Down The Rabbit Hole Together:A Team Journey
Overview
What are theNational QualityStandards
An outline of eachquality area
Quality ImprovementPlans
National Quality Framework
THE LAW
THE REGULATIONS
Regulations
As of the January 1, 2012: Establishment of the Australian Children’sEducation and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)www.acecqa.gov.au Ph-1800 181 088
ACECQA provides: National Leadership in promoting quality andcontinuous improvement in early childhoodeducation and care and school age care inAustralia.
Approved Learning Frameworks
Belonging, Being andBecoming: The EarlyYears LearningFramework for Australia
My time, Our Place:Framework for SchoolAge care in Australia
NQS Area 1Educationalprogram &
practice
National Quality Standards (NQS)
Quality Area 1 Educational Care and Practice
Quality Area 2 Children’s Health and Safety
Quality Area 3 Physical Environment
Quality Area 4 Staffing Arrangements
Quality Area 5 Relationships with children
Quality Area 6 Collaborative partnerships withfamilies and Communities
Quality Area 7 Leadership and Service Management
Observe, Discuss and Sight
The assessor will:
Observe what children, families, educators andco-ordinators are doing e.g. caring, friendly,respectful interactions
Discuss issues around why and how particularpractices occur in the service. They will engageeducators in this discussion.
Sight documentation provided as evidence tosupport particular practices
Quality Improvement Plan (QIP)
ACECQA has produced a guide todeveloping a QIP
The QIP will:
Develop a picture of currentpractice to confirm strengths
Prioritise areas of improvement
Identify the outcome
or goal sought
Reflection timeQA1 Educational program and practice
How do we get to know each child and their strengths,abilities and interest? What EYLF Principles and Practicesunder pin this?
QA2 Children’s health and safety
How do we keep up to date with current information aboutsafe sleeping practices? Is this relevant to any other Standard?
QA3 Physical environment
What are the strengths of the environment? What barriers dowe need to overcome? How can the principles and practicesof the EYLF and the other standards support us?
Through a different lens
Another way to approach the self assessment
process:
Learning environments
Routine times
Philosophy
Your QIP must include a copy of your service philosophyand reflect your beliefs and values by:
Outlining the principles under which the service operates
Reflecting the principles of the National Law, and theEarly Years Learning Framework
Underpinning the decisions, policies and daily practicesof the service
Assisting in planning, implementing and evaluatingquality experiences for children
Reflecting a shared understanding of the role of theservice with children, families and the community
The Journey
Gatherfeedback
Identifystrenghts &
improvements
DevelopQuality
ImprovementPlan
Implementimprovement
strategies
Activity
Identify strategies to involve educators, families,children, the community and management in the
self assessment process
Area 1Educational Program and Practice
Regulation 73 -Educational program
This quality area of the National Quality Standardfocuses on ensuring that the educational program andpractice is stimulating and engaging and enhanceschildren’s learning and development.
Anna is exploring letters using themagnets. She is drawing and narratingstories with her friends and finally she isbeginning to write her name. Skills aregrowing and learning capacities areextended. ‘Becoming’ reflects thisprocess of rapid and significant change.
NQS Area 1 Educationalprogram & practice - Howeducators assessment andevaluation leads to futurecurriculum decision makingthat extends children’slearning
Area 1Educational Program and Practice
Area 2 - Children’s Health & Safety
This quality area of theNational Quality Standardfocuses on safeguardingand promoting children’shealth and safety.
Regulation-79-Serviceproviding food & beverages
Area 2Children’s health and safety
Area 3Physical Environment
This quality area of theNational Quality Standardfocuses on the physicalenvironment and ensuringthat it is safe, suitable andprovides a rich and diverserange of experiences thatpromote children’s learningand development.
Regulation 103-110-Physical Environment
Area 3Physical Environment
Area 3Physical Environment
Area 4 - Staffing
This quality area of theNational Quality Standardfocuses on the provision ofqualified and experiencededucators, co-ordinators andnominated supervisors who areable to develop warm,respectful relationships withchildren, create safe andpredictable environments andencourage children’s activeengagement in the learningprogram.
Regulation 118-154 covers educationalleader, ratios, supervision, qualifications.
Area 4 - Staffing
Area 5 - Relationships with Children
This quality area of theNational Quality Standardfocuses on relationships withchildren being responsiveand respectful andpromoting children’s sense ofsecurity and belonging.Relationships of this kind freechildren to explore theenvironment and engage inplay and learning.
Area 5 - Relationships with Children
Area 6 - Collaborative partnershipswith families and communities
This quality area of the NationalQuality Standard focuses oncollaborative relationships withfamilies that are fundamental toachieving quality outcomes forchildren and communitypartnerships that are based onactive communication,consultation and collaboration.
Area 6 - Collaborative partnershipswith families and communities
Strengths 6.3 - We have resourced our local community through theestablishments of relationships. Through excursions weare building partnerships in the local community with theschool, nursing home and shopping centre. We recognisethe connection between children, families andcommunities. We recently entered in the local dragonboat race as a community team to show an activepresence in our local community.6.3.1 - We keep open communication with the agenciesworking within our service, e.g. Care south and Barnardos.We document referrals made to other agencies. We offera referral information service to families.
Strengths - Area 6 QIP
Area 6 - QIP
Standard/element6.3.4
The service builds relationships and engagestheir local community
Identifiedissue
The service does not raiseawareness of Aboriginal andTorres Straight Islandercommunities, includingacknowledging the traditionalowners of the land and localelders or demonstrate a respectfor community protocols.
Key Improvements sought for QA6
Area 6- QIP
Standard/
Element
What Outcome or
goal do we seek?
Pri
ori
ty How will we get this
outcome
Success measure By Progress
Notes
6.3.4
The service
builds
relationships
and engages
with their
local
community
The service raises
awareness of
Aboriginal and
Torres Strait
Islander
communities,
including
acknowledging the
traditional owners
of the land and
local elders and
demonstrates a
respect for
community
protocols
M 1.Reserachappropriate protocols
2.Research who is inthe local Aboriginaland Torres straitislander community
3. Inviterepresentatives to theservice to discusswhat we would like toachieve
1. Appropriateprotocols arefollowed
2.Contact with theAboriginal andTorres Strait Islandercommunity
3.Representativesvisit the service
4. Strategies are putin place to maintainand resource therelationship
Dec
12
Area 7 - Leadership and servicemanagement
This quality area of the National QualityStandard focuses on effective leadership andmanagement of the service that contributes toquality environments for children’s learning anddevelopment.Well-documented policies and procedures, well-maintained records, shared values, cleardirection and reflective practices enable theservice to function as a learning community.Appropriate governance arrangements are inplace to manage the serviceAn ongoing cycle of planning and review,including engagement with families, creates theclimate for continuous improvement.
Regulation-Chapter 2-approvals And CertificatesPart 2.2-service Approvals
Area 7 - Leadership and servicemanagement
Looking ahead
What will your next step be?
Who will take responsibility?
What will you need to dodifferently?
Australian Children’s Education and Care QualityAuthority (ACECQA): Guide to developing a QualityImprovement Plan
Australian Children’s Education and Care QualityAuthority (ACECQA): Guide to the National QualityStandards
Early Childhood Australiawww.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
References