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EduBuddy and the Safe Use of AI in Early Childhood Education: How We Meet the New Digital Regulations

  • Writer: Cheyanne Carter
    Cheyanne Carter
  • Jun 17
  • 3 min read
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From 1 September 2025, approved providers across Australia must have policies and procedures in place for the safe use of digital technologies and online environments. These changes to the Education and Care Services National Regulations are part of a broader shift to ensure children's safety, uphold privacy, and support best practice in the digital age.


As an AI-powered support tool for the ECEC workforce, EduBuddy is purpose-built to not only comply with these new requirements, but to empower educators in doing so. Our platform has been designed with safety, ethical use, and alignment to national frameworks at its core.


Here’s how EduBuddy aligns with the National Quality Framework (NQF) and responds directly to the Online Safety Guidelines for AI Use in Children’s Education and Care:



EduBuddy Never Replaces Educator Judgment

The NQF Online Safety Guide highlights a key concern: AI must not replace educators’ professional knowledge and understanding of children, families, and pedagogy.


EduBuddy has been explicitly trained not to generate or rewrite educator observations. Instead, it supports professional thinking by:

  • Helping educators link observations to relevant learning frameworks (EYLF, MTOP, or VEYLDF)

  • Offering critical reflection questions to deepen understanding

  • Identifying connections to relevant theorists

  • Recommending follow-up activities based on the educator’s original insight and the child’s learning trajectory

This ensures that educators remain the authors of their documentation, with EduBuddy acting as a scaffold, not a shortcut.


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Reducing Hallucinations and Promoting Regulatory Confidence

The NQF Guide cautions that AI models may produce inaccurate or misleading information (known as “hallucinations”).


To counter this risk, EduBuddy always links its suggestions directly to relevant regulatory sources, including:

  • NQF Elements

  • Learning Outcomes

  • National Law and Regulations

This empowers educators to cross-reference outputs and verify accuracy through official documentation.


Quality Assurance - AI responses are reviewed and assessed against our 'Child-Safe Quality Standards' regularly by a qualified Early Childhood Professional to further safeguarding and drive on-going quality improvement.


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Complementing, Not Replacing, Pedagogical Intentionality

The Guide reminds services that documentation generated by AI must not weaken the intentional planning and reflection that drives individualised learning.


EduBuddy is built on this principle.

It is trained on:

  • 0–5 child developmental milestones

  • Positive Behaviour Strategies

  • Inclusive and Neuro-affirming Support Strategies

  • Child-led approaches to learning

  • Recognised child development theorists

  • Best-practice pedagogical approaches aligned with ACECQA and National Quality standards

This ensures that any reflection, recommendation, or link generated by EduBuddy is rooted in evidence-based practice and complements the educator’s intentionality, not replaces it.



Prioritising Privacy and Data Safety

EduBuddy meets the requirement for safe digital practices by designing its system around data minimisation and user control:


  • No child or adult personal data is required to use any EduBuddy feature

  • Users can use pseudonyms or no names at all

  • EduBuddy will only ask for a child’s age or the user’s state to generate contextually relevant responses

  • All chat history can be deleted at any time by the user

  • All data is processed and stored in Australia, compliant with local privacy laws

Account details (name and email) are stored only for login purposes and are deleted within 30 days of account closure or user request (unless required by law).



Addressing Bias and Promoting Inclusion

The NQF Guide raises an essential concern about AI bias, particularly the risk of cultural misrepresentation or exclusion.


EduBuddy has been:

  • Specifically trained to incorporate Indigenous perspectives where relevant

  • Monitored to avoid Western-centric assumptions or exclusionary language

  • Designed to flag and eliminate biased content as part of weekly QA reviews

We actively ensure that outputs are inclusive, culturally safe, and appropriate for Australia’s diverse communities.



Supporting Educator Practice To Facilitate Child - Educator Interaction

EduBuddy is designed for professional educator support, facilitating positive interactions with children.

It:

  • Supports quality interactions with children

  • Encourages positive learning engagements and communication

  • Does not suggest screen-based activities for children

Edubuddy is designed to provide educators with time-saving tools and guidance so they can spend more time engaging with children, not screens.



The integration of AI in early childhood education should never come at the cost of safety, privacy, or pedagogy. EduBuddy stands as a sector-led, child-safe, and regulation-aligned tool, giving educators the confidence to use AI ethically, purposefully, and in full compliance with Australia’s evolving digital regulations.


By placing educator expertise and child safety at the centre, EduBuddy ensures that technology enhances, not replaces - quality education and care.


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