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Draft Regulations
Information Sheet 12
NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK—
THE ASSESSMENT AND RATING PROCESS
Step 1 Providers of services selected for assessment and
Key to the National Quality Framework is
Start* rating will receive advice that the assessment and
continuous quality improvement. Authorised
rating process has started. This will include a
Officers from each State and Territory
request to submit the Quality Improvement Plan
Regulatory Authority will be responsible for
and will provide advice about the process.
assessing and rating education and care
Providers will have 6 weeks to submit the Quality
services in their jurisdictions against the new
Improvement Plan to the Regulatory Authority.
National Quality Standard.
At the same time, the authorised officer will start
Commencement of Assessment and
an analysis of the available information about the
Rating service including such things as the compliance
Under the National Quality Framework every provider history and NCAC accreditation history where
will need to develop a Quality Improvement Plan. relevant.
With existing services coming into the new system on Step 2 Providers will receive subsequent advice
1 January 2012 all governments recognise that this will confirming receipt of the Quality Improvement
Week 6
be a busy time for services as they engage with the new Plan and notifying the service of the date for the
National Law and Regulations including the new site visit.
assessment and rating process . Services will be informed of what will happen at
The first requirement of the Assessment and Rating the site visit.
process is for a provider to develop a Quality Step 3 Site visit occurs – some on the spot feedback can
Improvement Plan. All existing providers will be given Week 12 be provided at this time.
at least 4 months to develop their Quality Improvement Step 4 Provider will be sent the draft assessment report
Plan. During this development time, no assessment Week 15 including proposed rating. The provider will have
visits will occur. the opportunity to provide comment, discuss the
report and seek further clarification if necessary.
The first assessment visits to services are expected to
Services will generally have 10 working days to
commence in mid June 2012. This will give providers
provide feedback on the report.
and services time to understand the National Quality
Standard, the assessment and rating process and Providers will be given the opportunity to make
prepare for the assessment visit. minor adjustments to the service operation within
specified areas and timeframes to address
Steps in the process concerns identified at the time of the visit which, if
The following table outlines the Assessment and Rating addressed, may improve the rating.
process for evaluation of services against the National Step 5 Feedback on report considered by the Regulatory
Quality Standard. It is designed to be a cooperative Week 18 Authority.
process with opportunities for services to discuss how Step 6 Report is finalised and final rating determined.
the service is meeting the National Quality Standard Week 20 Report is sent to provider.
and enhancing outcomes for children. Once the report is finalised and received by a provider the 14
day period in which a review can be requested commences.
*These time frames reflect the minimum period of time
involved in each step.
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What support will be available? the licensed capacity of the service
the type of service – Family Day Care or Centre-
Providers and services are encouraged to become
based service
familiar with the National Law now and the Regulations
the number of family day care educators at the
when they become available. Additionally, a range of
service
support material will be available regarding:
the number of different age groups at the service
the Law and Regulations whether the service is session based such as before
the process for self assessment and developing a and after school or provides whole day care.
Quality Improvement Plan The final timeframe will be a decision for the Regulatory
the Assessment and Rating process including Authority. All services can expect that the authorised
expectations, responsibilities and requirements officer undertaking the assessment will have an opening
the Assessment and Rating Instrument that the and closing discussion with the person in day-to-day
authorised officers will use to assess and rate charge of the service, view the entire service, observe
services each age group catered for (eg birth to 24 months,
the National Quality Standard, including a guide to 25-36 months) or a number of sessions, observe
assist providers identify which practices they can, interactions inside and outside, talk to educators and
or should, improve. review some documentation.
Is there a Quality Improvement Plan How many authorised officers will visit?
In determining whether one or more authorised officers
template?
will visit, the Regulatory Authority will consider:
Yes. A Quality Improvement Plan template and
guidance on how to prepare a Plan will be available, the size and complexity of the service
however providers can choose to develop their own configuration e.g. number of discrete rooms
Plan (including using an existing plan), provided the Plan the number of family day care educators at the
includes the required information and addresses all service
seven quality areas of the National Quality Standard. safety issues, for example two authorised officers
required to drive long distances together
When can I expect to be notified of the more experienced authorised officer training or
commencement of my Assessment and observing a less experienced authorised officer
other relevant factors.
Rating process?
Providers will start to be notified from mid March 2012 What type of minor adjustments will a
that the assessment and rating process has commenced provider be able to make to a service?
and the earliest site visits will start in mid June 2012.
Services will be given the opportunity to make minor
All services will be scheduled for an assessment during adjustments within specified areas and timeframes to
2012-2014. Priority will be given to education and care address concerns raised at the assessment visit.
services that are currently covered by the National Guidance on what this may include will be provided in
Childcare Accreditation Council but are not yet the supporting material.
accredited or were due for accreditation in 2012.
Where can I get more information?
A cross section of service types from both Centre-based This information is in addition to the Information Sheet
and Family Day Care will be scheduled. –Assessment and Rating.
How long will an Assessment and Rating More information on the Assessment and Rating
visit take? process is available at
www.deewr.gov.au/Earlychildhood.
The duration of the assessment visit will depend on a
number of priorities including:
A draft of the national Regulations was released on 7 March 2011 for consultation. Therefore the content of this information sheet is subject to change.
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