Milestone reached as 90% of services meet or exceed the National Quality Standard

The latest quarterly NQF Snapshot shows that the proportion of children’s education and care services rated Meeting National Quality Standard (NQS) or above has reached 90% – a significant achievement since quality ratings began in 2012.

“This is an important and significant milestone in the quality of children’s education and care services operating across Australia,” said ACECQA CEO Gabrielle Sinclair. “The rise in the proportion of services rated Meeting NQS and above has been substantial – from 56% in 2013 to 90% today. To be rated Meeting NQS is a notable achievement as it requires a service to be doing very well in all seven quality areas. The improvement in quality during this period is also remarkable given the significant growth in our sector and the international undersupply of qualified early childhood teachers and educators.”

“This achievement demonstrates the shared commitment by approved providers, their teachers, educators and other service staff, and regulatory authorities to provide high quality programs and practices for children and families,” Ms Sinclair added.

The report summarises the trend in continuous quality improvement and other information about education and care services operating under the National Quality Framework (NQF).

This quarterly Snapshot reports there are more than 17,400 services approved to operate under the NQF with a consistent growth each year including a 2 percentage point increase in the past 12 months.

Additional figures providing more detailed analysis continue to be added to the Online Snapshot. This includes the number of services approved under the NQF and the proportion rated Meeting NQS or above and Exceeding NQS or above over time, as well as the proportion of services with a waiver by waiver category.

NQF approved children’s education and care services include long day care, outside school hours care and family day care services, as well as most preschools and kindergartens.