Quality Education and Care NT

Quality Education and Care NT (QECNT) as the NT regulatory authority responsible for the administration of the National Quality Framework (NQF), including monitoring and enforcing compliance with the National Law and Regulations and conducting assessment and rating of services.

Consistent with the objectives of the NQF, the approach to enforcement and compliance is to:

  • ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of children
  • improve children’s educational and developmental outcomes
  • promote continuous quality improvement in education and care services.

QECNT as the regulatory authority has a range of approaches and tools to facilitate these objectives and consistently reinforce the requirements of the NQF. QECNT will educate and inform providers and services and empower them to understand and meet their obligations.

QECNT will endeavour to take action that is proportionate to the issue and is most likely to achieve improved outcomes for children. This can include through investigations. When deciding how to respond to an incident or issue, consideration is given to the circumstances of each case and the risk to children (both short and long term). The compliance history of the approved provider or approved service is also taken into consideration.

Current identified areas of support

Authorised officers are noting similar trends across services through August and September 2024.

The current trends in compliance and monitoring visits relate to services not meeting the below regulations:

  • Regulation 97 – Emergency and evacuation procedures
    • The approved provider must ensure that a risk assessment is conducted to identify potential emergencies that are relevant to the service;
    • The approved provider must ensure that the emergency and evacuation procedures are rehearsed and documented every three months
    • The approved provider must ensure that a copy of the emergency and evacuation floor plan and instructions are displayed in a prominent position near each exit at the education and care service premises.
  • Regulation 162 – Health information to be kept in enrolment record
    • The health information must be kept in the enrolment record for each child enrolled at the service. This includes:
      • the name, address and telephone number of the child’s registered medical practitioner or medical service
      • if available, the child's Medicare number
      • details of any specific health care needs of the child, including any medical condition; and allergies, including anaphylaxis
      • any medical management plan, anaphylaxis medical management plan or risk minimisation plan to be followed with respect to a specific healthcare need, medical condition or allergy
      • details of any dietary restrictions for the child
      • the immunisation status of the child
      • if the approved provider or a staff member or family day care educator has sighted a child health record for the child, a notation to that effect.
  • Regulation 168(2)(o) - Education and care service must have policies and procedures – Dealing with complaints, including matters relating to:
    • the provision of a complaint handling system at the service that is child focused
    • the management of a complaint that alleges a child is exhibiting harmful sexual behaviours.

There has been an increase in investigations and serious incidents relating to inadequate supervision and inappropriate interactions with children. This includes subjecting children to harm and hazard, and inappropriate discipline.

There has also been an increase in services not meeting the regulations regarding transportation of children other than an excursion. This includes:

  • Regulation 102AAB Safe arrival of children policies and procedures
  • Regulation 102AAC Risk assessment for the purposes of safe arrival of children policies and procedures
  • Regulation 102B Transport risk assessment must be conducted before service transports child
  • Regulation 102C Conduct of risk assessment for transporting of children by the education and care service
  • Regulation 102D Authorisation for service to transport children
  • Regulation 102E Children embarking a means of transport – centre-based service
  • Regulation 102F Children disembarking a means of transport – centre-based service

It is recommended that all services ensure they are familiar with the requirements of the regulations relation to these areas. These requirements apply to all services approved under the Education and Care Services National Law, including OSHC and preschools.

The following links and fact sheets may assist:

Please note that these requirements apply to all services approved under the Education and Care Services National Law, including OSHC and preschools.

Contact

For further information or clarification, contact Quality Education and Care Northern Territory on 08 8999 3561 or qualityecnt.det@education.nt.gov.au.

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On 1 January 2012, regulation of long day care, family day care, 3 year old kindergarten, preschools and outside school hours care services under the Education and Care Services (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011 and the Education and Care Services National Regulations commenced in the NT.

QECNT continues to work with service providers to increase their knowledge and understanding of the regulatory requirements and support continuous improvement.

QECNT works closely with the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), the organisation responsible for ensuring the NQF is applied consistently across Australia.

Through the reduced notice period providers and service leadership team in addition to staff were asked to contribute to a survey to ensure processes met the needs of service.

The key points from the survey responses to share included:

  • The reduced timeframe reduced stress and supported educator wellbeing, with a shorter lead time to ‘stress’ and ‘worry’ about the visit.
  • The reduced number of documents being required prior to the visit, assisted in preparation. However, comments were made about ensuring the authorised officer takes the time to view the documents at the service that are prepared for the visit.
  • Educators also commented that the shorter lead time allowed for ‘less time to overthink things’ and ‘less time to feel anxious’.

Through both provider and educator responses, overall, the majority of the feedback on the processes used were positive and supported demonstrating the current practice at the service.

The following resources provide valuable information to services, educators and assessors in understanding and implementing the National Quality Standard.

ResourceAudience
Induction to the National Quality Framework 
Induction to the National Quality Framework for new educators
National approved learning frameworks 
Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia for educators
My Time, Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia for educators
Guides 
Guide to the National Quality Standard for services and assessors
Educators’ Guide to the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia for educators
Guide to Developing a Quality Improvement Plan for services
Quality assessment tools 
National Quality Standard Assessment and Rating Instrument for assessors and services
Guide to Assessment and Rating for Services for services
Learning modules and other resources 
E-learning modules on the National Quality Framework for new educators
E-learning modules for approved providers for approved providers
E-learning modules on governance and management for Approved Providers for approved providers
E-learning modules for OSHC Supervision for approved providers
E-learning videos for educators and providers for educators and providers
Websites 
Australian Government Department of Education and Training: Early Years Learning Framework for services, families and assessors
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) for services, families and assessors
StartingBlocks.gov.au I Early Childhood Education & Carefor families

Quality Education and Care NT (QECNT) is the Regulatory Authority for Northern Territory (NT) education and care services.

