25th NQF Snapshot report highlights sustained improvement in the quality of children’s education and care
The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) today released its 25th NQF Snapshot report, summarising quality rating results for education and care services operating under the National Quality Framework (NQF).
“The proportion of services rated Meeting National Quality Standard (NQS) or above has risen markedly over the last six years, from 56% in 2013, to 69% in 2016, to 79% in 2019,” said ACECQA CEO Gabrielle Sinclair.
“Many services have now been quality rated more than once. The results of these reassessments also show strong evidence of continuous improvement in service quality,” added Ms Sinclair.
More than 7200 quality rating reassessments have been undertaken. Two-thirds (66%) of services previously rated Working Towards NQS improved their overall quality rating after reassessment.
A revised version of the NQS, which introduced a new approach to calculating the Exceeding rating level, commenced on 1 February 2018. More than 3500 services have been assessed and rated against the revised version. Under the 2018 NQS, every standard in a quality area must be rated Exceeding NQS for the quality area to be rated Exceeding NQS, with three Exceeding themes used to assess each standard. As a result of these changes, it is more challenging for a service to achieve a rating of Exceeding NQS under the 2018 NQS than it was under the 2012 NQS.
The NQF Snapshot provides analysis and information on the profile of the education and care sector and the quality ratings awarded to services, including examining the distribution of ratings by service type, provider management type and geographically.
Approved education and care services include long day care, outside school hours care and family day care services, as well as most preschools and kindergartens across Australia.
Families are encouraged to visit Starting Blocks for more information about their local education and care services.