Data on regulatory authority functions, activity and decisions made when regulating Early Childhood Education and Care and Child Care in Tasmania.

Early Childhood Outcomes and Regulation regulates early childhood education and care (ECEC) and child care in Tasmania under two legislative frameworks.

Publishing regulatory data provides transparency around the Regulatory Authority functions of the Education and Care Unit and encourages voluntary compliance and improved service quality by the early childhood education and care sector.

Service and provider approvals

Service and provider approvals

All early childhood education and care providers and services and child care services must be approved to operate.

The table below shows the number of providers and services approved to operate in Tasmania.

Quarter EndingEducation and care providers approved to operate under the NQFEducation and care services approved to operate under the NQF Child care services licensed to operate under the Child Care Act
31 March 20266724416
31 December 2025 6624316
30 September 2025 6724319
30 June 20256724521

New approvals

Applications for provider and service approval must be assessed and considered against legislative requirements. Early Childhood Outcomes and Regulation regulatory authority powers and functions include considering applications for provider and service approval.  

Please note, not all applications result in an approval.

The table below shows the number of applications for provider or service approval approved in Tasmania.

Quarter EndingEducation and care providers approved to operate under the NQFEducation and care services approved to operate under the NQF Child care services licensed to operate under the Child Care Act
31 March 2026 030
31 December 2025 000
30 September 2025 101
30 June 2025020

Service monitoring

National Quality Framework (NQF) Service visits 

Authorised Officers conduct visits to monitor quality and compliance with legislative requirements. Monitoring visits are typically unannounced.

Quarter EndingAssessment and rating Compliance and monitoring Total service visits  
31 March 2026157489
31 December 2025125069
30 September 2025147791
30 June 2025136881

Notifications and complaints

Notifications and complaints made to services and providers 

Approved providers operating National Quality Framework (NQF) services are required to notify the regulatory authority about incidents, complaints and changes to information. Notification types and timeframes | ACECQA outlines the various notification types and timeframes required under the National Law and National Regulations.

Quarter EndingComplaintIncident 
31 March 202634187
31 December 202532329
30 September 202547199
30 June 202527206

Direct complaints to the Regulatory Authority

The Regulatory Authority also receives complaints directly from complainants, such as members of the community and families, some of these will relate to the same incidents reported by approved providers.

Quarter endingDirect complaints
31 March 202620
31 December 202516
30 September 202517
30 June 202513

Breaches of the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations

Total breaches 

The Regulatory Authority actively monitors provider and services and investigates and responds to allegations of non-compliance when it receives intelligence (including through notifications, complaints or service visits) about possible breaches of the legislation.

Quarter endingNot confirmedConfirmed
31 March 2026111105
31 December 202587122
30 September 2025113116
30 June 2025103154

Sections of the National Law with the highest number of confirmed breaches

Confirmed breaches are recorded as a result of compliance and enforcement activity undertaken by the Regulatory Authority. This summary identifies the five sections of the National Law with the highest number of confirmed breaches for the reporting period. Regulatory data lists these sections in order, with 1 indicating the section with the highest number of confirmed breaches.

RankQuarter ending 31 March 2026Quarter ending 31 December 2025Quarter ending 30 September 2025Quarter ending 30 June 2025
1Section 165 – Offence to inadequately supervise children
Section 166 – Offence to use inappropriate discipline		Section 165 – Offence to inadequately supervise childrenSection 165 – Offence to inadequately supervise children
2Section 169 – Offence relating to staffing arrangementsSection 165 – Offence to inadequately supervise childrenSection 167 – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazardsSection 167 – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazards
3Section 167 – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazards (8)Section 167 – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazards (8)Section 169 – Offence relating to staffing arrangementsSection 166 – Offence to use inappropriate discipline
4Section 174 – Offence to notify certain information to Regulatory AuthoritySection 172 – Offence to fail to display prescribed informationSection 174 – Offence to notify certain information to Regulatory AuthoritySection 169 – Offence relating to staffing arrangements
5Section 172 – Offence to fail to display prescribed informationSection 174 – Offence to fail to notify certain information to regulatory authority.Section 166 – Offence to use inappropriate disciplineSection 174 – Offence to notify certain information to Regulatory Authority

National Regulations with the highest number of confirmed breaches 

Confirmed breaches are recorded as a result of compliance and enforcement activity undertaken by the Regulatory Authority. This summary identifies the five Regulations with the highest number of confirmed breaches for the reporting period. Regulatory data lists these Regulations in order, with 1 indicating the highest number. In the event that multiple Regulations have an equal number of confirmed breaches, all will be listed.

