Database to track childcare workers and mobile phone bans on the table as Australian ministers set to meet

Governments scramble to establish national register of workers after allegations of abuse of children in early education, but states and territories yet to agree on personal device ban

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A national system to track childcare worker misconduct is key to keeping children safe, one of Australia's largest early education providers has said, arguing every worker in every state should be subject to mandatory reporting.

It comes amid disagreement among states and territories about moves to ban mobile phones in childcare centres, ahead of a critical meeting of education ministers to decide on new rules about safety training, CCTV and a database to track worker movements.