The use of personal phones to photograph children will be banned from Monday in early childhood education and care centres which have signed up to the new National Model Code and Guidelines. Staff at any childcare providers which adopt the code and guidelines — a strongly recommended measure — must only carry personal devices under limited circumstances, such as for health or family reasons. Photographs of children will only be permitted on service issued devices from Monday.
Minister for Education Jason Clare and the Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly released a joint statement on Monday to outline the new rules. “In place from today, the new Code and Guidelines set out that only service-issued devices can be used when photographing and filming children,” the statement said. The Federal, State and Territory Government action comes in response to recommendations by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority .