National Quality FrameworkInformation Forum

This forum

• Provide information about the COAG reforms.

• Update on implementation activities.• An opportunity to hear your views.

Overview of the COAG decision

Improving Quality and Accessibility of Early Childhood Education and Care ServicesEarly Childhood Development Strategy

Workforce Data

Early Childhood Initiatives

National standards and

rating systemEarly Years

Learning Framework Streamlined regulation

Home interaction programIncreased

CCTRIntegrated

servicesBetter

information For parents

AEDINational

PerformanceInformation

Framework & Data

Agreement

University placesHECS

remission No TAFE fees

National strategy

Quality InfrastructureSupport for Parents

38 early learning

& care centres

Early Childhood Education

Universal Access to

Early Childhood education

Early learning programs for

remote Indigenous

children

Indigenous Early

Childhood Development

Indigenous Early

Childhood Development

National Partnership &

children & family

centres

The National Quality Framework

The new National Quality Framework agreed by the Council of Australian Governments on 7 December 2009. It comprises:

• a National Quality Standard (seven quality areas)• a new ratings system to complement the NQS • streamlined regulatory system • a new national body.

Implemented progressively from 1 July 2010, the system will be fully operational by 1 January 2012.

Evaluation of the New System

• Early 2013: review of progress towards meeting new qualification requirements

• 2014: review of entire National Quality Framework • 2019 onwards: 5 yearly reviews

Who is Affected?

The new National Quality Framework applies to:• Long Day Care (LDC) • Family Day Care (FDC)• Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) and• Preschool

Budget based, MACS, mobile services and occasional care services not included at this stage

Arrangements for preschools within schools

• National Quality Standard will apply

• National Quality Framework will ensure in-school and LDC/FDC preschool programs are similar

• Regulatory arrangement will acknowledge existing school quality assurance procedures

• Details to be advised when finalised

Issues for preschools

• Regulation• Rating• Specific legal provisions

– Offences– Approved or authorised supervisor– Second tier review of the rating

Seven quality areas:• Educational program and practice • Children’s health and safety • Physical environment • Staffing arrangements • Relationships with children• Collaborative partnerships with families and communities• Leadership and service management

National Quality Standard

New staffing arrangements

Age group Educator-to-child ratio Timeframe for compliance

Long Day Care and Preschool

Birth to 24 months 1:4 1 January 2012

25 to 35 months 1:5 1 January 2016

36 months to school age

1:11 1 January 2016

Family Day Care Mixed age groups of children

1:7 with a maximum of four children not yetattending school

1 January 2014

OSHC The National Quality Standard and ratings system will also apply to OSHC but currently no national standards for educator-to-child ratios or staff qualifications are proposed.

New Qualification Requirements (Long Day Care and preschool)

By 1 January 2014:

• at least 50% of educators will have (or be working towards) at least a Diploma level early childhood education and care qualification or above

• other educators will have (or working towards) a Certificate III level early childhood education and care qualification or equivalent

New Qualification Requirements(Family Day Care)

By 1 January 2014:

• Family Day Care coordinators will need to have at least a Diploma-level early childhood education and care qualification

• All family day care educators will need (or be working towards), a Certificate III level early childhood education and care qualification or equivalent.

Qualifications of educators (1)

By 1 January 2014:

• an early childhood teacher must attend Long Day Care and preschool services with more than 25 children

• an early childhood teacher must attend Long Day Care and preschool services with less than 25 children some of the time

No regulations have been established for Outside School Hours Care.

Qualifications of educators (2)

By 1 January 2020, a second early childhood teacher (or qualified leader) must attend:• whenever the service is provided to more than 80 children • for at least half the time when the service is provided to 60 or more children.

Early Years Learning Framework

• Australia’s first national early childhood learning framework

– a key component of the new National Quality Agenda

– required for use in the new National Quality Standard (Educational Program and Practice)

OSHC Learning Framework

• Will be modelled on the Early Years Learning Framework

• Will ensure school aged children get leisure/play-based learning experiences.

The new rating system

A five point ratings scale

• Excellent

• High Quality

• National Quality Standard

• Operating Level

• Unsatisfactory

National applied laws legislation

• National Quality Framework will be a uniform national system

• National applied laws model introduced– The host jurisdiction (Victoria) will pass a Bill. Other states and

territories will adopt this law ‘by reference’ to the Victorian Bill– WA will pass its own corresponding legislation

• New legislation will replace existing state and territory Acts and Regulations.

Implementation of COAG decision

MCEECDYA

AEEYSOC

MCEECDYA ECDWorking Group

Operations Project Group *

Regular reporting – six monthly during transition phase COAG

ECD Steering Committee

SOM

Workforce

Transition and EstablishmentProject Group *

LegislationProject Group

Governance Arrangements

* Project group has representation from NCAC

Stakeholder Reference Group

Stakeholder Reference Group

• Comprises representatives from key early childhood organisations

• First met in March 2010, will meet regularly during implementation

• States and territories will consult through their usual Advisory Groups

• Stakeholder Reference Group will provide feedback to ECD Working Group.

