Corporal punishment in early education and childcare settings
In 2011, the Education and Care Services National Law was introduced by way of an applied law system where the host jurisdiction (Victoria) passed the law (Education and Care Service National Law Act 2010) and other jurisdictions adopted that law or passed corresponding legislation (Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), 2013a).
Under the Education and Care Service National Law Act 2010 (Vic.)section 166 it is an offence for a provider, nominated supervisor, staff member, and volunteer or family day care educator of an approved education and care service to subject a child to any form of corporal punishment. This prohibition is also contained within the National Quality Standards (ACECQA, 2013b). However, not all jurisdictions have specifically included corporal punishment as an offence under individual state and territory education and care services legislation. Variations to the applied law by jurisdiction are described in Table 2 below.