Along with the Education and Care Services National Law (National Law) and National Regulations, and the National Quality Standard (NQS), the Approved Learning Frameworks (ALFs) are part of the regulatory system that established the National Quality Framework (NQF). Under the National Law, approved providers of education and care services must ensure that the programs they deliver to children are based on an ALF and is delivered in a manner that accords with the ALF.

On 15 December 2020, Education Ministers commissioned an update of the two national approved learning frameworks under the National Quality Framework (NQF) – Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (EYLF) and My Time Our Place: Framework for School Age Care (MTOP). The ALFs inform educational programs and practices in early childhood education and care (ECEC) and outside school hours care (OSHC) services.

As both ALFs have been in use for a decade or more, the purpose of this update is to ensure they reflect contemporary developments in practice and knowledge to extend children’s and young people’s learning.

A national consortium led by a partnership between Macquarie University, Queensland University of Technology and Edith Cowan University was engaged by ACECQA on behalf of all governments to lead this project, and the paper was prepared by the Chief Investigators of the consortium.

This discussion paper identifies current strengths, as well as opportunities for clarification, expansion and updating the ALFs. It is informed by Stage 1 of the project including broad based consultation, survey responses and a literature review. Points of discussion and opportunities to strengthen the ALFs are outlined under the five elements of the EYLF and MTOP:

1. Vision
2. Pedagogy and educator’s professional practice
3. Principles
4. Practices
5. Learning Outcomes.