Making a complaint about an early learning service

If you are concerned about the health, safety or wellbeing of a child while attending an early learning service (includes preschools, family day cares, long day cares, outside of school hours care and mobile services), you should contact the NSW Early Learning Commission (the Commission) as soon as possible on 1800 619 113 or via email information@earlylearningcommission.nsw.gov.au and they will investigate the matter. You can call anonymously if you wish.

Parents and carers

If you have any suggestions, concerns, or complaints about your child's early learning service, talk to the director, manager, or staff as in most cases it is best to talk to the service first.

When talking to the service to make a complaint, you should:

• ask to see their complaint procedures
• be clear about the topic or issue you want to discuss
• focus on how the issue affects your child
• always remain calm
• ask about relevant facts relating to the topic or issue
• think about what outcome you’d like
• be informed – ask to see the relevant service's policies and procedures or access a copy of the National Law and Regulations on the ACECQA website.

If the service doesn't address your concern, or if it's inappropriate to raise it there, you can contact the Commission to make a complaint. You can also contact the Commission at any time if you have serious concerns about the health, safety and wellbeing of children as the Commission is the regulator of early learning services in NSW.

What you can complain about to the Commission

The Commission can assist with concerns about an early learning service not complying with the national law and regulations, including a service's:

• physical environment
• quality of education
• interactions between staff and children including inappropriate behaviours or inappropriate discipline
• a service operating without approval.

To make a complaint about an early learning service:

• call 1800 619 113
• email information@earlylearningcommission.nsw.gov.au.

Download the making a complaint flyer (PDF 201 KB) for more information.

How the Commission will respond

When a complaint is received, the Commission will:

• undertake an initial risk assessment of all complaints relating to risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of a child or children within 24 hours
• allocate high-risk matters for immediate follow-up
• acknowledge all complaints
• provide you with a reference number
• investigate your complaint – this may involve further discussions with you, contacting the service, inspecting the service, questioning or formally interviewing staff at the service, or gathering evidence as necessary.

All notifications to the Commission are kept confidential. Your identity won’t be revealed unless you give consent or a court requires the Commission to do so.

If your complaint raises an immediate threat of significant harm to children, we will act immediately.

Some complaints may require more than 60 working days to investigate however we’ll email you to inform you of any delays.

You can ask us for an update by:

• calling 1800 619 113
• emailing information@earlylearningcommission.nsw.gov.au.

Feedback or complaints about the Commission

As the independent regulator for early learning in NSW, the Commission works hard to ensure children are kept safe and have access to quality education and care. We like to hear when things have gone well so we can continue to celebrate the positive contribution of the early learning sector.

Services, providers and the community can provide suggestions, concerns or feedback about us, including complaints about the conduct of our staff, by following one of the steps below:

• completing the Complaint, compliment or suggestion form
• calling 1800 619 113
• emailing information@earlylearningcommission.nsw.gov.au.

When you submit your complaint to us, please provide the following details:

• the name of the officer/s you are expressing concerns about
• the date/s of the alleged concern
• the details of the concern, with any supporting information.

If you don’t provide sufficient information, we may not be able to fully review the matter.

When we receive a complaint we will:

• acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days
• keep you informed of progress by email
• investigate your complaint and provide you with an outcome.

Some complaints may require more than 20 working days to investigate however we’ll email you to inform you of any delay.

You can ask us for an update by:

• calling 1800 619 113
• emailing information@earlylearningcommission.nsw.gov.au.

If you are dissatisfied with the response from the NSW Early Learning Commission, you can contact the NSW Ombudsman.

Review of ratings

If you disagree with your service rating, you can request a first-tier review. To do so, submit a SA11 Application for Review of Ratings by Regulatory Authority '(Service Rating)’ form through NQA ITS.

For more information visit ACEQCA’s Review of ratings page.

Feedback and complaints poster

Access the feedback and complaints poster (PDF 5.59 MB) to display at your service. By scanning the QR code, parents and carers can access this page, for information on when and how they can make a complaint or provide feedback to the Commission.

Educators and staff

To complain about employment conditions and industrial relations issues at your workplace please contact NSW Industrial Relations.

For other complaints or concerns held by an educator or staff, you can contact the Early Childhood Education and Care Information and Enquiries team on 1800 619 113 or by emailing information@earlylearningcommission.nsw.gov.au.

Complaint handling policy

For more information read our complaint handling policy (PDF 217 KB).

The policy is relevant to:

• parents and carers
• services and providers
• educators and staff.

Engaging with and supporting families whose child is involved in a serious incident

For more information read our engaging with and supporting families whose child is involved in a serious incident policy (PDF 160 KB).

This policy outlines the Commission's position about engaging with and supporting families during investigations about serious incidents that involve their child.