The Minns Labor Government is continuing to work to ensure all children across New South Wales have access to quality early learning opportunities, with new targets designed to ensure the safety, health and wellbeing of the state’s littlest learners.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car has handed down her Statement of Expectations for the early childhood education and care sector, setting clear expectations, priorities and targets for continuous improvement in the growing sector.

The updated Statement of Expectations, signed by Minister Car in May 2024, includes the increased target that all services are subject to inspection by the NSW Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority at least once every 18 months.This is an increase on the previous target of 85 per cent of service receiving an inspection over the same period.

The NSW Early Childhood Education and Care Regulatory Authority is responsible for monitoring, supporting and regulating more than 6,000 services, including preschools, long day care, family day care, outside school hours care, mobile and occasional care services.

The targets will be reported on publicly in an annual performance update to hold the regulator to account.

The Statement of Expectations, effective to June 30, 2025, has transparent targets to ensure safety and quality in services including:

• At least 90 per cent of services must meet or exceed the National Quality Standard.
• The Regulatory Authority must have a strategy in place by the end of 2024 to for ‘working towards’ services to lift their rating to the national standard.
• At least 95 per cent of newly opened services must be assessed and rated for quality within 18 months of commencement.
• All services must be visited at least once every 18 months, with higher risk services to be visited more often as needed. This is an increase on the previous target of 85 per cent of services being visited every 12 months.
• Notifications and complaints must be risk assessed within one business day and allocated for management within the next 2 business day.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“It’s important that families and communities can be confident their children are safe and thriving in early child care settings.

“This updated Statement of Expectations provides clear targets for performance and continuous improvement for providers across the state, ensuring transparency and accountability.”

How the NSW Regulatory Authority works

The NSW Department of Education is the Regulatory Authority for the early childhood education and care sector in NSW.

It regulates, monitors and supports more than 6,000 services, including preschools, long day care, family day care, outside school hours care, mobile and occasional care services.

The Regulatory Authority assesses and rates all NSW services against the seven National Quality Standards and assigns them an overall rating. It also monitors compliance with national legal obligations and investigates incidents and complaints.

In 2023 the regulator’s authorised officers completed a record 7,975 service visits – for assessment and rating, compliance and monitoring, and to investigate complaints or breaches of the law.

Families can search for information about early childhood education and care providers on the department’s website.

For concerns or complaints about an early childhood education and care service, contact the department on 1800 619 113 or email ececd@det.nsw.edu.au.