National Quality
Framework
Quality Assessment and Regulation Division
May 2013
Overview of today’s
presentation
 National Quality Framework update
 Outcomes of assessment and rating process in Victoria.
 Maintaining compliance with the National Law and National
Regulations.
 Requirements coming into effect on 1 January 2014.
National Quality Framework update
 Objectives and principles
 National Quality Standard
 Evaluation of assessment
and rating process
 Publication of service
ratings and registers
 Information to be displayed
at education and care
services premises
Victoria’s commitment
 The early years are the foundation for a child’s learning and
development and it is absolutely vital that children receive the
best possible education and care. (Minister for Children and Early
Childhood Development Wendy Lovell)
 Victorian Government has invested $22.6 million between 2010
and 2013 to support the provision of high quality education and
care services so that educational and developmental outcomes
for all Victorian children are maximised
 Funding in this budget will included initiatives to
- provide better buildings
- ensure a better qualified workforce for Victoria’s youngest
children
- ensure children with a disability or development delay are
given the best chance of reaching their potential and leading
fulfilling lives.
Objectives of the National Quality
Framework

To ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of children
attending education and care services.

To improve the educational and developmental outcomes for
children attending education and care services.

To promote continuous improvement in the provision of
quality education and care services.

To establish a system of national integration and shared
responsibility between jurisdictions and the Commonwealth.

To improve public knowledge, and access to information,
about the quality of education and care services.

To reduce the regulatory and administrative burden for
education and care services by enabling information to be
shared between jurisdictions and the Commonwealth.
Principles of the National Quality
Framework

The rights and best interests of the child are paramount.

Children are successful, competent and capable learners.

Equity, inclusion and diversity underpin the Framework.

Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are
valued.

The role of parents and families is respected and supported.

Best practice is expected in the provision of education and
care services.
National Quality Standard

The National Quality Standard is divided into 7 quality areas:
1. Educational program and practice
2. Children’s health and safety
3. Physical environment
4. Staffing arrangements
5. Relationships with children
6. Collaborative partnerships with families
and communities
7. Leadership and service management

The quality areas are further divided into 18 standards. Under each
standard sit elements that describe the outcomes that contribute to the
standard being achieved (58 elements in total).

Services must meet each element of the National Quality Standard in
order to receive a rating of Meeting National Quality Standard.
What is assessed during an
assessment and rating visit?
 Education and care services operating under the National Quality
Framework are assessed and rated against the requirements of
the National Quality Standard and the National Law and National
Regulations.
 The Assessment and Rating Instrument sets out the requirements
of the National Quality Standard and relevant regulatory
requirements for each quality area.
 Monitoring and compliance activities, including unannounced
visits, continue to focus on the minimum standards for education
and care services required by the National Law and National
Regulations.
Evaluation of assessment and rating
process

A national evaluation of the assessment and rating process was
undertaken by the Australian Council for Educational Research
(ACER).

The evaluation concluded that:
- the assessment and rating process is a valid and reliable
measure of service quality as implemented nationally
- the majority of services and authorised officers found the
assessment and rating process to be a positive experience.
 In December 2012 the Standing Council of School Education and
Early Childhood (SCSEEC) considered the ACER report. SCSEEC
decided that ratings and registers be published as soon as
possible.
 The ACER report is available at www.scseec.edu.au.
Publication of ratings and display of
information
 The rating for each quality area and overall rating for each service are
available on the My Child website www.mychild.gov.au and the ACECQA
website www.acecqa.gov.au. For services not yet assessed the rating is
Provisional Rating – Not Yet Assessed.
 Services that have received their final ratings are required to display the
ratings for each quality area and overall rating (notice of rating) at the
education and care service premises (including all family day care
residences, venues and offices).
 Until their first assessment and rating process is complete services not yet
assessed are required to display a notice of provisional rating and, if
applicable, the previous accreditation by the National Child Care
Accreditation Council. The Department has sent a notice of provisional
rating to all services not yet assessed under the National Quality
Framework.
Publication of registers
 The following registers are published on the ACECQA website:
- register of approved education and care services
- register of approved providers
- register of certified supervisors.
 The register of approved education and care services includes details of
service ratings and any conditions that apply to the service.
 All services have standard conditions.
 Conditions are also used by the Department to require services to take
additional action in order to provide a service in a way that ensures the
safety, health and wellbeing of children being educated and cared for (e.g.
requiring services listed on the Department’s Bushfire At-Risk Register to
close on a declared Code Red day).
Publication of information
 The Department has published on its website the link to the register of
approved Victorian education and care services.
 The Department also publishes:
- a register of services operating under the Victorian children’s services
legislation
- a range of enforcement actions.
 Information about enforcement actions published on the Department’s
website may include information about conditions or other amendments
to service approvals, compliance notices, prosecutions, enforceable
undertakings and suspension and cancellation of approvals and
certificates, among other matters.
When will services be assessed?
 It is expected that all education and care services will be assessed and
rated under the National Quality Framework by 2015.
 Newly approved and transferred services will have an assessment and
rating visit after operating for a period of 12 months.
Significant
Improvement
Required
Working
Towards
National
Quality
Standard
Meeting
National
Quality
Standard
Exceeding
National
Quality
Standard
Excellent
Rating
(Awarded
by ACECQA)
The Regulatory
Authority is
working with
the service to
address relevant
issues
immediately
Generally
every 1 to 2
years
Generally
every 2
years
Generally
every 3
years
Generally
every 3
years
Outcomes of assessment and rating in
Victoria

