Latest news from the Education Standards Board
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August 2024
Chief Executive Foreword
This month we have been engaging with the sector through the second Regulatory Roundtable meeting and the opportunity to speak at the Family Day Care Educators Association of SA Annual General Meeting. It is a focus for us to meaningfully engage with the sector and we appreciate the opportunity to share our outlook and provide education and guidance.
We held an all-hands workshop in early August to work through our new Strategic Plan for 2024-27. The plan informs our priorities and considers how we can leverage engagement with the sector to support critical outcomes. A key part of this will include communicating with services and providers to share what we are doing and consult on our regulatory approach.
We aim to be the first point of contact for services with questions about quality and regulation. We are improving our customer service offering by moving to an online telephony system from early next month, which will allow us to link callers to the appropriate recipient and decrease call-wait times.
The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) has released their second quarterly snapshot of data relating to the National Quality Framework (NQF). The report outlines how the sector is tracking against the NQF, both nationally and on a state-level. We use this data to guide the resources we deliver and how we support regulated parties (being services and providers).
Also in this bulletin we examine 'Under the Roof' provisions for adequate supervision ratios and share the summary report from our July Regulatory Roundtable meeting.
Kerry Leaver
Chief Executive
Education Standards Board
New ESB Strategic Plan 2024-27
The Education Standards Board (ESB) is committed to a contemporary approach to regulating education and early childhood services, to support the best interest of children and young people, their families and our other stakeholders. Our 2024-27 Strategic Plan was formally approved in late August 2024.
Improving our phone service
We have been working to increase our customer service capability and practice, to ensure that stakeholders' feel their questions are being answered quickly and with a clear and informed response. To support this, we are transitioning to a new telephony platform when you call 1800 882 413.
Regulatory Roundtable Report
The Education Standards Board (ESB) Regulatory Roundtable held its second meeting on 23 July 2024. The Roundtable was established to provide a forum for large providers and representative bodies to engage with the ESB on early childhood education and care regulatory matters.
Use of Under the Roof provisions
Maintaining ratios and supervision of children and use of the 'under the roof' approach within early childhood education and care (ECEC) services has been a recent national focus. The phrase 'under the roof' refers to staff-to-child ratios being calculated across a whole service, not per room, and affords flexibility to educators to be responsive to children and their requirements.
NQF Snapshot - South Australia
Every quarter, the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) releases a snapshot on how the sector is tracking against the National Quality Framework (NQF), including quality ratings awarded to services approved under the framework.
Address
GPO Box 1811
Adelaide SA 5001
Contact
1800 882 413
Email
Opening hours
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