Staffing waivers outstanding show welcome pull back: latest ACECQA Snapshot

The proportion of services with staff waivers outstanding across Australia fell by 0.9 per cent in the three months ended December 2023, a substantial pull back only matched once in the last six years. 

According to the latest release of ACECQA’s quarterly NQF Snapshot 16.5 per cent of all long day care services had at least one staffing waiver in place, down from 17.4 per cent in September. 

A fall in waivers outstanding of this magnitude is relatively unusual for a December quarter with only one equivalent fall on record in the last six years occurring at the end of 2020, the year that the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. 

Given the unusual, and uncertain operating environment, over that period it is perhaps unsurprising to see a 0.9 per cent fall in waivers recorded in December 2020, but fast forward three years, with operating conditions so different, the current fall could well reflect a shift in the availability of qualified educators in the broader market. 

That being said, although the pull back is a welcome respite, overall waiver levels are still remarkably high compared to those recorded pre-pandemic.  

Before 2020 the high point for long day care services was in and around 8 per cent before rapidly scaling to current levels over the following several in stark contrast to the other early childhood education and care settings (OSHC – 2.0%, Preschool – 2.4%, FDC – 1.2%) which have remained remarkably low relative. 

South Australia ended the year with the most long day care waivers outstanding closely followed by Western Australia. South Australia bucked the trend this period with a 3.7 per cent increase, taking it to a new record.

Queensland, although still high, saw a significant drop in waivers outstanding down 4.5 per cent, the largest fall in the December period across all states and territories. Victoria once again performed very well in this space with just 2.6 per cent of services holding waivers. 

To review the December 2023 snapshot please click here.