Ratings achieved by
services (by quality
area and overall)

Continuous
improvement

Communicating about
ratings in the
community
Outcomes of assessment and rating in
Victoria
 Over 650 services have received their final assessment reports and
ratings.
 Approximately 70 per cent of services assessed and rated in
Victoria have achieved an overall rating of either Meeting National
Quality Standard or Exceeding National Quality Standard.
- Meeting National Quality Standard (around 50 per cent)
- Exceeding National Quality Standard (around 20 per cent)
- Working Towards National Quality Standard (around 30 per
cent)
 Victoria is performing well against the average ratings nationally.
About 55 per cent of services nationally have been rated as either
Meeting National Quality Standard or Exceeding National Quality
Standard with 45 per cent rated as Working Towards National
Quality Standard.
Overall ratings: Victorian education
and care services
Overall ratings by service type
Outcomes of assessment and rating
 These results indicate that the National Quality Standard recognises
existing service quality and sets a high standard of quality that services can
realistically achieve.
 Education and care services performing well across a number of quality
areas may receive an overall rating of Working Towards National Quality
Standard. The result reflects that services are being assessed against a
new and more challenging set of requirements, particularly in the areas of
educational program and practice and service leadership.
 Services are generally performing well in Quality Area 2 Children’s Health
and Safety and Quality Area 4 Staffing Arrangements.
Final ratings by quality area (all services)
Standard 1.2
Element 1.2.1 – Each child’s learning and development is assessed as
part of an ongoing cycle of planning, documentation and evaluation.

How does the service include all educators in planning the program
to be delivered to children?

How does the evaluation of the program delivered inform future
planning?

How does your service observe and record children’s learning and
behaviour to inform their educational program and practice?

How effective are processes used to capture and record
information about children’s strengths, interests, relationships and
learning over a period of time?

