Implementation

In July 2009, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed Australia’s first overarching national strategy for early childhood development. Investing in the Early Years: A National Early Childhood Development Strategy provides a blueprint for the future. It outlines a shared vision for the development of young children in Australia that by 2020 all children have the best start in life to create a better future for themselves and for the nation.

In December 2009, COAG agreed to a National Partnership between the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments to establish a National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care.

The National Quality Framework is the key mechanism for achieving the strategy’s vision for young children in Australia. It will raise quality and drive continuous improvement in early childhood education and care and school age care services through:

• the National Quality Standard
• a quality rating system
• streamlined regulatory arrangements
• a new national body jointly governed between the Australian Government and State and Territory Governments - the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).   

ACECQA is responsible for guiding the implementation of the National Quality Framework at the national level. 

The National Quality Framework commences on 1 January 2012 for long day care, family day care, outside school hours care and preschool services.