More centres meeting quality and safety standards as regulatory oversight increases

More early childhood education and care services are meeting or exceeding Australia's National Quality Standard at the same time as regulators are conducting record numbers of inspections and compliance checks, according to the latest government data.

The Federal Government has welcomed new figures from the National Quality Framework (NQF), which show continued improvement in quality ratings across the sector alongside increased regulatory activity aimed at strengthening child safety and service quality.

The latest data indicates that 92 per cent of approved services are now rated Meeting the National Quality Standard (NQS) or above, representing the highest proportion recorded since the framework was introduced.

The results come amid a significant increase in assessment, monitoring and compliance activity across the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector.

Increased scrutiny, improved results

The Government's latest update highlights two key trends.

First, more services are being assessed, monitored and visited by regulators than ever before.

Second, more services are achieving ratings of Meeting NQS or Exceeding NQS, suggesting quality outcomes are improving despite ongoing challenges facing the sector.

The figures arrive at a time when governments across Australia are implementing reforms designed to strengthen child safety, improve transparency and increase accountability in early learning settings.

For many providers, the latest results demonstrate the impact of sustained efforts to strengthen governance, educational leadership, workforce capability and continuous improvement processes.

What is driving improvement?

The National Quality Framework has now been in place for more than a decade, giving providers, educators and regulators a clear and consistent framework for quality improvement.

Over time, services have become increasingly familiar with assessment expectations and the evidence required to demonstrate quality practice.

Many providers have also invested heavily in professional learning, quality improvement planning, compliance systems and educational leadership to support stronger outcomes across the seven quality areas.

At the same time, regulators have increased oversight through more frequent visits and stronger compliance measures, helping ensure quality standards remain a central focus across the sector.

What it means for families

For families, the latest figures provide reassurance that a growing number of children are attending services that meet nationally recognised benchmarks for quality and safety.

The National Quality Standard assesses services across areas including educational programs, children's health and safety, staffing arrangements, relationships with children, partnerships with families, governance and leadership.

As more services achieve Meeting NQS or above, families can have greater confidence in the quality of education and care being delivered.

The Government has also continued to expand access to information for families, making it easier to understand service ratings and make informed decisions about early learning options.

Workforce remains critical

While quality ratings continue to improve, workforce challenges remain one of the most significant issues facing the sector.

Recruiting and retaining qualified educators and early childhood teachers continues to be difficult in many parts of Australia, particularly in regional and growth areas.

Sector leaders have consistently identified workforce stability as a key factor influencing service quality, educational outcomes and the ability to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements.

As a result, workforce attraction, retention and professional development are expected to remain central priorities as governments and providers work to sustain recent gains in quality.

Progress with more work ahead

The latest NQF results suggest the sector is continuing to lift standards despite ongoing operational and workforce pressures.

However, governments and regulators have made clear that quality improvement is an ongoing process rather than a finished task.

With reforms relating to child safety, compliance and transparency continuing to roll out, providers will remain under close scrutiny as the sector works to build on the progress achieved to date.

For the thousands of services, educators and leaders working every day to improve outcomes for children, the latest figures provide evidence that those efforts are making a measurable difference.

Read the full media announcement here.