What type of recordings of children’s learning is required, given
their needs and the amount of time they spend within the service
setting?
Standard 1.2 (cont/d)
Element 1.2.3 - Critical reflection on children’s learning and development, both
as individuals and in groups, is regularly used to implement the program.
Reflection is central to reflective practice:
“… looking back on experiences in a way that informs practice in
the midst of practice, and/ or making informed decisions about
what to do, when to do it, and why it should be done.” (Jay 2003 in
Perry 2004, Teaching practice for early childhood)
 How does your service continuously monitor and review their practice to
guide planning?
 How is critical reflection, assessment and evaluation incorporated as an
ongoing process in your service?
 Are there opportunities made available for educators to reflect on the
program’s successes and areas that can be extended or changed?
Quality Area 3
3.3.1 Sustainable practices are embedded in service operations
 How are sustainability practices - such as recycling, use of recycled resources,
energy efficiency and water conservation - embedded in daily routines and
practices?
 Is the service’s environmental strategy being consistently implemented?
 How is the service promoting sustainability?
3.3.2 Children are supported to become environmentally responsible and show
respect for the environment
 How are children supported to explore relationships with other living and nonliving things and observe, notice and respond to change?
 How are children encouraged to increase their knowledge of and respect for
natural and constructed environments?
 How do children develop an awareness of the impact of human activity on
environments and the interdependence of living things?
Standard 5.2
Element 5.2.2 – Each child is supported to manage their own behaviour,
respond appropriately to the behaviour of others and communicate effectively
to resolve conflict.
 Are children listened to when they express needs?
 How do we enable children to form and maintain positive relationships with
others?
 Does the service use appropriate behaviour guidance to support children to
regulate their own behaviour so they do not always rely on adults to guide
their behaviour?
 Is inclusive, fair, empathetic and co-operative behaviour modelled by staff
and educators in the service?
 Do educators encourage positive behaviours by showing appreciation for
appropriate behaviour, building on children’s strengths and achievements?
 The National Law specifically outlines that no child being educated and cared
for by the approved service is subjected to any form of corporal punishment
or any discipline that is unreasonable in the circumstances (section 166).
Quality Area 7: Leadership and
Service Management
Educational leader (element 7.1.4, regulation 118)
 How does the educational leader influence the educational program and
practice across the service?
 How does the educational leader support discussion and reflective
practice in the service?
 How is the educational leader role managed and supported within the
service in order to lead the development of the curriculum and clear
goals and expectations for teaching and learning?
Element 7.2.2 The performance of educators, co-ordinators and staff
members is evaluated and individual development plans are in place to
support performance improvement.
 What processes are in place to ensure each educator, co-ordinator and
staff member receives ongoing feedback about their performance?
 How do performance processes identify strengths and areas for
development, and strategies for how these may be addressed?
Review of ratings
 Following an assessment and rating visit, the approved provider will receive
an assessment and rating report, the rating for each standard, quality area
and an overall rating. The approved provider then has the opportunity to
discuss the report, provide comment and request that the report is amended
if necessary.
 The approved provider has 14 days after the rating is considered to be final to
ask for a review of the rating by the Department. If the approved provider still
wishes to review the rating, they may apply to ACECQA for a second review.
 A review may only be undertaken in relation to practice, policies and
procedures in place at the time of the assessment and rating visit.
 Applications for a review by the Department or ACECQA should be made
using the application forms available at the ACECQA website:
- Application for Review of Ratings by Regulatory Authority (Service
Rating) Form (SA11)
- Application for Second Tier Review Form.
Exceeding National Quality
Standard rating

Exceeding National Quality Standard is the highest rating that can be
awarded by the Department, and represents a significantly higher standard
than the rating of Meeting National Quality Standard.

This rating is achieved if a service is rated as Exceeding National Quality
Standard for all quality areas or for 4 or more quality areas (with at least two
among the following):
- Educational program and practice
- Relationships with children
- Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
- Leadership and service management, and
- a Meeting National Quality Standard rating is achieved for each other
quality area.

If the service educates and cares for children who are in the year 2 years
before grade 1 of school, an Exceeding National Quality Standard rating may
only be given for quality area 1 if the service either provides a preschool
program or has a documented arrangement with another service to provide
a preschool program and informs parents of this arrangement.
Recognising outstanding practice in
education and care
 Services rated as Exceeding National Quality Standard may apply to
ACECQA for the rating of Excellent. Services rated as Excellent promote
exceptional education and care, demonstrate sector leadership and are
committed to continually improving. Further information about applying
for the Excellent rating are available on the ACECQA website
www.acecqa.gov.au.
 The Victorian Education Excellence Awards acknowledge the important
contributions made by primary and secondary teachers, school principals,
business managers, school support staff and early childhood teachers in
improving learning outcomes for Victorian children and young people.
Further information is available from www.education.vic.gov.au.
 The Early Years Awards recognise outstanding achievements by those in
the Early Childhood Sector. The awards celebrate exceptional programs,
services and partnerships that improve the health, learning, development
and wellbeing of Victorian children from 0 to 8 years and their families.
Further information is available from www.education.vic.gov.au.
Continuous improvement
 The National Quality Framework promotes continuous improvement in the
quality of education and care and other aspects of each education and
care service.
 The assessment and rating process represents a point-in-time assessment
of the performance of the service against the requirements of the
National Quality Standard. The intention of the process is to assess and
rate the usual practice of the service.
 Assessment reports provide services with a focus for continuous
improvement and should inform the ongoing development of quality
improvement plans. Quality improvement plans must be reviewed at least
annually and should identify specific improvements for the service.
 It is a good practice to include a self assessment against the National
Quality Standard and the National Law and National Regulations as part of
the regular review of quality improvement plans.
Engaging families in the assessment
and rating process
 Engaging families in all stages of the quality improvement planning and
assessment and rating processes supports families to understand and
contribute to the service philosophy and the areas identified by the service
for continuous improvement.
 Once the assessment and rating process is complete, the overall service
rating and rating for each quality area are likely to be of interest to families
and the community.
 Discussing the outcomes for each quality area is a good strategy for
communicating about ratings, drawing attention to areas where the service
is performing strongly and areas identified for continuous improvement.
Communicating about ratings in the
community

