Service regulation, feedback and complaints
The NSW Early Learning Commission, as the independent regulator for early childhood education and care (ECEC) in NSW, assesses and monitors services to ensure children are kept safe and have access to quality ECEC.
This webpage is managed by the NSW Early Learning Commission as the independent regulator for early childhood education and care in NSW. Learn about the Early Learning Commission.
All NSW ECEC and outside school hours care services are assessed and rated under the National Quality Framework by an authorised officer from the NSW Early Learning Commission.
Services are assessed against the 7 quality areas of the .
Assessment and rating gives services an opportunity to demonstrate how they support, educate and care for children. It identifies the strengths of services as well as areas that could be improved.
Once assessed, services are given an overall quality rating which must be displayed on a certificate at the service. The certificate uses a star graphic which gives families important information about the overall rating of a service, as well as a rating against each of the 7 quality areas.
You can view a service’s quality rating using the .
For more information on quality ratings visit choosing a quality service.
Transcript
Hi, my name's Shane Snibson, and I'm from the New South Wales Department of ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø. We are the regulatory authority for Early Childhood ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø and Care in New South Wales. The department regulates over 6,000 early childhood education and care services across the state. One of our core functions is to assess and rate services guided by the National Quality Framework.
Assessment and rating is the process in which early childhood education and care services are assessed and rated by authorised offices against the National Quality Standard. The National Quality Standard sets a benchmark to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of children, and to improve educational outcomes for children in early childhood education and care services.
Authorised officers give services a quality rating in each quality area, and an overall service rating based on what they observe, sight, and discuss with services during a scheduled visit. Assessment and rating is an important part of supporting continuous quality improvement of services to ensure children have a quality education and care experience. Quality ratings also help families to make decisions about early childhood education and care services by providing access to information about their service's practises, so they can be confident their child is attending a quality service.
The NSW Early Learning Commission undertakes monitoring and compliance activities to ensure the health and safety of children by checking that services are complying with the National Law and Regulations.
Examples of activities the Commission undertakes to assess risks to children and/or address specific issues include:
- providing services with information and guidance
- creating targeted campaigns to monitor a specific issue, service type or location
- unscheduled visits (no notice given to service) to investigate complaints and/or incidents.
Examples of compliance actions the Commission may take to address breaches of the National Law or National Regulations include:
issuing an infringement notice
suspension or cancellation of service approval
issuing a direction to exclude a person from the service premises
prosecution.
When deciding how to respond to an incident or issue, the Commission will consider the circumstances of each case and the risk to children (both short and long term).
The NSW Early Learning Commission publishes information about enforcement actions taken against early childhood providers and educators. This includes prosecutions, suspensions, cancellations and enforceable undertakings. To view this information visit the following pages on our website:
Services must also clearly display their compliance and quality history in their service under Section 172(3) and (4) of the National Law.
Families who have questions or would like to know more can speak to their service director or contact the Commission on 1800 619 113 or via information@earlylearningcommission.nsw.gov.au.
The provides a national benchmark for safety and quality in early childhood education and school-aged care services.
The NQF includes National Laws and Regulations that services must comply with to ensure children are kept safe and have access to quality learning experiences.
The National Law and Regulations regulate the following service types:
- long day care
- family day care
- preschools
- outside school hours care.
The NQF also sets the National Quality Standard which all services are assessed and rated against.
In NSW services are also regulated in line with the and .
Find out more about the importance of quality in early childhood education and outside school hours care services.
Some service types are regulated under the  and the .
The services regulated under the Supplementary Provisions Act include:
mobile services
occasional care services.
More information about your service
Visit for further information on a service, including:
its quality rating
the date of the last visit by the regulatory authority
conditions placed on the service to ensure compliance with the National Law and Regulations
provider-linked services.
Give feedback or make a complaint
If you have concerns about a service, speak to your service’s nominated supervisor, service director or approved provider directly. If the service can’t resolve the issue, you can contact the NSW Early Learning Commission.
If you are concerned about the quality of a service; or the health, safety or wellbeing of a child, you should contact the Commission as soon as possible on 1800 619 113 or via email information@earlylearningcommission.nsw.gov.au and we will investigate the matter. You can call anonymously if you wish.
As a parent or caregiver, you have a right to have your concerns heard.
Find out more about giving feedback or making a complaint about a service.