Education and Care Services Regulation 2013

This regulation may be cited as the Education and Care Services Regulation 2013.

This regulation commences on 1 January 2014.

The dictionary in schedule 5 defines particular words used in this regulation.

For section 36(8)(a) of the Act, a notice of the suspension or cancellation of a provider approval given to a parent must state the following—

the date on which the decision to suspend or cancel the provider approval takes effect;

the effect of the suspension or cancellation;

the address of the approved provider;

the name of the approved provider.

If the provider approval is suspended, the notice must also state the date on which the suspension ends.

If the approved provider is required to give a notice to a parent under sections 36 and 88 of the Act, the approved provider may give a single notice stating the matters in this section and section 6.

For section 49(2)(c) of the Act, the insurance cover is public liability insurance for an amount of at least $10m.

For section 88(8)(a) of the Act, a notice of the suspension or cancellation of a service approval given to a parent must state the following—

the date on which the decision to suspend or cancel the service approval takes effect;

the effect of the suspension or cancellation;

the address of the QEC service;

the name of the QEC service.

If the service approval is suspended, the notice must also state the date on which the suspension ends.

For section 92(1) of the Act, the following requirements are prescribed for a service waiver—

fencing;

nappy change facilities;

indoor space—general;

indoor space—additional;

outdoor space—general;

outdoor space—additional;

administrative space;

premises designed to facilitate supervision;

supervision of educators under 18 years;

educator to child ratios generally;

educator qualifications.

For section 99(1) of the Act, the following requirements are prescribed for a temporary waiver—

fencing;

nappy change facilities;

indoor space—general;

indoor space—additional;

outdoor space—general;

outdoor space—additional;

administrative space;

premises designed to facilitate supervision;

supervision of educators under 18 years;

educator to child ratios generally;

educator qualifications;

first aid qualifications.

The Queensland approved provider of a QEC approved service must develop an educational program based on the following documents—

‘Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia’, published by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations of the Commonwealth for the Council of Australian Governments in 2009;

‘My Time, Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia’, published by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations of the Commonwealth for the Council of Australian Governments in 2011;

another document detailing matters that the chief executive considers are equivalent to the matters contained in the documents mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b).

An educational program must contribute to the following outcomes for each child—

the child will have a strong sense of identity;

the child will be connected with and contribute to his or her world;

the child will have a strong sense of wellbeing;

the child will be a confident and involved learner;

the child will be an effective communicator.

The Queensland approved provider of a QEC approved service must ensure that the following are documented for the educational program of the QEC service—

for a child, other than a school child—

assessments of the child’s developmental needs, interests, experiences and participation in the educational program; and

assessments of the child’s progress against the outcomes of the educational program; and

for a school child, evaluations of the child’s wellbeing, development and learning.

In preparing the documentation, the approved provider must—

consider—

the period of time that the QEC approved service provides regulated education and care to the child; and

how the educators at the QEC approved service will use the documentation; and

prepare the documentation in a way that is readily understandable by the educators taking into account the experience and qualifications of the educators at the QEC approved service and the parents of the child.

The Queensland approved provider of a QEC approved service must ensure that—

information about the contents and operation of the educational program for the QEC approved service is displayed at the QEC service premises at a place accessible to a parent of a QEC service child; and

a copy of the educational program is available at the QEC approved service premises for inspection on request.