A Head Start Children's Centre

In January 2012 the National Quality Framework (NQF) came into effect across Australia.

The purpose of the NQF is to improve and standardise the quality of child care through a range of measures including better staff to child ratios, higher staff qualifications and an assessment and rating system designed to promote continuous improvement.

Under the NQF child care services are assessed and rated against the National Quality Standards (NQS).

The NQS measures the quality of early childhood education and care in Australia. It will cover most long day care, family day care, preschool/kindergarten and outside school hours care services.

Under these standards child care services will be assessed and rated against the seven quality areas, 18 standards and 58 elements that make up the NQS.