Approved providers must notify the regulatory authority of certain incidents, complaints and changes to information under the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 (National Law).  Notifications provide transparency and accountability. They also enable serious incidents, complaints, and breaches of the National Law and National Regulations to be effectively monitored, tracked and resolved.

The ACECQA website now features an interactive notifications National Decision Tree, designed to help approved providers and their staff identify whether a notification must be made to the regulatory authority (and in what timeframe)

The National Decision Tree provides guidance and information about all notifications that must be made to the regulatory authority under the National Law and National Regulations.

If you need to lodge a notification, the National Decision Tree will provide you with information about how long you have and the next step to take. Users will be directed to log in and lodge the relevant online form via the National Quality Agenda IT System. Please remember to fill in all relevant form fields and include any relevant documentation so the regulatory authority can assess whether it must take any action.

The National Decision Tree includes guidance and explanations of key terms, including ‘trauma’, ‘missing from the service’, ‘not accounted for’, ‘physical abuse’, ‘sexual abuse’, ‘complaint’ and more.

It also includes useful examples of scenarios that must be notified, including serious injuries, serious illnesses and circumstances that pose a risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of children.

Please note that information in this National Decision Tree has been prepared as a resource for general guidance only and you must consider the specific circumstances of each situation against the requirements of the National Law when you assess whether you need to notify. The National Decision Tree is not legal advice and should be read in conjunction with the National Law and Education and Care Services National Regulations, which take precedence over any guidance.

The National Quality Framework (NQF) is a unified, national regulatory and quality assurance system for early childhood and school age education and care services. It was established in 2012 and applies to most long day care, family day care, kindergarten, preschool and outside schools hours care services.

This system:

  • works to provide children with the best start in life
  • promotes best practice, raises quality and drives continuous improvement in education and care services
  • streamlines the administration and regulation of education and care services
  • ensures services meet the needs of families
  • provides parents with information about the quality of the services their children attend.

Reduced notice period assessment and rating is now in force for all approved services in the NT. The trial period for term 1 has concluded.

A range of process changes have taken place to ensure the focus remains on assessing your current service quality and limiting any impact to staffing to provide you the best opportunity to share your day-to-day practice with the authorised officer.

It is important to remember that all services in scope of the National Law and approved under the National Law are all legislatively required to undergo the same assessment and rating process. This is not a decision made by QECNT itself, rather a requirement of the National Law. This includes preschool, long daycare, outside school hours care and family day care services.

Below are clarifications on issues that have been raised about the regulation amendments.

Assessment and rating

QECNT has implemented reduced timeframes for assessment and rating in 2024.

Services will be provided with at least 7 days notice before an assessment and rating visit.

The QIP and staffing records document will be due 48 hours after the commencement phone call.

It is expected that the reduced notice period will positively affect educator wellbeing and provide a true snapshot of current practice in services.

For more information on the process, read the reduced notice period document PDF (152.0 KB) and QECNT policies and procedures below.

Early Years Learning Framework v2

Effective 1 February 2024, version 2 is considered the approved learning framework.

For more details, go to the ACECQA website.

Workforce

The new regulation amendments will include new workforce requirements which are expected to be launched this year, guidance will be provided in addition to a meeting to discuss and unpack with the sector.

QECNT are unable to resolve any workforce issues/shortages within the confines of their role as a regulatory authority, however, this message is a recurring theme that we hear from the sector and those concerns are communicated to persons within the wider Department of Education and Training that are examine workforce issues.

QECNT are happy to assist services on an individual and case-by-case basis to examine what types of relief or assistance we can provide within a regulatory context.

Support programs

QECNT is not aware of any support programs for new educators joining the sector, however we are happy to assist any new or existing educators who contact us.

We are also happy to attend staff meetings or other forums with individual services or to provide support and advice to individuals in line with service requirements.

ACECQA have range of eLearning modules to support both new providers and new educators in becoming familiar with the sector including knowledge of the regulatory requirements. Refer to links below on the ACECQA website:

In 2017, QECNT launched the Spotlight on Qualty – Early Childhood Services Driving Quality Every Day Project.

The project aimed to identify and showcase quality education and care in the Northern Territory in order to promote and drive quality practice.

One initiative of this project was to produce vignettes that showcase high quality practice in specific quality areas.

QECNT also keeps a ‘Lighthouse Services’ register and can provide contacts with services who are exceeding in certain areas of the National Quality Standard and are happy to share their practice with others.

Milingimbi Preschool - quality engagement with community services
Transcript DOCX (14.9 KB)

Murraya Child Care Centre - quality physical environment
Transcript DOCX (15.7 KB)

Murrupurtiyanuwu Preschool - quality staffing arrangements in a remote community
Transcript DOCX (14.9 KB)

There were several updates and changes to the Regulations in 2023 and early 2024.

These included updates to sleep and rest requirements and transportation requirements.

For details of these changes and how they affect your service, go to the ACECQA website.

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