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
30 June 20266524616
31 March 2026 6724416
31 December 2025 6624316
30 September 20256724319

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
30 June 2026140
31 March 2026 030
31 December 2025 000
30 September 2025101

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  
30 June 2026217091
31 March 2026157489
31 December 2025125069
30 September 2025147791

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 
30 June 202645232
31 March 202634187
31 December 202532329
30 September 202547199

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
30 June 202614
31 March 202620
31 December 202516
30 September 202517

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
30 June 20263764
31 March 2026111105
31 December 202587122
30 September 2025113116

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 30 June 2026Quarter ending 31 March 2026Quarter ending 31 December 2025Quarter ending 30 September 2025
1Section 167 – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazardsSection 165 – Offence to inadequately supervise childrenSection 166 – Offence to use inappropriate disciplineSection 165 – Offence to inadequately supervise children
2Section 165 – Offence to inadequately supervise childrenSection 169 – Offence relating to staffing arrangementsSection 165 – Offence to inadequately supervise childrenSection 167 – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazards
3Section 166 – Offence to use inappropriate disciplineSection 167 – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazardsSection 167 – Offence relating to protection of children from harm and hazardsSection 169 – Offence relating to staffing arrangements
4Section 172 – Offence to fail to display prescribed informationSection 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 Authority
5Section 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 166 – Offence to use inappropriate discipline

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 30 June 2026Quarter ending 31 March 2026Quarter ending 31 December 2025Quarter ending 30 September 2025
1Regulation 97 – Emergency and evacuation proceduresRegulation 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 premises
2Regulation 99 – Children leaving the education and care service premises

Regulation 77 – Health, hygiene and safe food practices		Regulation 75 – Information about educational program to be kept availableRegulation 97 – Emergency and evacuation proceduresRegulation 97 – Emergency and evacuation procedures
3Regulation 170 – Policies and procedures to be followed

Regulation 80 – Weekly menu

Regulation 173 – Prescribed information to be displayed		Regulation 77 – Health, hygiene and safe food practicesRegulation 75 – Information about educational program to be kept availableRegulation 77 – Health, hygiene and safe food practices
4Regulation 74 – Documenting of child assessments or evaluations for delivery of educational program
 
Regulation 75 – Information about educational program to be kept available
 
Regulation 86 – Notification to parents of incident, injury, trauma, and illness
 
Regulation 87 – Incident, injury, trauma, and illness record
 
Regulation 92 – Medication record
 
Regulation 123 – Educator to child ratios – centre-based services		Regulation 97 – Emergency and evacuation proceduresRegulation 84 – Awareness of child protection lawRegulation 87 – Incident, injury, trauma and illness record
5N/ARegulation 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.

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 30 June 2026Quarter Ending 31 March 2026Quarter Ending 31 December 2025Quarter Ending 30 September 2025
Compliance Notice0000
Prohibition Notice1201
Emergency Action Notice0200
Approval Amended1100
Acceptance by the Regulatory Authority of enforceable undertaking0100

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
30 June 202621
31 March 202615
31 December 202512
30 September 202513

Published Quality Ratings by Rating

Number of Services as of 30 June 2026Percentage of Services as of 30 June 2026
Significant Improvement Required10.0
Working Towards the NQS3614.6
Meeting the NQS14659.3
Exceeding the NQS4719.1
Total23093.0

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 30 June 2026Number of not met ratings for NQS element as of 30 June 2026
UnitElementNumber
11.3.1 Assessment and Planning Cycle21
27.2.2 Educational leadership19
31.3.2 Critical reflection

7.1.2 Management Systems

2.2.1 Supervision		17


17


17

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 30 June 2026Number of NQS Standards with the highest number of Exceeding ratings as of 30 June 2026
UnitStandardNumber
16.2 Collaborative partnerships70
26.1 Supportive relationships with families67
31.1 Program54

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