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Kindergarten services

Key changes for kindergarten services

As of 1 January 2012, kindergarten services become part of the new National Quality Framework (NQF). Kindergarten services licensed as centre-based services under the Child Care Act 2002 (the Act) as at 31 December 2011 transitioned into the new regulatory framework.

With the introduction of the NQF, kindergartens will start to undergo quality assessment and rating in the same way as other education and care services and outside school hours care services.

For many kindergartens the NQF requirements will mean minimal changes as services may currently meet many of the new arrangements, particularly in relation to meeting the new staffing and qualification requirements.

Key transitional arrangements will include that:

the licensee will be taken to be an Approved Provider
the service will be taken to be an Approved Service
conditions on existing licences, where they are consistent with the Education and Care Services National Law, may continue in force on Service Approvals
specified employees will be declared to be a Certified Supervisor (see the Supervisor Certificates and Nominated Supervisor page for further information)
the Approved Provider will be required to nominate a Certified Supervisor as the Nominated Supervisor of the service.

It is important to note that various service types located on the same site may be transitioned into the NQF as one service approval.

The Department of Education and Training (the Department) will issue provider approvals, service approvals and supervisor certificates to declared services and individuals by 30 June 2012.

Key staffing requirements

What are the qualification requirements?

As of 1 January 2012, kindergarten services are required to designate:

a suitably qualified and experienced educator as the educational leader to lead the development and implementation of educational programs in the service.
a Nominated Supervisor to be in day to day charge of the service (see the Supervisor Certificates and Nominated Supervisors Fact Sheet).

While most kindergarten services currently employ an early childhood teacher this has been a funding requirement, not a legislative requirement. The early childhood teacher is considered to be a Group Leader or Director under the Child Care Act (2002).

Qualifications and requirements for kindergarten employees from 2012
Qualifications	Requirements from 2012
Diploma qualification	First of every 2 educators required to meet the educator to child ratio must hold an approved diploma level education and care qualification (or be studying towards and hold at least a Certificate III or equivalent).
Minimum qualification	All other educators required to meet the educator to child ratio is required to hold a Certificate III level education and care qualification(or be studying towards)

Additional requirement from 1 January 2014

Kindergarten services that provide education and care to 25 or more children on any given day will be required for the first time to employ an early childhood teacher to be either:

in attendance for six hours on that day (if the service operates for 50 or more hours a week), or
60 per cent of the operating hours of the service on that day (if the service operates for less than 50 hours a week), or
alternatively, the service may engage a full time equivalent teacher.

Services with fewer than 25 approved places will be required to have access to a teacher for at least 20 per cent of the time (section 130 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations). Any other service must also have access to a teacher for at least 20 per cent of the time when fewer than 25 children are present.

There are transitional arrangements for early childhood teachers that enable a person who is actively working towards an early childhood qualification and provides evidence of 50 per cent course completion or holds an approved diploma level education and care qualification to be taken to be an early childhood teacher from 1 January 2014 until 1 January 2016.

These teachers will be counted towards the requirement for 50 per cent of all educators within a centre to hold, or be working towards, a diploma qualification or above.

From 1 January 2020

A further requirement for a second early childhood teacher or another suitably qualified person in services with 60 or more children is planned for introduction in 2020.

How will qualifications be determined?

Currently, the Department publishes approved qualification lists and determines equivalency of qualifications that are not on the approved list.

As of 1 January 2012, the new national body, the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), will determine the qualifications to be held by educators, including the assessment of equivalent qualifications. ACECQA will also publish a list of qualifications that have been approved for transitioning into the NQF. A person may also apply to ACECQA to have their qualification recognised as equivalent to an approved qualification. There is a $100 fee for this application.

Previously, the Department published approved qualification lists and determined equivalency of qualifications that were not on the approved list.

Educator to child ratios

See the Educator to child ratios - Implications for Queensland Services page for information regarding ratios, excursions, rest period, rest pauses and short absences.

Assessment and rating

A key aspect of the National Quality Framework is a focus on continuous quality improvement. While many kindergarten services participate in self-assessment and quality improvement processes, from 1 January 2012, kindergarten services will be assessed against the new National Quality Standard (NQS) and the National Regulations. Where various types of services are offered on the same site and are provided under one service approval the service may be assessed and rated as one service.

