National Quality Framework
The Complete Guide to Early Childhood Quality Standards in Australia
The National Quality Framework (NQF) is the foundation of Australia’s approach to early childhood education and care quality. It is a national system that sets consistent standards, ensures safety and wellbeing, promotes educational excellence, and builds trust between families and early learning services.
For parents, understanding the National Quality Framework helps you make informed choices about childcare and know what quality looks like. For educators and providers, it is the roadmap for delivering high-quality education, meeting regulatory obligations, and supporting continuous improvement.
What Is the National Quality Framework?
The National Quality Framework is a comprehensive system that brings together laws, regulations, quality standards, assessment processes, and curriculum frameworks into one unified approach. It was introduced to lift the standard of education and care services across Australia, ensuring that every child — no matter where they live — receives safe, high-quality early learning.
The National Quality Framework applies to most early childhood and school-aged care services, including:
- Long day care
- Family day care
- Preschool and kindergarten
- Outside school hours care (OSHC)
What is the Purpose of the National Quality Framework?
The purpose of the NQF is to protect children’s safety and wellbeing while lifting educational quality through a single, nationally consistent system. It gives families clear, comparable information about quality (via published ratings), sets minimum legal and regulatory requirements for providers, and drives continuous improvement through planning, assessment and review. For educators and services, the NQF aligns everyday practice with approved learning frameworks, professional standards and governance expectations—so children experience engaging programs, responsive relationships and environments that support their learning and development.
What are the four components of the NQF?
The four components of the NQF are:
- National Law and National Regulations – the legal requirements for education and care services.
- National Quality Standard (NQS) – the benchmark for what high-quality care and education should look like.
- Assessment and Rating – the process for evaluating services and assigning quality ratings.
- Approved Learning Frameworks – the curriculum guides that shape teaching and learning, such as the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
1. National Law and National Regulations
At the heart of the National Quality Framework is the Education and Care Services National Law, supported by the Education and Care Services National Regulations. Together, they establish the legal foundation that all services must follow to operate.
What the law and regulations cover
- Health, safety, and wellbeing of children
- Staffing qualifications, ratios, and supervision requirements
- Premises and physical environment standards
- Enrolment, documentation, and administrative processes
- Educational program requirements and curriculum delivery
- Risk management, excursions, and emergency procedures
Providers are legally responsible for meeting these standards. Failure to comply can result in penalties, enforcement action, or loss of approval to operate.
2. The National Quality Standard (NQS)
The National Quality Standard (NQS) is one of the most important parts of the NQF. It sets a national benchmark for quality across seven key areas of early education and care. These areas cover everything from relationships and educational programs to health, safety, and leadership.
The 7 Quality Areas of the NQS
- Educational Program and Practice – Ensuring programs are stimulating, engaging, and support learning outcomes.
- Children’s Health and Safety – Protecting children’s health, safety, and wellbeing through effective policies and practices.
- Physical Environment – Providing safe, suitable, and inspiring spaces that support play, learning, and exploration.
- Staffing Arrangements – Ensuring qualified educators are present and staffing levels meet regulatory ratios.
- Relationships with Children – Building secure, respectful, and supportive relationships that foster development.
- Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities – Working closely with families and community organisations to support children.
- Governance and Leadership – Maintaining strong leadership, continuous improvement processes, and effective governance.
Each Quality Area is broken down into standards and elements, creating a detailed framework for measuring performance. Services are assessed against these and must demonstrate how they meet — or exceed — expectations in every area.
The National Quality Standard (NQS) at a glance — what “good” looks like
Quality Area 1: Educational Program and Practice
• Programs are documented, intentional, and clearly linked to EYLF outcomes.
• Educators share learning goals with families and show evidence of children’s progress.
Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety
• Robust illness, allergy, and supervision procedures; incident records are transparent.
• Daily routines (sleep, meals, hygiene) are calm, predictable, and child-centred.
Quality Area 3: Physical Environment
• Spaces are safe, clean, and inviting, with natural materials and outdoor learning daily.
• Environments adapt for individual needs (quiet zones, sensory supports, accessibility).
Quality Area 4: Staffing Arrangements
• Stable teams meet ratios with qualified educators on shift; minimal reliance on agency staff.
• Professional learning is ongoing and visible in practice.
Quality Area 5: Relationships with Children
• Warm, respectful interactions; children’s voices are heard and choices respected.
• Positive behaviour guidance; educators co-regulate and model problem-solving.
Quality Area 6: Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities
• Two-way communication is routine; families see their culture and priorities reflected.
• Community connections (librarians, health nurses, local services) enrich the program.
Quality Area 7: Governance and Leadership
• Strong policies, clear complaints process, and a living Quality Improvement Plan (QIP).
• Leaders use data and reflection to drive continuous improvement.
3. Assessment and Rating — step by step (and how often it happens)
How the process works
- Self-assessment & QIP: The service reviews practice and updates its Quality Improvement Plan.
- Assessment visit: Authorized officers observe, review documentation, and speak with staff.
- Draft report: The service can provide feedback or clarification.
- Final rating: One rating per Quality Area and an overall rating are published for families.
