July update from the Chief Executive

As we kickstart a new financial year, we focus on two important elements of our role as regulator – keeping children safe from potential harm and the issue of adequate medical supervision.

We welcome the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority's (ACECQA) new child safe practices for the use of electronic devices when taking, sharing and storing photos or videos of children in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services.

The National Model Code for taking, sharing and storing images or videos of children is voluntary and I encourage all approved providers, services and peak bodies to become familiar with and adopt it. 

We also bring you news of national research underscoring the importance of quality in our ECEC services.  The research shows that children who attend services with an overall rating of ‘Exceeding the National Quality Standard (NQS) or above’ are less likely to be developmentally vulnerable than those in services with lower ratings.

We continue our examination of specific elements within the NQS that South Australian data shows need improvement to lift overall ratings. This month we will spotlight Effective Medical Management to support services in reducing risks associated with managing medical conditions.

Also this month, information on health practices and procedures relating to allergens and ACECQA’s National Decision Tree.