May 16th, 2026
Latest News
On behalf of members, ACA NSW has never hid its concerns about the National Qualiity Framework even before its implementation since 1 January 2012. And while we are not seeking its wholesale abolition, ACA NSW has consistently been advancing construction solutions to improve early childhood education and care and children's outcomes.
This especially in New South Wales where the NSW Government's Productivity Commission reported in 2022 that "... the cost of NSW maintaining requirements above the national standards equate to around $3,000 a year for each child attending ECEC."
Worse, despite 93.2% of NSW-based early childhood education and care services (as of 2026Q1) are rated as Meeting the National Quality Standards or higher, the governments' Australian Early Development Census from 2012 to 2024 suggests that there are more NSW children not developmentally on track upon starting school.
Regrettably, the catastrophic failures for a number of children especially since 2023 are not only to be expected, but governments' reforms since must be thoughtfully developed and implemented or risk future failures or worse.
After all, when the NSW Government's own independent review exposed that 66.6% of sampled Exceeding rated services were also regarded by the same NSW Regulatory Authority as High Risk or Very High Risk, then the entire system warrants critical reflection.
Hence in the above context, ACA NSW sought greater visibility of the longitudinal progress of the NSW Department of Education and the (new) NSW Early Learning Commission, especially in terms of children's outcomes. ACA NSW drafted suggested indicators of how such progress and children's outcomes could be monitored were shared with the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Early Learning Commission for their consideration.
It was therefore disappointing to receive the responses from the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Early Learning Commission, effectively declining to share meaningful information that can help guide our sector positively.
On 15 May 2026, ACA NSW has advised both the NSW Department of Education and the NSW Early Learning Commission that it will seek the information via freedom of information. And when received, ACA NSW will share it with our members for use to develop future improvements, solutions and advocacies
For any further information/clarification, members can contact the ACA NSW team via 1300 556 330 or nsw@childcarealliance.org.au.
PUBLISHED: 16 MAY 2026