ACECQA are distributing posters and postcards to all education
and care services to assist them to communicate with families
about the assessment and rating process.
Maintaining compliance with the
National Law and National
Regulations
Nominated supervisors and
responsible persons
 Each service must have a nominated supervisor in place at all
times (does not have to be physically present when the service is
operating). The nominated supervisor is responsible for the dayto-day management of the education and care service.
 For centre-based services, a responsible person must be present
at all times that the service is educating and caring for children.
This person may be:
- an approved provider
- person with management or control
- a nominated supervisor
- a certified supervisor.
The name and position of the responsible person in charge of the
service at any given time must be displayed so that it is easily
visible from the main entrance of the service.
Family day care staffing requirements
 Family day care services must
ensure that:
- an approved provider or person
with management or control;
or
- a nominated supervisor; or
- a certified supervisor.
is available to educators including
being contactable by phone at all
times that children are being
educated and cared for.
Working with children checks: centrebased services
 Approved providers must read (or ensure the nominated
supervisor or person in day-to-day charge of the service) has read
a person’s current working with children check before they are
engaged as an educator (regulation 358).
 A staff record must be kept that includes, among other
information, the identifying number of the current working with
children check and expiry date of that notice for all staff members
(regulation 147(d)).
 Currency of working with children checks should be checked
regularly at www.online.justice.vic.gov.au/wwc-online-check.
Criminal history requirements: family
day care

The approved provider, nominated supervisor or person in day to day
charge of the education and care service must, prior to engaging or
registering a family day care educator:
- read and consider a person’s current criminal history record check
issued not more than 6 months before the date of the engagement;
and
- read a person’s current working with children (regulation 358).

Requirements relating to criminal history also apply for approved
providers, nominated supervisors, certified supervisors, co-ordinators,
family day care educators, family day care educator assistants and
residents. The fact sheet Criminal History Requirements – Family Day Care
provides detailed information about these requirements.

Currency of Working with Children Checks should be checked regularly at
www.online.justice.vic.gov.au/wwc-online-check
Residents aged 18 years and over at a
family day care residence
 The approved provider of a family day care service must take reasonable
steps to ensure that a person aged 18 years and over who resides at a
family day care residence is a fit and proper person to be in the company
of children.
 In assessing each person as fit and proper an approved provider must
consider one of the following:
- a criminal history record check issued not more than 6 months
before it is considered; or
- a current working with children check; or
- a current teacher registration (regulation 163).
 A person whose usual place of residence is a family day care residence is
to be considered as residing in the residence regardless of whether that
person is present when education and care is being provided.
Risk assessments: family day care

The approved provider of a family day care service must conduct an
assessment (including a risk assessment) of each residence and approved
family day care venue of the service to ensure that the health, safety and
wellbeing of children being educated and cared for by the service are
protected.
 The risk assessment must be
conducted:
- before education and
care is provided to
children at the
residence or venue as
part of the service; and
- at least annually.
Risk assessments: excursions
 A risk assessment for excursions must consider:
- the proposed route and destination for the excursion
- any water hazards and risks associated with water based activities
- the method of transport
- the number of adults and children involved in the excursion
- the number of educators or other responsible adults appropriate to
provide supervision and whether any specialised skills are required
to ensure children’s safety
- the proposed activities
- the likely length of time of the excursion
- the items that should be taken on the excursion (regulation 101).
Regular Outings
 A risk assessment must be completed prior to the first regular outing.
 A risk assessment is not required for each outing if a risk assessment has
previously been completed and the circumstances of the outing have not
changed(regulation 100(4)). Authorisations for regular outings must be
obtained at least once every 12 months.
First aid, anaphylaxis and asthma
management training

At least one educator who holds the following qualifications must be in
attendance at any place where children are being educated and cared for
by the service, and must be immediately available in an emergency, at all
times:
- at least one educator who holds approved first aid qualification
- at least one educator who has undertaken approved anaphylaxis
management training
- at least one educator who has undertaken approved emergency
asthma management training (regulation 136(1)).

