National Quality Framework
1. Assessment and Rating Process
Fact Sheet | March 2012
Updated August 2014
Assessment and rating: fact sheets for education and care services
The Department has developed a series of three fact sheets to provide education and care services with
information about the assessment and rating process. These documents mirror the three stages of the
process: the first provides background information about process, the second focuses on the visit to the
education and care service, and the final document outlines what happens after the assessment and rating
visit has been completed.
What is the assessment and rating process?
The assessment and rating process is an important feature of the National Quality Framework which promotes
high quality education and care services and quality outcomes for children. The features of the National Quality
Framework include:

the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 (National Law)

the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 (National Regulations)

the National Quality Standard, and

the assessment and rating process
Through the assessment and rating process, education and care services - preschools (kindergartens), long day
care, outside school hours care and family day care services - are assessed against the National Quality
Standard, and the National Law and Regulations.
Following an assessment visit, services receive a proposed (draft) assessment and rating report, including a
rating against each of the seven quality areas and an overall rating. The ratings awarded by Department are:

Exceeding National Quality Standard

Meeting National Quality Standard

Working Towards National Quality Standard

Significant Improvement Required
If the Department identifies that a service is operating in a way that places the safety, health and wellbeing of
children at risk, the service will receive a rating of Significant Improvement Required. The Department will work
with the service to resolve the relevant issues immediately.
Services that achieve an overall rating of Exceeding National Quality Standard will be able to apply to the
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) to be considered for a rating of Excellent.
Who carries out the assessment and rating visit?
Responsibility for administering the National Quality Framework is shared between Regulatory Authorities and
the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). In Victoria the Department of
Education and Early Childhood Department is the regulatory authority whose authorised officers undertake
assessment and rating visits at education and care services.
1
Timelines for the assessment and rating process
The following table outlines the national quality assessment and rating process:
Week 1
Notice of visit

The approved provider receives a letter from the Department notifying of the four-week
period in which the assessment and rating visit will occur.

The Department requests that the approved provider submits a copy of the service quality
improvement plan within two weeks. The Department may also request additional service
specific information.
Week 2
Quality improvement plan

The approved provider submits the quality improvement plan to the Department.
Weeks 5 - 8
Assessment and rating visit occurs

The assessment visit will occur during the four week period specified in the email to the
approved provider. The Department will give the approved provider at least five days’ notice
of the date of the visit.

The authorised officer may give some general comments at the time of the visit but will not
give an indication of the service rating. Feedback may include the opportunity to make minor
adjustments within specified areas and timeframes to address concerns identified at the visit.
For further information on the minor adjustments policy refer to the Guide to Assessment
and Rating for Regulatory Authorities.
After the visit
Approx. 3 – 5
weeks after
the visit date
Proposed (draft) report

The approved provider is issued the proposed (draft) report.

The approved provider has 10 working days to provide feedback on any factual inaccuracies
in the report and provide evidence to support their feedback if this may change the rating of
the service.
Approx. 5 – 7
weeks after
the visit date
Feedback due

Feedback on the proposed (draft) report is provided to the Department. If no feedback is
provided, the report is final and the notice of final ratings is issued to the approved provider.
Approx. 8
weeks after
the visit date
Final report

If feedback is provided on the proposed (draft) report, this is considered by the Department,
the report is then finalised and sent to the approved provider along with the notice of final
ratings.
What are the requirements for quality improvement plans?
Submitting the quality improvement plan
Education and care services are required to submit their quality improvement plan within two weeks of receiving
the notification of the commencement of the assessment and rating visit. While the quality improvement plan
itself is not assessed, the plan assists the authorised officer undertaking the assessment and rating visit to gain
an understanding of the service.
Family day care services are required to prepare a quality improvement plan for the whole of the family day care
service, family day care educators are not required to prepare an individual quality improvement plan for their
residence.
Quality improvement plans must be submitted to the Manager, Quality Assessment and Regulation in the
relevant regional office of the Department. A list of the regional offices is available at
www.education.vic.gov.au/about/contact/regions.htm.
Other requirements
Each education and care service must have a quality improvement plan in place at the service that:

describes the self-assessment of the quality of the practices of the service against the National Quality
Standard and the National Regulations

identifies areas for improvement

contains a statement of the philosophy of the service (regulation 55).
2
Quality improvement plans need to be reviewed at least annually and upon request must be submitted to the
Department (regulation 56). The quality improvement plan must be kept available at the education and care
service premises or at the principal office of a family day care service. It must be available for inspection by the
Department or prospective families of the service (regulation 31).
The quality improvement plan should be a meaningful document for services that supports the regular
assessment of the service’s practices, recognises strengths and identifies areas where improvement is needed.
The focus of the plan should be on continuous improvement and therefore it should be regularly reviewed to
reflect on current practice and the quality of education and care provided.
All staff members and educators should be involved in the self-assessment against the National Quality Standard
and the development and review of quality improvement plans. Including all staff members and educators helps
to create common understandings of the priorities for continuous improvement and can have a positive impact on
service quality.
While it is important that services reflect on their practice, policies and procedures against the seven quality
areas of the National Quality Standard and related regulatory requirements, there is no expectation that all 18
standards and 58 elements will be addressed in the quality improvement plan. It is intended that services will
prioritise areas for improvement against the seven areas of the National Quality Standard to support the
continuous improvement of their service.
Assessment and rating fact sheet series
The remaining sheets in this assessment and rating series are available at:
www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation/pages.
Guides for services
The Guide to Developing a Quality Improvement Plan and Guide to the National Quality Standard may be used to
assist with completing the self-assessment process, reflecting on the quality of practices within the service and
using this information to inform the quality improvement plan. The instrument and guides are available at
www.acecqa.gov.au.
Further information
The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) is the national statutory
authority governing the National Quality Framework.
Phone: 1300 422 327
Email enquiries@acecqa.gov.au
Web: www.acecqa.gov.au
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is the Regulatory Authority in
Victoria.
Phone: 1300 307 415
Email: licensed.childrens.services@edumail.vic.gov.au
Web: www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation/pages
3