracture, or being burned through accidental contact with a hot object, would be considered a serious incident and must be reported.

Medical emergency

Any situation where a child's health is at risk and they need immediate medical attention. For example:

• severe allergic reactions
• sudden onset of a serious illness such as an asthma attack or diabetic episode
• loss of consciousness

These are just a few examples of medical emergencies that can occur and need to be reported.

Physical dispute causing injury

If a physical dispute between children, or between a child and a staff member, results in an injury that needs hospital or urgent medical care, it is a serious incident. This can include physical aggression, bullying, or physical harm caused either unintentionally or intentionally. Any belief or allegation that a staff member has physically harmed a child must be reported within 24 hours, whether or not the child was injured.

Missing child or unauthorised departure

It is considered very serious when a child leaves the premises without authorisation. A child wandering out of the service because of a lapse in supervision or a breach in security is cause for great concern, and so is a child being taken from the premises by someone who isn't authorised to collect them.

Child locked in or out

A child who is accidentally locked inside a room, a vehicle or any part of the premises, or locked outside the building, must be reported, even if they were found quickly and weren't hurt.

Hazardous material contact

A child who has had access to a hazardous material such as cleaning agents or chemicals is at risk of serious injury. This can happen through improper storage, accidental ingestion, or exposure to harmful fumes or substances, and it must be reported if the child needs hospital or urgent medical care, or if emergency services attend.

What steps must a childcare service take when a serious incident happens?

Childcare services follow these steps when a serious incident happens:

• Immediate response: first aid and care for the child, and a call to emergency services if needed.
• Contacting parents: families must be told about any incident, injury, trauma or illness as soon as practicable, and no later than 24 hours after it happens.
• Incident documentation: this might start as a quick written observation, but a full incident record must be completed within 24 hours and kept confidentially until the child turns 25.
• Internal reporting: all incidents should be reported to the service's management.
• External notification: if the incident meets the definition of a serious incident, the service must notify its state or territory regulatory authority within 24 hours.

Most services will also ask you to read and sign the incident record, so you know exactly what happened, when, and what care your child received.

How do childcare services prevent a serious incident from happening again?

After the incident, the childcare service should take appropriate steps to stop it happening again. This might involve one or more of the following:

• risk management strategies
• a review of the service's policies and procedures
• support for staff members

Maintaining a safe and nurturing environment is the highest priority under the National Quality Framework, and reporting serious incidents is only one part of it. These rules make sure incidents are dealt with quickly and effectively.

The framework has been strengthened further since 2025, with national child safety reforms bringing in mandatory child safety training, stricter rules on personal devices and an Early Childhood Worker Register. When you're weighing up a new centre, asking how it handles and reviews incidents is one of the clearest ways to tell if a childcare service is safe.

Who do childcare services report serious incidents to in each state and territory?

Each state and territory has its own regulatory authority, and serious incidents must be reported to it within 24 hours. Parents can contact the same regulator with a complaint or concern about a service.

• ACT: Children's Education and Care Assurance, Early Childhood Policy and Regulation, Education Directorate, ACT Government
• NSW: NSW Early Learning Commission
• NT: Quality Education and Care NT, Department of Education and Training
• QLD: Early Childhood Regulatory Authority, Early Childhood Division, Department of Education
• SA: Education Standards Board
• TAS: Department for Education, Children and Young People
• VIC: Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA)
• WA: Department of Communities, Education and Care Regulatory Unit

FAQs

Can I see my child's incident report from childcare?

Yes. Services must record every incident, injury, trauma or illness within 24 hours and share the details with parents within the same timeframe. Most centres ask a parent to read and sign the record, and you can ask for a copy for your own files or your GP.

How do I make a complaint about a childcare centre in Australia?

Start by raising it with the centre director or approved provider, who must have a complaints process in place. If that doesn't resolve it, or the concern is about a child's safety, you can contact your state or territory regulatory authority directly. For immediate danger, call 000.

What happens to a childcare centre after a serious incident is reported?

The regulator reviews the notification and may ask for more information, visit the service or open an investigation. Depending on what it finds, it can issue a compliance notice, add conditions to the service's approval, give a fine, or suspend or cancel the service's approval.

Are childcare centres required to report bites and minor falls?

Minor injuries such as a bite, a graze or a small bump must be recorded and shared with parents within 24 hours, but they don't need to be reported to the regulator. They only become a serious incident if the child needs hospital or urgent medical care.

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