National Quality Framework
Australia’s system for regulating early learning and school age care including: legislation and national quality standard, sector profiles and data, and learning frameworks.
The NQF introduced a new quality standard in 2012 to improve education and care across long day care, family day care, preschool/kindergarten, and outside school hours care services.
The Guide to the National Quality Framework (NQF) is designed to help education and care providers, educators and authorised officers understand and apply the requirements of the NQF.
The National Law and National Regulations outline the legal obligations of approved providers, nominated supervisors, and educators and explain the powers and functions of the state and territory regulatory authorities and ACECQA.
The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a high national benchmark for early childhood education and care and outside school hours care services in Australia.
Under the National Law and Regulations, services are required to base their educational program on an approved learning framework.
Support materials for services and authorised officers to assist in the assessment and rating process.
This section contains information on the initial action steps for those considering opening their own childcare service.