Building a new centre or replacing an old system? The decisions you make before installation shape how well your security works for years. Since 1 September 2025, services using CCTV need policies covering it under regulation 168, and Education Ministers are due to consider findings from the national CCTV assessment in November 2026.
Already running a centre? Start with the Childcare Security Services checklist.
1. Involve your installer at the design stage
Cabling, power and network points are far simpler to add while the walls are open than to retrofit later. Regulation 115 also requires premises designed so children can be supervised at all times, including in toilets and nappy change areas (ACECQA).
Bring your installer into early meetings with your architect and builder so cameras add to the sightlines your educators already have.
2. Write down why you want CCTV
Your regulation 168 policy needs to cover any CCTV at your service, so settle its purpose before you choose a single camera. The national child safety review recommended telling families how and why CCTV is used, how footage is stored and accessed, and how it’s provided to authorised officers and police on request (ACECQA).
Once your purpose is clear, decisions about camera numbers, locations and footage retention become much easier.
3. Map coverage with privacy and dignity in mind
Entrances, gates, car parks, playrooms and outdoor areas are common camera locations, while toilets, nappy change areas and change rooms need careful thought. Our childcare centres CCTV specialists will map out a camera plan showing each camera’s field of view, so you can see exactly what will be recorded before anything goes up.
4. Decide on audio
Many modern cameras can record sound as well as video. In Queensland, the Invasion of Privacy Act 1971 makes it an offence to use a listening device to record a private conversation, with limited exceptions. Get legal advice before switching audio on, and our team can set up your cameras with audio disabled until you decide.
5. Plan storage and access
Settle where footage is kept, how long it’s kept, who can view or export it and how quickly you can hand it to authorised officers or police. Write each of these into your policy before installation. The OAIC explains that organisations covered by the Privacy Act must keep recordings secure and destroy them, or remove identifying details, once they’re no longer needed.
6. Control the front door
A video intercom at the front gate lets staff see and speak with visitors before letting them in. Access control lets you set who can open which door and when, with a record of every entry. Plan entry points around how families, staff and deliveries arrive, and see our childcare CCTV and alarm solutions for options.
7. Cover the hours when nobody is there
Your centre sits empty every night and every weekend. A monitored alarm connected to 24/7 back to base monitoring means someone responds when a sensor is triggered. Before you sign off, ask who receives the alert, what happens next and how often the system is tested.
8. Check credentials and plan maintenance.
In Queensland, anyone who installs or maintains security equipment needs a security equipment installer licence from the Office of Fair Trading, so it’s worth checking your installer’s credentials before you sign.
With 100 years of combined experience, certified membership of the Australian Security Industry Association Limited (ASIAL) and a win at the 2026 ASIAL Security Industry Awards for Excellence, we bring proven expertise and ongoing support that extends well beyond installation day.
Our CheckMyCCTV™ service checks your system around the clock and alerts our technicians to faults early.
Planning a new centre or upgrade?
Childcare Security Services by BAMSS works with childcare centres across South East Queensland, from early planning through to installation and ongoing maintenance. Book a complimentary security audit with our childcare team, or request a quote for your project
