The Review aims to identify what is working well, areas for improvement and any unintended consequences that resulted from implementation of the NQF.
The consultation regulation impact statement is now available.
The first stage of the 2014 Review was a public consultation process.
The next stage of the 2014 Review involves public consultation on proposed options for changes to the NQF. These are set out in the Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS), which was released last month.
Some of the proposals to the NQF that are being canvassed through the RIS are as follows:
- reduction of ‘the complexity’ of the NQF
- streamlining of the assessment and ratings process
- either amending Regulation 74 so that services for children over preschool age must keep documentation about development of the program, rather than about individual children’s development
- removal of the Significant Improvement Required rating
- removal of the overall rating and rely on the seven quality area ratings to indicate service quality
- removal of Supervisor certificates all together
- if the out of scope services are bought into scope – assess and rate as per other services or do compliance monitoring only
- making all educators liable for not adequately supervising children under their care or not taking every reasonable precaution to protect the children from harm or hazard that is likely to cause injury – currently this liability only applies to approved providers, nominated supervisors and FDC Educators
- all Nominated Supervisors and responsible people to have child protection training
- giving services three months to replace a teacher after resignation (except in NSW), and
- amending guidance on educator breaks to make clear that service providers must comply with their legal obligations and must meet prescribed ratio requirements at all times.
Public consultation sessions are to be held in each state and territory on the NQF Consultation Regulation Impact Statement.
It is an opportunity for interested parties to provide feedback on the proposed options for changes to the NQF and how it affects the sector, families and community.
Written response will be accepted until 16 January. It is important that all service types respond to this in order to protect the gains made in the early childhood sector. We do not want to see these sorts of things watered down.