<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Incidents that endanger a child's health or wellbeing in </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/childcare" rel="" target="_blank" title="childcare"><span>childcare</span></a><span> are taking a sharp rise in recent years, according to new national data.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Productivity Commission found that in 2024, 160 "serious incidents" were reported per 100 National Quality Framework-approved early childhood education and care services.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Serious incidents" are classified by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority as occasions that could harm a child's wellbeing.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/cost-of-living-housing-crisis-to-blame-australia-birth-rate-dropping/3920c79b-1c85-4034-a750-d2f4703261c8" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Aussies on good money are being priced out of parenthood</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>These include injuries, severe allergic reactions, illness-related events such as seizures or asthma attacks, contact with hazardous materials, or a child leaving the facility off-schedule.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Productivity Commission found that in 2024-2025, nearly eight per cent of these serious incidents were associated with a breach of national guidelines, almost double the 4.1 per cent rate recorded in 2019-2020.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>As of June 30 last year, there were 18,018 NQF-approved early childhood learning and childcare services available around the country, an increase on the year before.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/serious-incidents-on-the-rise-in-childcare-report-finds/8d7e6a96-83d4-421f-bcd1-c0c649e3b22a" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/pauline-hanson-policies-stance-on-immigration-housing-voting-record-explained/1a21d57d-cddd-4ba5-b1ce-0b564e205b79" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>As Pauline Hanson's popularity surges, what does her party really stand for?</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, the commission found that while the amount of services had risen, staff quality had declined.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In 2024, 75 per cent of staff had formal qualifications at Certificate III or higher levels, or at least three years of relevant experience.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That's a significant drop from 82.1 per cent of staff with the same qualifications or experience in 2021.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>