South Australia will soon become one of the first jurisdictions in the country to ban personal mobile phones in childcare and preschool settings, with new rules aimed at improving safety and accountability across early years services.
The Malinauskas Government is introducing the changes in line with the National Model Code, requiring all long day care and preschool providers to develop and submit policies banning personal mobile device use by the end of September. Only service-issued devices will be permitted for activities like taking photos or videos of children.
Education Minister Blair Boyer said the changes were part of a broader move to tighten oversight in the sector. “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,” he said.
Providers will need to file their updated mobile device policies with the state’s independent regulator, the Education Standards Board (ESB). The ESB will carry out spot-checks and monitor compliance. Services that fail to submit or implement the required documentation may face penalties of up to $50,000 or risk having their approval suspended.
The push is being coordinated with Victoria, which recently announced similar measures. Together, they will be the first states to bring in these mobile phone bans across early childhood settings.
At the heart of the new rules is a requirement that personal devices—including phones, USBs, or any media capable of capturing images or storing files—be kept away from staff while working directly with children. This, according to the government, creates a clearer separation between personal and professional conduct and reduces opportunities for inappropriate behaviour.
Boyer said the changes reflect a strong stance on provider conduct. “The Malinauskas Labor Government has demonstrated that it has zero tolerance for poor behaviour from early childhood providers,” he said, pointing to a $7 million funding increase to the ESB, which has allowed for a doubling of its staff and a 63% rise in service visits.
Benn Gramola, Chief Executive of the ESB, confirmed that many services had already begun following the model code on their own initiative. “We’re aware a large number of services have already implemented the National Model Code, which is great to see and highlights the proactive approach that many in the sector are already taking to address this issue,” he said.
For services that haven’t yet made the shift, the ESB will offer guidance in the lead-up to the deadline. But Gramola made it clear that failure to comply would lead to regulatory action, including placing conditions on operating licences.
The new policy is the first in what the government says will be a series of changes aimed at boosting safety in early childhood education and care. While no further actions have been announced, the focus is firmly on building public confidence in the sector following growing scrutiny of care standards.
The policy rollout comes at a time when the role of mobile phones in professional settings—especially those involving children—is under wider public debate. While mobile bans in schools have become more common, this latest measure shifts the spotlight to early education, where children are less able to understand or report misconduct.
South Australia’s approach is likely to influence national conversations around regulation in the sector, especially with other states watching the outcomes of this early rollout.
The decision has generally been welcomed by educators and parent advocacy groups, many of whom have pushed for stronger safeguards in childcare environments. The challenge now lies in ensuring consistent compliance across the state’s services and making sure staff understand the scope of the changes.
As spot checks begin and providers work to align their internal policies, the broader aim remains clear: keeping phones away, and children safer.
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