Setting a New National Benchmark for Cleanliness, Compliance & Workforce Sustainability

Author: Lindsay Smith
Publisher: BLB Childcare Cleaning / Profit Online at 50
Publication Year: 2025
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18095837
ISBN‑13: 978‑0‑646‑73295‑4
NED Reference ID: NED440989P1070188

⭐ About the White Paper

The Childcare Cleaning Reform White Paper is the first national document to map the systemic gaps in Australia’s childcare cleaning standards — and propose a practical, evidence‑based pathway to reform.

Drawing on 15 years of lived experience inside early childhood services, this paper exposes the operational, compliance, and workforce challenges that have long been overlooked. It also outlines a clear, achievable framework for lifting hygiene outcomes, reducing educator workload, and strengthening service compliance.

This is not a theoretical document. It is a sector‑built, sector‑aligned blueprint designed for immediate use by:

• Approved Providers

• Centre Directors

• Compliance & Quality teams

• Government advisors

• Industry associations

• Cleaning professionals supporting early childhood settings

🧭 What This Paper Covers

• The hidden compliance risks created by non‑specialised cleaning

• The operational burden placed on educators

• The absence of childcare‑specific cleaning standards

• The impact on workforce sustainability and service quality

• A proposed national framework for childcare cleaning reform

• Practical recommendations for services, suppliers, and policymakers

🎯 Why This Matters

Children deserve safe, hygienic environments.
Educators deserve sustainable workloads.
Providers deserve clarity and consistency.

This White Paper brings all three together — offering a roadmap that is both ambitious and achievable, grounded in real‑world practice and sector realities.

📥 Download the White Paper

Access the full publication via Zenodo (open access): DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18095837

🏛️ Publication & Legal Deposit Details

• ISBN‑13: 978‑0‑646‑73295‑4

• DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18095837

• NED Reference ID: NED440989P1070188

• Deposited with the National edeposit (NED) system

• Available to state and national libraries across Australia

🤝 Join the Reform Conversation

This White Paper is the foundation for a national movement to professionalise childcare cleaning.
If you’re a provider, policymaker, researcher, or industry partner, you’re invited to be part of the next stage.

Let’s build a safer, more sustainable future for early childhood education.

🌿 Childcare Cleaning Standard (CCS)

Reform Proposal