Quality Area 4: Staffing arrangements

Overview

Quality Area 4 of the National Quality Standard focuses on the provision of qualified and experienced educators who develop warm, respectful relationships with children, create predictable environments and encourage children’s active engagement in the learning program. A collaborative and ethical culture where professional standards guide all aspects of practice is critical to a quality service.

The approved provider, educational leader, nominated supervisor, co-ordinators and educators all play a vital role in establishing effective and ethical practices in the service. A sound philosophy guides decision-making, including decisions about the appropriate arrangement of appropriately qualified educators and staff members at the service. This helps to promote continuity of staff, which contributes to children’s learning and development.

Standards, elements and concepts

Quality Area 4 has two Standards that focus on the organisation and professionalism of educators, staff and management. These Standards are crucial to delivering quality outcomes for children under the National Quality Framework because:

• professional and collaborative relationships between management, educators and staff support continuous improvement, leading to improved learning experiences and outcomes for children
• careful organisation of staff contributes to the continuous support of each child’s learning and development in an effectively supervised environment
• professional standards set quality benchmarks for educators’ practice and relationships.