Policies

In Australia, all early childhood education and care services must have a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP). It’s a crucial document that acts as a roadmap to continuous improvement, ensuring that services delivers the highest quality education and care for young children.

The QIP isn’t just a box to tick; it’s a collaborative effort between educators, management, and families. It demonstrates the service’s commitment to excellence and provides transparency to parents about how we strive to constantly improve.

• Services:

  • Self-assess performance against national standards.

  • Identify areas for improvement and priorities goals.

  • Demonstrate ongoing commitment to quality for regulatory authorities.

• Educators:

  • Stay focused on best practices in early childhood education.

  • Contribute to shaping the service’s future direction.

  • Have a clear framework for achieving quality outcomes for children.

• Parents:

  • Gain insight into the service’s philosophy and approach to education.

  • See a concrete plan for ongoing improvement.

  • Feel empowered to participate in the improvement process.

The QIP is a dynamic document, reviewed and updated regularly (at least annually). The core components include:

Service Philosophy: This foundation statement captures the core values and approach to early childhood education. It outlines how the service view children, learning, and play.

Self-Assessment: This involves honestly evaluating the service against the National Quality Standard (NQS). The NQS sets the national benchmark for high-quality early childhood education and care in Australia. You’ll assess your performance across all seven quality areas of the NQS:

1.      Educational Program and Practice

2.    Children’s Health and Safety

3.    Physical Environment

4.    Staffing Arrangements

5.    Relationships with Children

6.    Relationships with Parents and Carers

7.    Governance and Leadership

Improvement Goals: Based on the self-assessment, the service will identify areas needing improvement and set clear, achievable goals. These goals should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) to ensure progress can be tracked.

Action Plan: This section outlines the specific steps the service will take to achieve its improvement goals. It should detail who is responsible for each action, the resources needed, and a timeline for completion.