For approved providers and services

Approved providers, services and nominated supervisors must comply with the law and regulations. 

The Australian Education And Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) provides the Guide to the National Quality Framework with detailed information about many aspects of operating a service.

Approved providers, services and nominated supervisors also receive communication directly from the Education Standards Board including bulletins, sector forums and email updates. Ensure that contact details in NAQITS are current to receive regulatory guidance and information. 

Provider and service approval

Before operating an education and care service, provider and service approvals must be in place. ACECQA provides detailed information regarding opening a new service which explains the process to apply to operate a service.

To apply for provider and service approval, you will need to register an account on NQAITS online system or use the paper-based forms on the ACECQA website. 

Learn more about seeking approval for multi-storey services.

Amendments to service approval 

Providers wishing to make a change to their approved service must apply for approval for these changes. We have a number of fact sheets to help guide you in that process: 

• Facilities for centre-based services
• Outdoor learning environments: best practice principles
• Renovation
• Verandah areas counted as indoor space

You will need to pay a fee for some changes.

Compliance with the law and regulations

The Education Standards Board undertakes monitoring to ensure that providers, services and nominated supervisors are compliant with the National Law and Regulations. Our focus is our regulatory priorities and targets, while continuing to respond to other instances of non-compliance. 

Compliance by providers, services and nominated supervisors includes: 

• Waiver applications where a service is unable to meet the requirements of the National Law or Regulations
• Notifiying the Education Standards Board of specific incidents, changes or circumstances specified in the National Law or Regulations
• Breaches of the National Law or Regulations. 

More about compliance

National Quality Standard

The National Quality Standard (NQS) sets a national benchmark for the quality of education and care services. It includes seven quality areas that are important to outcomes for children. Each of these quality areas are composed of a number of standards, and these standards are in turn composed of elements. 

For more information, see ACECQA’s Guide to the NQF. 

Approved learning frameworks

Approved providers and nominated supervisors are required by National Law, section 168, to ensure service's educational programs are based on, and delivered in accordance with, an approved learning framework. The learning frameworks guide early childhood teachers and other educators in planning, delivering, and evaluating quality programs in early education and care settings. 

Updated versions of the approved learning frameworks were released in early 2023. Both versions of the frameworks are approved for use by services until early 2024 to enable approved providers and services time to transition to the updated approved learning frameworks.

The new version of the approved learning frameworks will be implemented from early 2024.