Compliance in Early Childhood Education and Care
National Quality Framework
The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care (NQF) ensures children receive a high standard of education and care.
The NQF is a national system for the regulation and quality assessment of child care and early learning services.
It applies to most long day care, family day care, preschool and kindergarten, and outside schools hours care services.
State regulatory authorities
Each state and territory is a regulatory authority and has monitoring and compliance and quality assessment roles under the NQF.
Each State’s department may take regulatory action against services which are not compliant with the Education and Care Services National Law (National Law) and the Education and Care Services National Regulations (National Regulations).
There is a range of regulatory responses available under the National Law to use to address non-compliance, such as compliance notices, compliance directions, emergency action notices, prohibition and suspension or cancellation of approvals.
New Child Care Package for providers (from 2 July 2018)
Australia has a new child care package, including the new Child Care Subsidy. The subsidy replaces the previous Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate and is paid directly to services.
The department's compliance powers will also be strengthened through inclusion of a new provision enabling the reassessment of the suitability of an approved provider at any time to ensure they continue to meet their ongoing eligibility requirements. The amended legislation includes strengthened enforcement options, penalties and sanctions that will apply to non-compliance with requirements and obligations for the new Child Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy, whilst minimising regulatory burden.
As an Educator, even accidental non-compliance may be penalised - make sure your service is doing the right thing with our comprehensive NCR Books.
Record of service compliance
All education and care services approved under the National Law are required to keep a record of their compliance.
Our resources are designed for your service and educators to keep records which are required under the NQS. Streamline your documentation and succeed at exceeding with Butler Creative Childcare Resources.
Educational program and practice (Quality Area 1)
Weekly Programming and Reflection Diary (for QLD)
Children’s health and safety (Quality Area 2)
FDC Compliance Checklist Diary, FDC Diary
FDC Medication Register, Injury and incident, FDC Excursion Approval, FDC Excursion Risk Management Plan
Physical environment (Quality Area 3)
Sustainability Calendar, FDC Excursion Approval, FDC Excursion Risk Management Plan
Staffing arrangements (Quality Area 4)
Childcare Centre Diary, OSHC Diary, Educational Leader Diary
Relationships with children (Quality Area 5)
Weekly Programming and Reflection Diary (for QLD)
Collaborative partnerships with families and communicates (Quality Area 6)
Leadership and service management (Quality Area 7)
FDC Sign-in, Visitor Sign in, FDC Co-ordinator Diary, FDC Excursion Approval, FDC Excursion Risk Management Plan, and FDC incident /Injury
(All diaries allow notes for QIP)