Childcare Compliance Guide
Childcare Compliance Checklist for Australian Providers
A practical guide for long day care, family day care, outside school hours care (OSHC), and kindergarten providers operating under the National Quality Framework.
Why childcare compliance matters
All early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in Australia are regulated under the National Quality Framework (NQF), administered by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and state and territory regulatory authorities. Services are assessed against the National Quality Standard (NQS) and must comply with the Education and Care Services National Regulations.
Non-compliance can result in conditions placed on your approval, suspension of service approval, or cancellation. Regulatory authorities conduct both announced and unannounced visits. The services that struggle most are those that lack documented systems to show they are consistently meeting their obligations — not just on visit days.
Childcare compliance checklist
This checklist covers key obligations across the seven quality areas of the National Quality Standard. Keep records and evidence for each item.
1. Educational program and practice (Quality Area 1)
- Approved learning framework (EYLF or MTOP) implemented and documented in program
- Individual learning records maintained for each child
- Program planning documented and reflective of children's interests and needs
- Critical reflection by educators documented regularly
- Families informed about the educational program
2. Children's health and safety (Quality Area 2)
- Health policies and procedures in place (illness, medication, hygiene, nutrition)
- Allergy and anaphylaxis management plans current for all relevant children
- Medication authorisation forms completed before any medication is administered
- Incident, injury, trauma, and illness records maintained and families notified
- Sun protection policy in place and followed (hats, sunscreen, shade)
- Sleep and rest policies meeting safe sleeping guidelines (SIDS)
- Child safe environment policy in place, reviewed annually
- Risk assessments completed for excursions and all high-risk activities
3. Physical environment (Quality Area 3)
- Indoor and outdoor spaces meet minimum space requirements per child
- Premises and equipment safety checks conducted and recorded
- Hazardous substances stored safely and out of reach of children
- Evacuation procedures displayed and practiced regularly (records kept)
- Environment supports children's learning across all areas of development
4. Staffing arrangements (Quality Area 4)
- Educator-to-child ratios met at all times and documented
- Nominated supervisor and responsible person present during operating hours
- All educators hold required qualifications (Certificate III minimum, Diploma for room leaders)
- Working with Children Checks (WWCCs) current for all staff and volunteers
- Staff qualifications records maintained
- First aid qualifications current for required number of staff on each shift
5. Relationships with children (Quality Area 5)
- Behaviour guidance policy in place — no use of corporal punishment
- Positive relationships between educators and children evident and documented
- Child protection policy and mandatory reporting obligations documented
- Staff trained in child protection and mandatory reporting (records kept)
- Interactions between educators and children respectful and consistent with policy
6. Collaborative partnerships with families and communities (Quality Area 6)
- Families provided with service philosophy, policies, and enrolment information
- Enrolment records complete including authorisations, medical information, and emergency contacts
- Attendance records maintained and up to date
- Regular communication with families about children's progress
- Complaints procedure accessible and communicated to families
7. Governance and leadership (Quality Area 7)
- Service philosophy documented and reviewed with input from educators and families
- All required policies reviewed at least every 3 years (or sooner if regulations change)
- Continuous improvement plan (QIP) maintained and updated
- WHS policy in place and staff inducted
- Approved provider and nominated supervisor obligations understood and documented
The records gap that catches childcare providers off guard
Most childcare providers are doing the right thing — but when a regulatory officer arrives unannounced, they ask for records. Training logs. Risk assessment sign-offs. Policy review dates. Medication authorisations. Incident reports.
If those records aren't immediately accessible and up to date, a service that's doing good work can still receive a "Working Towards NQS" or "Significant Improvement Required" rating. The difference between an "Exceeding" service and a compliant one is often just the quality of the documentation system.
Keep your childcare service audit-ready every day
CompliAI reads your childcare policy documents, extracts every compliance obligation under the NQF, and turns them into assigned tasks with due dates and an automatic audit trail — so nothing gets missed and your records are always ready for an unannounced visit.
Try CompliAI free →Key childcare regulators and resources
- ACECQA: Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority — acecqa.gov.au
- NSW: Early Childhood Education Directorate — service.nsw.gov.au
- VIC: Department of Education — education.vic.gov.au
- QLD: Department of Education — qld.gov.au/education/earlychildhood
- National Regulations: Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011