The National Quality Framework (NQF) was implemented on January 2012. That is some over 7.5 years ago. Back then, the quality rating term "Working Towards" the National Quality Standards (NQS) was used so as to allow those who were already in compliance under the previous rating system to become compliant under the then new NQF.
Fast track to August 2019, there are still 1,750 services across Australia that are rated or remain rated as "Working Towards". Almost 46% (or 802 services) are in New South Wales. There are even a few of them in NSW who have not yet been re-assessed and re-rated for over 7 years!
The irony is that even though these services are rated "Working Towards", they are recognised by the NQF to be services that can provide and continue to provide early childhood education and care services. In other words, they are not failing anything that would jeopardise their approval to operate and therefore are allowed to continue operating. If they were, they would be rated "Significant Improvement Required" or be shut down altogether.
But from the parents (and the media)'s perspective, the rating term "Working Towards" suggests these services are sub-par, that something is wrong with them that they cannot even be meeting the national law and national regulations. Yet nothing could be further from the truth.
So, perhaps it is time to replace the rating term "Working Towards" to something else. Please give the Australian Childcare Alliance NSW your suggestions via the survey below. And let's make the change.
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