ACECQA releases 2023/24 Annual Report – highlights wide range of sector leading initiatives completed 

The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) has released its 2023-24 Annual Report detailing a broad range of initiatives and confirming another year of progress for the agency responsible for overseeing the delivery of nationally consistent and high quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) under the National Quality Framework (NQF). 

Commenting on the events of 2023/24, Annette Whitehead, Chair of ACECQA, said that “It has been an incredibly busy year in our sector. Our 2023–24 annual report outlines the many programs and projects we have delivered with, and on behalf of, our government partners and stakeholders within education and care.”

“It has also been a time of inquiry and review as governments work to improve equitable access, affordability and the quality of education and care provision around Australia,” she added, referencing the broad range of reports completed and finalised by key bodies including the South Australian Royal Commission, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, NSW’s Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal and the Productivity Commission.

In her report ACECQA CEO Gabrielle Sinclair reaffirmed the NQF’s standing as an internationally recognised framework with a robust regulatory scheme, and that regular reviews ensure it remains contemporary and continues to achieve its objectives in an ever changing, and sometimes rapidly evolving world.

Ms Sinclair also shared outcomes on the many initiatives pursued by ACECQA throughout the year before thanking the Board for their guidance and insight, their staff for their expertise and commitment, and their stakeholders for their faith in ACECQA as the independent national authority for the early learning sector. 

Multiple initiatives completed to support enhancement of the National Quality Framework

Over the course of the reporting period ACECQA was involved in a range of initiatives designed to enhance the existing NQF structures through partnerships with state and territory Governments across Australia.  

These included:

• Strengthening the sector’s commitment to children’s safety, health and wellbeing by reviewing child safety arrangements under the NQF.

• Implementing priority outcomes of the child safety review, including the National Model Code to promote a child safe culture when it comes to taking, sharing and storing images or videos of children in services.

• Improving the capability of service leaders to provide high quality and safe education and care to children.

• Delivering a significant upgrade to the national IT system, supporting effective regulation of services.

• Supporting families by making it easier to find information about fees, vacancies, quality ratings and Child Care Subsidy on the StartingBlocks.gov.au website. 

• Responding to workforce challenges by completing actions from the Education Ministers’ 10-year national workforce strategy and hosting the national workforce forum.

• Continued to train, test, educate and support authorised officers and improve resources available to authorised officers involved in the assessment and rating of all services.

“Since the introduction of the National Quality Framework (NQF) in 2012, we have played a key role in the stewardship of our sector within the parameters of our functions and nationally agreed reporting measures.” Ms Whitehead added, before noting that “the diverse and extensive range of projects” completed underwrites the key role the ACECQA plays across the ECEC sector. 

24 excellent rating applications submitted – 12 approved 

Amongst its various responsibilities ACECQA is also charged with the awarding of the Excellent rating, the highest available quality rating for ECEC services under the National Quality Standards.

To be eligible to apply for the Excellent rating, a service must have received a quality rating of Exceeding NQS in all seven quality areas from their state or territory Regulatory Authority and then make a formal application thereafter. 

In the 2023/24 reporting period 24 applications were received, with 12 services ultimately being successful and consequently being awarded the Excellent rating, joining a very select group of just 33 services across more than 17,000 in Australia who held the coveted rating as at 30 June 2024. 

This year nine of the newly recognised Excellent services came from New South Wales, six from Queensland and nine from Victoria. 

“It is always our great pleasure to receive applications from services exceeding all 7 quality areas of the NQS who are seeking the Excellent rating. Not only are these services performing outstandingly against the NQS, but they also demonstrate exceptional practices and Leadership,” Ms Sinclair said. 

“Congratulations to the 12 services awarded this highest honour in 2023–24 with a special mention to Warrawee Care Centre (awarded for the 4th time), Balnarring Preschool (awarded for the third time), and Belrose Community and Children’s Centre (awarded for the second time).”

To read this year’s report, please click here.