The Department's authorised officers will be responsible for assessing and rating kindergarten services. Kindergarten services will be assessed in the same way as all other services. The duration of assessments will be determined based on consideration of service provision (i.e. if a service provides before and after school care, the visit may be spread part-time over a number of days).

Each service will need to develop and annually update a Quality Improvement Plan. By incorporating the NQS into existing quality assessment processes, services will be able to identify areas that the service is doing well and areas where there is room for improvement - to be included in the Quality Improvement Plan. See the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority's Guide to developing a quality improvement plan for more information.

What learning framework is to be delivered?

Under the National Regulations, all services are required to use an approved learning framework.

The Early Years Learning Framework has been developed for services catering for children aged birth to five years and the My Time, Our Place - Framework for School Age Care in Australia is for school aged children.

Many kindergarten services may use curriculum tools to assist their implementation of the approved learning frameworks including the Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines , or other Queensland Studies Authority accredited programs.

Educators will be required to keep documentation of children's assessments or evaluations as part of an educational program based on an approved learning framework (section 74 of the National Regulations).

What policies and procedures is a kindergarten service required to keep?

The Child Care Act 2002 requires a wide range of policies to be prepared and kept up to date. Similarly, the new National Regulations require a range of policies and/or procedures. The table below outlines the content required, the corresponding section of the National Regulations and NQS and whether these policies are new or align with existing requirements.

Required policies and procedures all service types (Regulation 168)
Content of policy and/or procedure	Reference	Existing Qld Child Care legislation	National Childcare Accreditation Council (NCAC)
Health and safety
Delivery and collection of children	Regulation 99; 168(2)(f)	Linkages to record keeping requirements.
Excursions	Regulations 100 to 102; 168 (2)(g)	Linkages to information to parents, record keeping.
Refusal of authorisations for a child to leave the service	Regulation 168(2)(m)	Linkages to record keeping about collection of children and parent access requirements.
Dealing with infectious disease	Regulation 88; 168 (2)(c) NQS 2.1	Aligns	Policy on child and staff immunisation and infectious diseases.
Dealing with medical conditions	Regulation 90; 168(2)(d) NQS 2.1	Linkages to record keeping requirements.	Process for developing and implementing health management plans for children with specific medical needs.
Emergency and evacuation	Regulation 97; 168(2)(e) NQS 2.3	Aligns	Emergency procedures to be displayed.
Health and safety, including matters relating to: Nutrition, food and beverages, dietary requirements Sun protection Water safety Administration of first aid	Regulation 168(2)(a) NQS 2.2 NQS 2.3 NQS 2.3 NQS 2.1	Some linkages to information for parents and record keeping requirements.	Policies on food and nutrition, food safety and hygiene and sun protection.
Incident, injury, trauma and illness	Regulation 85; 168(2)(b) NQS 2.1	Aligns with current except for trauma and incident.
Child safe environment	Regulation 168(2)(h) NQS 2.3, 7.1	Linkages to health and safety matters provisions.	Policies on child protection, use and storage of dangerous products, safety checks and maintenance of buildings and equipment, occupational health and safety.
Staffing arrangements
Staffing, including: Code of conduct Determining the responsible person present Participation of volunteers and students	Regulation 168(2)(i) NQS 4.2	Aligns with current except for determining responsible person and code of conduct.
Relationships with children
Interactions with children	Regulations 155 to 156; 168(2)(l) NQS 5.1, 5.2	Linkages to guiding principles	Policy on positive behaviour guidance
Service management
Governance and management of the service, including confidentiality of records	Regulation 168(2)(a) NQS 7.3	Linkages to confidentiality of records.
Enrolment and orientation	Regulation 168(2)(k) NQS 6.1	Linkages to record keeping requirements.
Payment of Fees	Regulation 168(2)(n) NQS 7.3
Dealing with Complaints	Regulation 168(2)(o) NQS 7.3	Aligns	Documented procedures for grievance and complaints handling.

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This page was last reviewed on 03 Jan 2012 at 05:57PM