Proposed changes to the National Quality Framework (NQF) have been agreed and will be introduced from October 2017. The changes include:
- A revised National Quality Standard to strengthen quality in education and care by reducing the number of standards and elements from 18 standards to 15, and 58 to 40 elements.
- Changes aimed to achieve greater compliance and quality across the family day care sector.
- Removal of supervisor certificate requirements.
- Introducing an educator to child ratio of 1:15 for services providing education and care to school age children.
Further details can be obtained from the Education Council’s publication dated January 2017 and entitled “Decision Regulation Impact Statement for Changes to the National Quality Framework.”
Child care services are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the changes early in order to be prepared – contact Georgina Odell for more information.