The National Quality Framework

The NQF ensures consistent, high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) across Australia. 

It gives families confidence that approved services are delivering safe, quality programs that support children’s learning, development, and wellbeing.  

By understanding the framework, families can make informed choices about the service that best meets their child’s and family’s needs. 

What is the NQF? 

Introduced in 2012, the National Quality Framework provides a national approach to regulating, assessing, and improving the quality of ECEC across Australia. 

The NQF is designed to: 

• Place the safety, health, and wellbeing of children at the centre of service delivery
• Promote children’s learning and development through high-quality educational programs
• Ensure national consistency in the way education and care services are regulated and assessed.

Which ECEC services are covered by the NQF? 

The NQF covers the following early childhood education and care settings: 

1. Long day care (LDC) providers
2. Family day care
3. Preschools and kindergartens
4. Outside school hours care (OSCH).

Goodstart services are LDC, and we offer approved preschool and kindergarten programs within our centres as well. 

The five components of the NQF 

1. National law and regulations 

The Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations form the legal foundation of the NQF.  

Together, they set out the requirements that all approved ECEC services must meet. 

These include obligations for providers, educators, and approved authorities relating to children’s health, safety, staffing, educational programs, and operational practices. 

2. National Quality Standard (NQS) 

The National Quality Standard (NQS) outlines what high-quality education and care looks like in Australia.  

It promotes children’s learning and wellbeing through seven quality areas: 

• Educational program and practice
• Children’s health and safety
• Physical environment
• Staffing arrangements
• Relationships with children
• Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
• Governance and leadership.

Services are assessed and rated by their state or territory regulatory authority against each of these quality areas and receive an overall rating based on their performance. 

3. Assessment and quality ratings 

Each approved service is assessed to determine how well it meets the requirements of the NQS.  

After the assessment, services receive one of the following quality ratings: 

• Excellent (awarded by ACECQA)
• Exceeding National Quality Standard
• Meeting National Quality Standard
• Working Towards National Quality Standard
• Significant Improvement Required

These ratings help families understand the quality of education and care their child is likely to experience at a service. 

4. Regulatory authorities 

Each state and territory government is responsible for regulating ECEC services and implementing the NQF.  

Your local Regulatory Authority can provide detailed information about approved services and their current quality ratings. 

Find contact details for each authority here. 

5. National body – ACECQA 

The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) oversees the NQF nationally.  

ACECQA works with governments and the sector to ensure the framework is implemented consistently, supports continuous quality improvement, and provides information to families to help them make informed choices. 

National learning framework: The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)

Under the National Quality Framework, approved learning frameworks guide educators in developing quality programs that enhance children’s learning and wellbeing.

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) is Australia's approved national curriculum framework that supports children's learning from birth to five years old. It describes the principles, practices, and learning outcomes that support and promote children’s learning in ECEC, as well as their transition to school. 

As it's a framework for curricula and not a curriculum in itself, the EYLF provides the bones that guide educators in designing meaningful learning experiences.

The EYLF is built around three key concepts: Belonging, Being, and Becoming, which emphasise that children develop best when they feel connected to their community, are allowed to explore their identity, and are supported in their growth and learning.

In Victoria, services may choose to use either the EYLF or the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLF). The VEYLF is approved by the Victorian Government for use within that state and aligns closely with the EYLF in supporting children’s learning and development. 

How the NQF supports families 

Quality and safety 

The National Quality Framework (NQF) gives families confidence that approved ECEC services provide safe, nurturing, and high-quality environments for children.  

Services are regularly assessed and rated by their state or territory regulatory authority to ensure they continue to meet and strive to exceed the National Quality Standard. 

Recognising every child as unique 

At the heart of the NQF is a commitment to putting children first. It recognises that every child has their own strengths, interests, and learning needs.  

The framework supports educators to design play-based learning programs that promote each child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. 

Helping families make informed choices 

Through the NQF’s quality rating system, families can make informed decisions about early learning services that align with their values and expectations.  

Ratings provide transparent information about how each service is performing against the National Quality Standard. 

You can learn more about the quality of your local service and explore ratings on the StartingBlocks.gov.au website, a government resource to help families find and compare ECEC services.