The National Quality Framework ensures a national approach to regulating the quality of education and care services across Australia. Frequent reviews support continuous quality improvement in supporting children’s learning and development.
Following a national review of the NQF in 2019, changes were recommended to enhance children’s health, safety and wellbeing.
The majority of the changes involve updating the National Law and Regulation and introduce new policies, procedures and risk assessments in an aim to increase transparency and accountability in the sector. This will also see modifications to the Guide to the National Quality Framework with the aim to improve educator knowledge of best practice.
Throughout Australia, most of these changes will commence mid-2023; however, with a number of recent incidents involving serious harm to children left on service vehicles, including buses, new regulatory requirements around transportation will come into effect from early 2023. Other guidance recommended by the review may be provided prior to mid-2023 to ensure timely benefits and provide adequate lead time for providers to improve compliance.
More information can be found at the NQF review website.
