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AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE OVERVIEW OF LONG DAY CARE
5.1 PRESCHOOL DELIVERY MODELS (a)
(a) Sourced from the Evaluation of the National Partnership on Early Childhood Education, Annual Progress Report 2010 (Urbis, 2010) Information was collected from all LDC service providers that have children enrolled aged 3 to 6 (inclusive), however only data from those delivering a preschool program were considered in scope. More information about the collection date and reference period for the Collection can be found in Chapter 2: Collection Overview. LEGISLATION AND LICENSING
The Australian Government and the state and territory governments are involved in the operation, funding and regulation of child care services. Each has a separate and vital role to play. The key responsibilities of the Australian Government through the Department of Education, (formerly Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations) are to:
State and territory governments have prime responsibility for family support, child welfare and the regulation of child care services. These regulatory responsibilities include licensing in all states and territories for centre based LDCs. From 1 January 2012, most LDCs commenced operation under the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care (the ‘Framework’). The new Framework replaced all licensing, accreditation and quality assurance processes for most LDC, family day care, preschool (or kindergarten) and outside of school hours care services, which were previously undertaken by the states and territories and the Australian Government. Under the Framework, approval and regulation of LDCs approved for CCB now occurs through an applied laws system which has been enacted in all jurisdictions, comprising the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 (Cwlth) and the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 (Cwlth). The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority is the independent statutory authority responsible for ensuring that services are meeting the new requirements as set out in the Framework. Further information on the Framework can be found on the Department of Education website: <http://education.gov.au/national-quality-framework-early-childhood-education-and-care>.
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