RankQuarter ending 31 March 2026Quarter ending 31 December 2025Quarter ending 30 September 2025Quarter ending 30 June 2025
1Regulation 99 – Children leaving the education and care service premisesRegulation 99 – Children leaving the education and care service premises

Regulation 80 – Weekly Menu

Regulation 77 – Health, hygiene and safe food practices		Regulation 99 – Children leaving the education and care service premisesRegulation 99 – Children leaving the education and care service premises
2Regulation 75 – Information about education program to be kept availableRegulation 97 – Emergency and evacuation proceduresRegulation 97 – Emergency and evacuation proceduresRegulation 97 – Emergency and evacuation procedures
3Regulation 77 – Health, hygiene and safe food practicesRegulation 75 – Information about educational program to be kept availableRegulation 77 – Health, hygiene and safe food practicesRegulation 77 – Health, hygiene and safe food practices
4Regulation 97 – Emergency and evacuation proceduresRegulation 84 – Awareness of child protection lawRegulation 87 – Incident, injury, trauma and illness recordRegulation 80 – Weekly menu
5Regulation 170 – Policies and procedures to be followedRegulation 86 – Notification to parents of incident, injury, trauma and illnessRegulation 56 – Review and revision of quality improvement plans

Regulation 72 – Offences in relation to giving false or misleading statements about ratings

Regulation 75 – Information about educational program to be kept available

Regulation 80 – Weekly menu

Regulation 86 – Notification to parents of incident, injury, trauma and illness.		Regulation 107 – Space requirements—indoor space

Compliance actions

Compliance action taken

Statutory sanctions including but not limited to Compliance Directions, Compliance Notices, Conditions on Service Approval can be applied in response to non-compliance where further enforcement action is deemed necessary to support the health, safety and wellbeing of children attending a service.

Quarter Ending 31 March 2026Quarter Ending 31 December 2025Quarter Ending 30 September 2025Quarter Ending 30 June 2025
Compliance Notice0001
Prohibition Notice2011
Emergency Action Notice2000
Approval Amended1001
Acceptance by the Regulatory Authority of enforceable undertaking1000

Assessment and Rating 

Early Childhood Outcomes and Regulation perform the functions of the Tasmanian Regulatory Authority, including ensuring education and care services are assessed against the National Quality Standard.  Services that undergo a full assessment and rating are given a rating for each of the 7 quality areas and an overall rating based on these results. Services that undergo a partial reassessment are assessed against some of the standards or quality areas of the NQS.

Assessment and Rating visits

Quarter EndingTotal Assessment and Rating visits
31 March 202615
31 December 202512
30 September 202513
30 June 202513

Published Quality Ratings by Rating

Number of Services as of 31 March 2026Percentage of Services as of 31 March 2026Number of Services as of 31 December 2025Percentage of Services as of 31 December 2025
Significant
Improve-ment
Required		10.400
Working Towards the NQS36153616
Meeting the NQS1455914264
Exceeding the NQS46194520
Total22893.422392

NQS Elements with the highest number of Not Met ratings

The Regulatory Authority monitor which NQS elements have the highest number of Not Met ratings on both an annual and quarterly basis. The table below provides the total for the previous financial year alongside quarterly data to enable comparison.

Rank of NQS elements with the highest number of Not Met ratingsNQS Elements with the highest number of not met ratings as of 31 March 2026Number of not met ratings for NQS element as of 31 March 2026
UnitElementNumber
11.1.3 Program learning opportunities22
27.2.2 Educational leadership20
31.3.2 Critical reflection19

NQS Standards with the highest number of Exceeding ratings

The Regulatory Authority monitor which NQS standards have the highest number of Exceeding ratings on both an annual and quarterly basis. The table below provides the total for the previous financial year alongside quarterly data to enable comparison.

Rank of NQS Standards with the highest number of Exceeding ratingsNQS Standards with the highest number of Exceeding ratings as of 31 March 2026Number of NQS Standards with the highest number of Exceeding ratings as of 31 March 2026
UnitStandardNumber
16.2 Collaborative partnerships69
26.1 Supportive relationships with families66
31.1 Program54

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