The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) has released its 32nd NQF Snapshot report, summarising quality rating results for education and care services operating under the National Quality Framework (NQF).

Two-thirds of services rated Working Towards the National Quality Standard (NQS) improved their overall quality rating after reassessment, demonstrating the continuous quality improvement occurring in the children’s education and care sector. The report finds 84% of services are rated Meeting NQS, Exceeding NQS or Excellent – a substantial increase from 57% in 2013 when quality ratings were first published. 

Almost 12,000 quality rating reassessments have taken place, with almost half of these being for services rated Working Towards NQS. Of these services, 66% improved their overall quality rating after reassessment. 

A rating of Working Towards NQS is not a ‘failure’, not least of all because the assessment and rating system is not designed as a pass-fail system. Many services rated Working Towards NQS are close to being rated Meeting NQS. For example, 41% of services rated Working Towards NQS received that rating due to not meeting only one or two of the seven quality areas of the NQS. 

In addition to detailed information about the quality of education and care services, the Snapshot and interactive Online Snapshot include data about temporary service closures related to the impact of COVID-19 and other aspects of service regulation.

Snapshot highlights include:

• 16,257 NQF approved education and care services across Australia
• 93% (15,157) services have received a quality rating
• 84% (12,666) of all quality rated services have an overall quality rating of Meeting NQS or above 
• 40 Excellent rated services
• 53% (8627) services with a quality rating against the 2018 NQS.