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Staffing waivers outstanding show first fall in 2 years according to latest NQF snapshot
Jason Roberts
May 06, 2023
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The percentage of early childhood education and care (ECEC) services with staffing waivers in place has fallen for the first time since March 2021 according to the latest Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) NQF Snapshot.
8.9 per cent of services across all settings had a staffing waiver as at the end of March 2023, down from 9.3 per cent reported in December 2022, and 16.2 per cent of long day care services had waivers in place in March, compared to 16.4 per cent in December.
The decreases, albeit relatively small, come after a 24 month period of increasing waiver submissions which corresponded with a period of acute workforce shortages experienced across the sector.
Across the eight states and territories all but New South Wales recorded a fall in waivers compared to three months ago. Queensland recorded a 3.8 per cent fall, the ACT and South Australia 3.6 per cent each and Tasmania 3.0 per cent.
Victorian waivers outstanding remain very much anchored with only 2.6 per cent of services, slightly lower than that recorded at the end of last year.
Due to seasonality trends within the ECEC sector, there is an expectation that the first three months of the year, due to schools returning and occupancy levels resetting, would normally see waiver demand contract but last year, due to the acuteness of shortages waivers actually expanded bucking the historical trends.
As a result, it is important to not read too much into this contraction but it is encouraging that normal seasonality patterns appear to be reasserting themselves.
To read the latest snapshot visit the ACECQA website here.
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