National Regulations amendments preserve definition of ‘education and care service’

The National Regulations exclude certain types of services from the definition of ‘education and care service’ and places them outside the scope of the National Quality Framework (NQF).

Budget Based Funded (BBF) services that are not approved to administer the Child Care Benefit (CCB) under the Commonwealth Family Assistance Law are outside the scope of the NQF because of these definitions.

The Australian Government’s BBF program contributes to the operational costs of approximately 244 child care, early learning and school aged services, mostly in regional, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The BBF program will close on 30 June 2018, with eligible services funded under the BBF program moving to new Commonwealth funding arrangements from 2 July 2018. Minor technical changes to the National Regulations mean that regardless of the change to the Commonwealth’s funding arrangements for BBF services, these services will remain outside the NQF from 1 July 2018 (i.e. the day after the BBF program closes).

The amendments to the National Regulations therefore continue to preserve the existing conditions by ensuring the services in the defined classes remain excluded from the definition of ‘education and care service’ under the National Law.

The amendments apply in all states and territories.