National Quality Framework - Assessment and Rating Process

The National Quality Framework raises quality and promotes continuous improvement and consistency in education and care services through:

a national legislative framework
a National Quality Standard
a national quality rating and assessment process
a new national body called the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority.

National legislative framework

The National Quality Framework sets in place compulsory, national standards to ensure high quality and consistent Early Childhood education and care across Australia. The national legislative framework is established through an applied laws system and consists of:

the Education and Care Services National Law
the Education and Care Services National Regulations.

The Framework creates a jointly governed uniform national approach to the regulation and quality assessment of education and care services in place of the previous separate licensing and quality assurance processes.

A Regulatory Authority in each state and territory will be primarily responsible for administering the National Quality Framework, including approving, monitoring and quality assessing services.

National Quality Standard

The National Quality Standard is divided into seven areas that contribute to the quality of early childhood education and care. These areas have been identified by research and are as follows:

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 National Quality Standard aims to promote:

the safety, health and wellbeing of children
a focus on achieving outcomes for children through high-quality educational programs
families’ understanding of what distinguishes a quality service.

Each Service is assessed and rated against each of the seven Quality Areas of the National Quality Standard and the National Regulations. Each service is given an overall rating of either; Significant Improvement Required, Working towards National Quality Standard, Meeting National Quality Standard, Exceeding National Quality Standard or Excellent.

Throughout the National Quality Assessment, Rating and Continuing Improvement process, parents will be notified of the approaches to be taken at the Centre, and ask for parental participation from all families.

All team members are expected to participate and support the Centre in its participation of the National Quality Framework. All educators and staff are expected to participate and contribute to the self-assessment process through team discussions and assessment of where they feel as a team they are in meeting the National Quality Standard. This information is then used to devise the Centre’s Quality Improvement Plan, which all team members must contribute to the implementation of. The Centre’s Quality Improvement Plan is to be reviewed and revised at least annually and will be used as an ongoing tool by all team members to continually improve the standard of education and care we provide.

Viewbank Early Childhood Centre is committed to a high standard of quality care that fosters all aspects of a child’s development.

Source: ‘National Quality Framework Overview Information Sheet’ – Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority

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