Key design features of new system from January 2012

• A simpler, streamlined system which promotes national consistency

• Services will maintain their relationship with state and territory authorities

• Reduced regulatory burden• Focus on both quality improvement and

mandatory minimum standards• Consistent across settings, while recognising

diversity (e.g. preschools in schools)

The underlying principles

• Key principles behind the new system include:- ongoing quality improvement- minimum standards- clear obligations and responsibilities- transparency of assessment and ratings- participatory and evidence based approach- reducing administrative burden- consistency across locations and settings and

through use of the Early Years Learning Framework

Key milestones for Transition

COAG Announcement 7 December 2009

Development of joint strategies for quality assurance and licensing during transition

February/May 2010

Testing of assessment process June 2010

Commence provisional assessment From July 2010

Legislation passed Mid 2011

Preparation for NCAC hand-over to new body From mid 2011

New system formally commences, new body fully operational

1 January 2012

Transition period provides opportunity to:

• Involve the sector to test and refine the assessment process

• familiarise the sector with the National Quality Standard

• identify current practices that will need to change prior to implementation

Key infrastructure activities include:

• National body fully operational by 1 January 2012– 13 member Board - 1 member nominated by each State and Territory; 4

members nominated by Commonwealth; 1 independent Chair

• National information technology system established by 1 January 2012

• manage the transition of responsibility from the current accreditation arrangements to the new regulatory framework (including ceasing the operations of the National Childcare Accreditation Council and the Accreditation Decisions Review Committee)

Establishing the infrastructure

The new National Body will:

• guide the implementation of the integrated national regulatory system

• advise the Ministerial Council on the National Quality system

• ensure uniformity in the application and enforcement of the Standard and rating levels

• determine the approval, rating assessment, audit, compliance and sanction regimes

• reduce unnecessary regulatory burden

New National Body (1)

• undertake research evaluation activities

• Undertake education awareness raising

• maintain a national register of approved providers, services and supervisors/key contacts;

• maintain data on assessment and regulation of services;

• Drive continuous quality improvement.

New National Body (2)

Moving to a new system

Moving to the new system – first steps

• assessment and rating against the National Quality Standard begins 1 July 2010

• Meeting this commitment requires:– developing an assessment and ratings process – developing a strategy for implementing the

assessment and ratings process from 1 July 2010

Brand new

service

Even if there are no

notifiable events

services may receive a spot check or be

part of a targeted

campaign

Examination of information may lead to no action

Applications for provider, service and

Supervisor can be submitted

simultaneouslyTo continue operating

services must have all three.

To continue to have Service approval a rating of Operating level or higher is required

Services have the opportunity to have assessments and ratings reviewed and may appeal outcomes

Applies for provider approval

Applies for service

approval

Applies for supervisor

approval

Granted approval for

Operating level

Existing service

3 - 6 months

later

Full assessment and rating

process

Notifiable event

Complaint

Risk trigger

Elapse timeOperating 1yr

NQS 2yrs High Quality 3yrs

TargetedCampaign

Visit?

Spot Check?

No

InterventionRequired? Yes

Proposed High Level Process

Earned autonomy and the risk based approach

• ‘High quality’ services will be assessed every three years• ‘National Quality Standard’ services will be assessed every two years• ‘Operating Level’ services will be assessed annually

• Spot checks and targeted campaign visits will occur across all quality levels.

Assessment and ratings process

• Initial focus - developing assessment guidelines for seven quality areas

• Quality Improvement Plan• Advice provided by Australian Council for Education

Research • Initial focus on Long Day Care services• Assessment of Family Day Care, Outside School

Hours Care, Long Day Care and preschool settings from 1 July 2010

Dec 2009

March 2010

April 2010

May 2010

June 2010

July 2010

Nov 2010

March 2011

July 2011

Jan 2012

X X X X

SRG SRG SRG SRG Further consultation with SRG

Stakeholder forums

Proposed Assessment and rating process development

COAG Decision

Development of draft process with expert

consultants

Field test

Begin assessment of services starting with LDC and gradually

including FDC, OSHC and

Preschool – 200 to 300 services

Determine arrangements for

regulation/rating of preschools in

schools

Review Refine

Finalise

Training and support material developed

Training and development of

assessors and services provided with

information and support to ensure fully aware of

obligations and assistance available

New System in place

New National Body gradually in place ready for commencement of system

Support materials available for review via website to those not involved in

direct consultation

Regular update on progress to services

FAQ website updated

Field testing the new System (1)

• From June 2010, 20 volunteer Long Day Care services to trial draft assessment process, including:– Self assessment– Quality Improvement plan

• Additional key focus - minimising administrative burden

Field testing the new System (2)

• Services will receive– a provisional rating– an assessment report outlining how they compare

with the National Quality Standard, description of strengths and areas of improvement.

• Feedback provided by services will inform final assessment process beginning in July 2010.

Provisional assessment begins July 2010

• Assessment and rating against National Quality Standard begins in July 2010;

• Starts with volunteer Long Day Care services Family Day Care, Outside School Hours Care and preschools to follow

• National Quality Standard not enforceable until 1 January 2012. All services must continue to meet state and territory licensing requirements before this.

From January 2011 to June 2011

• July - November 2010 – Analysis of assessments used to refine process

• March 2011 – process finalised• Training and support material developed for

assessors and services

From July 2011 to 1 January 2012

• Training for assessment and regulation staff

• Information and support materials provided to services

More information on the National Quality Framework can be found at:

www.mychild.gov.au www.deewr.gov.au/earlychildhood

You can provide comments and ask further questions via our Enquiries email at

ececquality@deewr.gov.au

More information

Questions, comments