Where children are being educated and cared for on a school site the
educator may be in attendance and immediately available.

Each family day care educator and family day care assistant must have
undertaken the above training.
Requirements coming into effect on 1
January 2014
Early childhood teachers: centre-based
services (children preschool age and
under)
 Requirements to ensure access to an
early childhood qualified teacher
working with the service or have an
early childhood teacher in attendance
at the service apply from 1 January
2014 (regulations 130-134).
 Requirements apply to centre-based
education and care services educating
and caring for children preschool age
and under, and vary according to the
number of children.
Early childhood teachers:
1 January 2014
 Between 2014 and 1 January 2016 persons may be taken to be
early childhood teachers if they provide evidence that they are
actively working towards an early childhood teaching qualification
and:
- have completed at least 50 per cent of the course; or
- hold an approved diploma level education and care
qualification (regulation 242).
Ratios and qualifications: children
preschool age and under
Ratios
 Children from birth to less than 36 months: 1 educator to 4 children
(regulations 123(1)(a)) and 357).
 Children preschool age or under who are aged 36 months or over: 1 educator
to 15 children (regulation 360).
 Ratios are calculated considering all the children being educated and cared
for by the service.
Qualifications
 At least 50 per cent of required educators must have (or be actively working
towards) at least an approved diploma level education and care qualification
(regulation 126(1)(a)).
 All other educators who are required to meet the relevant educator to child
ratios for the service must have, or be actively working towards, at least an
approved certificate III level education and care qualification (regulation
126(1)(b)).

Educators who are not required to meet the educator to child ratios (i.e. are
‘above the ratios’) are not required to hold the above qualifications.
Ratios and qualifications: children
over preschool age
Ratios
 1 educator to 15 children (regulation 355).
 Ratios are calculated considering all the children being educated and
cared for by the service.
Qualifications
 At least 50 per cent of the educators required to meet the educator to
child ratios must hold, or be enrolled and studying for, at least an
approved diploma level qualification for educators working with children
over preschool age in Victoria (regulation 356(2)).
 All other educators required to meet the educator to child ratios must
hold or be actively working towards, at least an approved certificate III
level qualification for educators working with children over preschool age
for Victoria, or commence obtaining such a qualification within 6 months
of commencing to educate or care for children (regulation 356(3)).
 Educators who are not required to meet the educator to child ratios (i.e.
are ‘above the ratios’) are not required to hold the above qualifications.
Certificate III level educators:
1 January 2014

The requirement to hold an approved certificate III level qualification does
not apply to educators who completed professional development in lieu
of minimum training (regulations 364 and 366).

Educators who do not hold an approved qualification can be counted
towards the ratios at a centre-based service until 31 December 2015 if
they:
- have been continuously employed as an educator in an education
and care service or a children's service for at least 15 years up to 1
January 2012; and
- are employed by the same approved provider as they were
immediately before 1 January 2012 (regulation 240).
Waivers

If a service cannot meet a requirement of the National
Regulations and/or National Quality Standard, the approved
provider may apply for a waiver from the requirement.

Waivers are generally considered where the approved provider
can demonstrate genuine difficulty in meeting the relevant
requirements. All possible ways to meet the requirements should
be explored prior to making an application.

Applications are considered by the Department with respect to
all relevant circumstances of the service. An application fee of
$100 applies.

Further information is available in the Waiver fact sheet series at
www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation.
DEECD website
www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation
Resources for Victorian education and
care services
 Information for Victorian education and care services is available
on the Department’s website:
www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation
- Fact sheets, including:
-

Educator to child ratios and qualifications
Mixed age groups
Assessment and rating fact sheet series
Waiver fact sheet series
Supervision
Excursions and regular outings
Serious incidents and complaints
Frequently asked questions
Newsletters
Educator to child ratio calculator
Presentations.
Follow the Department on Twitter @DEECD.
ACECQA website
www.acecqa.gov.au
Resources for all education and care
services
 Information about the National Quality Framework is available on
the ACECQA website at www.acecqa.gov.au
-
National Law and National Regulations
Guide to Assessment and Rating for Services
Assessment and Rating Instrument
Guide to the National Law and National Regulations
Guide to the National Quality Standard
Fact sheets
Regulatory Authority in Victoria
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Quality Assessment and Regulation Division
Ph. 1300 307 415
licensed.childrens.services@edumail.vic.gov.au
www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation
@DEECD