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Physical environment - Long day care and kindergarten

Handout materials

The following materials were provided to attendees during the October - November National Quality Framework information sessions. They have been uploaded as an online resource for services wishing to workshop these concepts internally.

The Education and Care Services National Regulations set out the physical requirements to which all services in scope of the National Quality Standard (NQF) must adhere to. Quality Area 3-Physical Environment of the National Quality Standard (NQS)(which is embedded within the National Regulations) also sets physical standards to which services will be quality assessed and rated.

The requirements of the National Regulations are outcomes-based, and provide more flexibility in meeting the standard than Queensland's current prescriptive approach. For example:

Current Queensland Requirement and National Regulations table
Current Queensland requirement	National Regulations
A shaded area which, at 10am and 3pm provides, as part of the total area not less than 2m² for each child of the licensed capacity. at least 50% of the required shaded area is roofed with a material impervious to water and UV radiation exclusive of: the shade provided by trees garden beds used only as landscaping that is inaccessible to children land that is rough, steeper than 1 in 6, less than 4m in width permanent storage areas sheds any fenced body of water and its surrounds within the fencing	The Approved Provider of a centre-based service must ensure that outdoor spaces provided at the education and care service premises include adequate shaded areas to protect children from overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

This approach provides greater flexibility for services to provide environments that promote the education, health, safety and wellbeing of children. Service providers and authorised officers will apply professional judgment in determining adequate and quality environments in this context, and will refer to other reputable sources for guidance - such as the Cancer Council shade guidelines in the case above.

The design and layout of an early childhood education and care environment can have a significant impact on the quality of the program being delivered and may impact on issues such as supervision, safety, delivery of the educational program and ease of access to facilities and resources.

When considering the standards for the physical environment, it is also important to consider the impact on the assessment and rating against all seven quality areas.

Building Code arrangements for new services*
�	Until 31 December 2011	1 January - May 2012	May 2012
Queensland Development Code*	Applies to all licensed centre based services	Applies to out-of-scope services Applies to in-scope services (excluding OSHC & FDC)	Applies to� existingout-of-scope services Applies to existing in-scope services (excluding OSHC & FDC)
National Regulations under National Law (Physical Environments	N/A	Applies to all in-scope services	Applies to all in-scope services
BCA National Building Legislation	Continue to meet current arrangements	Continue to meet current arrangements	BCA amended to incorporate specific standards for new in-scope services (excluding OSHC & FDC)

*Services need to comply with the version of the QDC that was relevant to when the building approval application was lodged.

It is important to link with building professionals and regional Early Childhood Officers in considering building implications prior to developing a new service or renovating an existing service.

Waivers

A new feature of the National Law is the ability for providers to apply for two types of exemptions from meeting a prescribed element or elements of the NQS or the National Regulations:

Service waiver - provides a waiver on an ongoing basis
Temporary waiver - provides a waiver for a fixed period (of up to 12 months initially)

This means that where a service is unable to meet a physical environment requirement of the National Regulations (for example, fencing or appropriate shaded area) or staffing requirement, the Approved Provider could apply for a temporary waiver.

Waivers can only be given for prescribed elements under Quality Areas 3 and 4 - Physical environment and staffing arrangements.

Discussion:

Refer to the National Quality Standard relating to the physical environment.

If you were building or undertaking substantial renovations to a service in the new year, what would you do differently to meet the National Quality Standard compared to your current service?

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