EXCERPTS:
State and Territory Governments have signed up to Australia's first truly national regulatory system for early childhood education and care services.
The move has been hailed as a significant milestone in boosting quality and transparency in Australian child care centres.
Minister for Child Care, Kate Ellis said the evidence was clear that the quality of the experiences children had in their first five years of life had a profound influence on their future wellbeing.
"The regulations that all States and Territories have signed up to will mean that parents can now have confidence that no matter where they live and no matter what child care centre their child is attending - they will be receiving an appropriate standard of care."
She said the Australian Government had committed an additional $2 million to print and distribute a comprehensive set of supporting materials for child care centres to assist with the harmonisation of regulations.
These materials would be available soon through the new national body, the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority.
Ms Ellis said the National Quality Framework was being implemented by all Australian Governments and would start to take effect from 1 January next year.
The Minister said it would improve educator-to-child ratios so that each child received the individual time and attention he or she needed.
-reprinted from PS News