What NQF ratings mean:
• Excellent: Nationally recognized, sector-leading practice and sustained improvement.
• Exceeding NQS: Consistently above standard across the QAs assessed.
• Meeting NQS: All standards are met; quality is solid and consistent.
• Working Towards NQS: Some elements are not yet met; plan in place to improve.
• Significant Improvement Required: Urgent issues that must be addressed immediately.
How often and when re-assessed
• Routine re-assessments occur periodically (timing varies by jurisdiction and context).
• Re-assessment can be triggered by significant improvements, complaints, incidents, or requests from the provider.
How to use NQF ratings when choosing a service
Before you tour
• Check the most recent overall rating and the seven QA ratings (not just the headline).
• Note improvement areas from past reports and prepare follow-up questions.
• Look for stability: how long has leadership and the educator team been in place?
During the tour — parent checklist
• Supervision & ratios: Are educators positioned to see and support all children?
• Health & safety: Medication, allergy, and illness procedures are clear and followed.
• Program evidence: Daily program, documentation, and learning goals are visible and shared.
• Relationships: Warm tone, children’s choices respected, calm conflict resolution.
• Environment: Clean, safe, engaging; outdoor play every day; spaces for rest and focus.
• Family partnership: Two-way communication, cultural inclusion, and clear feedback channels.
• Governance: Policies accessible; incident/complaints process explained; QIP available.
Reading beyond the headline
• A single Working Towards in a governance element may have less day-to-day impact than strong Exceeding ratings in Health/Safety and Program. Balance the detail with what you observe.
Common parent scenarios
- New service “not yet assessed”: Ask about experience, policies, and how the NQF is being embedded while awaiting assessment.
- Mixed ratings (e.g., Exceeding QA1 & QA2, Working Towards QA7): Discuss what’s improving and timelines in the QIP.
- Service seeking re-assessment: Ask what has changed and when re-assessment is expected.
- Regional/remote: Consider context (workforce, facilities) alongside strong practice in relationships, health, and pedagogy.
4. Approved Learning Frameworks
The National Quality Framework requires services to use an approved learning framework to guide curriculum design and teaching practice. These frameworks ensure programs are developmentally appropriate, culturally inclusive, and focused on children’s holistic development.
The most widely used are:
- Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) – For children from birth to five years.
- My Time, Our Place – For school-aged children in outside school hours care.
These frameworks outline principles, practices, and outcomes that shape how learning occurs — emphasising play, relationships, and active exploration.
The Role of Families in the National Quality Framework
Families are central to the National Quality Framework. The system recognises parents as children’s first and most important educators and encourages close collaboration between families and services.
How families can be involved:
- Review ratings before enrolling to understand a service’s quality.
- Ask questions about how the service meets NQS standards and implements approved frameworks.
- Provide feedback to contribute to the service’s Quality Improvement Plan.
- Share insights about your child’s interests, strengths, and needs to support program planning.
Continuous Improvement Under the National Quality Framework
The National Quality Framework is not static — it’s designed to evolve with research, community expectations, and sector needs. Continuous improvement is built into the system, requiring services to:
- Maintain and regularly update a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP)
- Engage in ongoing professional development for staff
- Reflect on and adapt teaching practices
- Involve families and communities in service planning
- Prepare for and respond to regular reassessments
This commitment to improvement ensures that quality isn’t just a one-time goal — it’s a continuous journey.
How the National Quality Framework Benefits Children
At its heart, the National Quality Framework is about outcomes for children. By setting high standards and supporting continuous improvement, the NQF ensures children:
- Experience safe, nurturing environments
- Receive programs tailored to their developmental needs
- Build strong relationships and social skills
- Gain confidence, independence, and curiosity
- Are prepared for school and lifelong learning
Regulators by State & Territory (who does assessment & rating)
• New South Wales — NSW Department of Education (Early Childhood Education Directorate)
• Victoria — Department of Education (Quality Assessment and Regulation)
• Queensland — Department of Education (Early Childhood and State Schools)
• South Australia — Education Standards Board
• Western Australia — Department of Communities (Education and Care Regulatory Unit)
• Tasmania — Department for Education, Children and Young People (Education and Care Unit)
• Australian Capital Territory — ACT Education Directorate (Children’s Education and Care Assurance)
• Northern Territory — Department of Education (Quality Education and Care NT)
Tip: Check your state/territory website or the national register for the latest published rating.
Key Terms to Know
- Approved Provider: The legal entity responsible for operating the service.
- Nominated Supervisor: The person in charge of day-to-day operations.
- Regulatory Authority: The state or territory body responsible for assessment, compliance, and approvals.
- QIP (Quality Improvement Plan): A living document outlining how a service plans to improve its quality over time.
TL;DR – National Quality Framework Explained
- The National Quality Framework is Australia’s national system for ensuring quality in early childhood education and care.
- It includes laws, regulations, the National Quality Standard, assessment and rating, and approved learning frameworks.
- The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets benchmarks across 7 key areas of quality.
- Services are assessed and rated, with results published for families to access.
- Continuous improvement, family involvement, and cultural inclusion are central to the framework.
- Ultimately, the NQF ensures that all children receive safe, high-quality early education that supports their learning and wellbeing.