National Quality Framework

In December 2009, all Australian Governments agreed to a new National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care. This means that all Australian children, regardless of their location, will get the best possible start in life through high quality early childhood education and care and school age care services. The Framework will help providers improve their services in the areas that impact on a child’s development and empower families to make informed choices about which service is best for their child.

The National Quality Framework includes:

• a national legislative framework that consists of the Education and Care Services National Law and Education and Care Services National Regulations
• a National Quality Standard
• an assessment and rating system
• a regulatory authority in each state and territory who will have primary responsibility for the approval, monitoring and quality assessment of services in their jurisdiction in accordance with the national legislative framework and in relation to the National Quality Standard.
• the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).

ACECQA, the new national body is responsible for providing oversight of the new system and ensuring consistency of approach.

More information can be found at the ACECQA website – http://acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/.