Resourcing of the Queensland College of Teaching (QCT) is essential to a successful transition to mandatory early childhood teacher (ECT) registration.
Late last term, the Queensland government introduced the Education Legislation (Registration of Early Childhood Teachers) Amendment Bill 2026 to parliament to uplift the status of the profession and strengthen child safety in the sector.
If passed, it will make teacher registration mandatory for ECTs employed in centre-based early childhood education and care services (ECS), including kindergartens.
Our union broadly supports mandatory registration as conducive to enhanced child safety and recognition of the work ECTs undertake but warns the government’s plan must include careful considerations.
Plans must include QCT resourcing
IEU-QNT Senior Research Officer Dr Adele Schmidt cautioned that the introduction of mandatory registration will be an administrative burden on the QCT, and on registered ECTs, to provide support to other ECTs.
“Our union has indicated to the state government that the QCT will require greater levels of resourcing and funding to expand its remit to the early childhood education sector.
