NQF Review: Your Last Day for Feedback

The National Quality Framework (NQF) permeates all Approved Providers and services. Therefore, engaging the Review of the NQF is vital to ensure successful early childhood education and care of children, including the effect on operational costs and fee affordabilities of parents.

The Australian Childcare Alliance (ACA) NSW has highlighted a number of issues, including:

• 22 Apr 2021 – NQF Review proposes to increase record keeping from 25 to 45 years
• 23 Apr 2021 – NQF Review proposes to increase fees and allow use of Excellent ratings for 5 years
• 26 Apr 2021 – NQF Review proposes to cancel provider approval of sole traders and partnerships upon notification of death
• 27 Apr 2021 – NQF Review proposes to replace 3^rd and 4^th ECT with Suitably Qualified Persons
• 28 Apr 2021 – Time to change the name “Working Towards”
• 29 Apr 2021 – Let’s trial Queensland’s version of “crib breaks” ratios
• 30 Apr 2021 – Last Day to submit your responses to the NQF Review

There were even 13 issues that were not included in the NQF Review’s Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement for their potential improvements/solutions:

1. The Early Years Learning Framework and the My Time Our Place Framework
2. Higher staff:children ratios in NSW than across Australia (for example Regulation 271)
3. Absence of recognition of children’s outcomes in terms of educational and social well-being as a measure of the quality of services
4. A more predictable timing schedule for when assessment and rating must be conducted by
5. The appropriateness of fines/penalties/sanctions matched to breaches/non-compliances
6. The need for national consistency and easier processes for teacher registration
7. Service approvals that contribute toward childcare oversupply
8. The handling of protected disclosures as well as natural fairness
9. The use and maintenance of prohibition notices as well as natural justice
10. Increasing use of the Waiver Policy
11. Simulated Outdoor Spaces
12. The absence of the Long Day Care Professional Development Program (LDCPDP)
13. In Home Care

To assist Approved Providers, services and staff to provide feedback to the Review of the NQF, ACA NSW has published the following documents that will help Approved Providers and services understand all the issues and assist them with their responses via the NQF Review’s via survey and written submission:

• Template Response via Survey to the NQF Review
• Template Response via Written Submission to the NQF Review

By copying-and-pasting some or all of the Template Response’s content, or developing your own responses, it is nonetheless ACA NSW’s most fervent recommendation that Approved Providers and services submit responses to BOTH channels (ie via the survey as well as the written submission).

Please note that all responses are due today, Friday, 30 April 2021.

The last live and interactive session where the Review of the NQF can still be discussed is:

• Friday, 30 April 2021, from 10 am to 12.30 pm (live webinar ACA NSW Network Meeting)

And if you require any further information/clarification, please contact ACA NSW via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.

PUBLISHED: 30 APRIL 2021