Page 639 - Week 02 - Thursday, 18 February 2016
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If this review finds that we can do better in capturing existing data on staff qualifications, we will seek to do that. If there are better ways to communicate this to the community, beyond possibly waiting until 2019 for the next publication of the commonwealth census, we will do that. If there are issues with the rates of qualified educators or access to child care, I will work with the directorate, the sector and the relevant peak bodies to improve the situation.
The national quality framework also provides for 58 quality elements and other more fundamental issues, such as protecting children from harm and hazards, and good governance, to be considered. The regulatory authority in each state and territory has an obligation to investigate or audit breaches of those fundamental issues. The regulatory authority also conducts assessments and ratings. Those two very different tasks should not be confused.
Every authorised officer in the country, which includes the ACT, is trained by the national body, the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority—ACECQA, as I mentioned earlier—to undertake assessment and rating of services. Assessment and rating of services is a statutory process that requires a qualitative assessment of 58 elements that make up the national quality standard. The national law stipulates a 60-day assessment and rating process for each service. Every assessment is moderated for consistency and evidence.
The assessment and rating process is not a benchmark of minimum compliance; it is a benchmark of progress of services to achieve, develop and excel in the 58 elements of quality agreed to by states, territories and the commonwealth. There are five rating levels: excellent, which is awarded by ACECQA; exceeding; meeting; working towards; and significant improvement required.
It is instructive to note that if a service is found to be lacking in just one of the elements then the service is rated as not meeting. If a service is failing in the fundamental obligations and cannot approach quality standards then it will be given a rating of significant improvement required, and guidance will be offered to ensure that the service is working towards the necessary standards.
To date the ACT’s regulatory authority has rated approximately 87 per cent of 348 approved services. There are approximately 11,000 places offered for children of preschool age and under in centre-based education and care services. There are approximately 3,400 places offered in government preschools.
Over the last three years there has been demonstrable improvement in the number of services who are meeting or exceeding the national quality standard. In 2013, 62 per cent of services rated were working towards the standard, with 38 per cent meeting or exceeding. In 2014, 52 per cent of services rated were working towards the standard, with 48 per cent meeting or exceeding. Last year we saw further improvement, with 37 per cent of services rated working towards the standard and 63 per cent meeting or exceeding. Each year shows a distinct increase in the number of services who are meeting or exceeding the national quality standard.
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