Helpful links
Below are some resources that we regularly refer to within our Professional Learning courses and publications.
Guide to the NQF
The Guide to the National Quality Framework (NQF) is designed to help education and care providers, educators and authorised officers understand and apply the requirements of the NQF.
The Guide is not legal advice and should be read in conjunction with the National Law and Regulations, which take precedence over any guidance.
National Quality Standard
The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a high national benchmark for early childhood education and care and outside school hours care services in Australia.
The NQS includes 7 quality areas that are important to outcomes for children. Services are assessed and rated by their regulatory authority against the NQS, and given a rating for each of the 7 quality areas and an overall rating based on these results.
2018 National Quality Standard (A4 Poster)
National approved learning frameworks
Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (EYLF) V2.0 2022: National approved learning framework under the NQF for young children from birth to 5 years of age.
My Time Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia (MTOP) V2.0 2022: National approved learning framework under the NQF for school age children.
There are also the following approved learning frameworks specific to Victoria: Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework
National Regulations
The Education and Care Services National Regulations (National Regulations) support the National Law by providing detail on a range of operational requirements for an education and care service including:- the National Quality Standard (schedule 1)
- application processes for provider and service approval
- setting out the rating scale
- the process for the rating and assessment of services against the National Quality Standard
- minimum requirements relating to the operation of education and care services organised around each of the seven quality areas
- staffing arrangements and qualifications
- fees for a range of transactions.
- jurisdiction-specific provisions
National Regulations for the Western Australian Education and Care Services National Regulations, click here.
National Law
The National Quality Framework (NQF) operates under an applied law system, comprising the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services National Regulations. View the legislation that applies in each state or territory and, if applicable, the corresponding Application Act: click here.