The Cook Government has made a significant move to align Western Australia’s Education and Care legislation with the rest of the country by passing the Education and Care Services National Law Bill 2024 through the Legislative Assembly, with the Bill now progressing to the Legislative Council.
This legislation is set to strengthen accountability for service providers and ensure the continued delivery of high-quality education and care services for children. The Bill builds on the National Quality Framework (NQF) established in 2012, which was agreed upon by all Australian States and Territories to enhance the standards of education and care across long day care, family day care, kindergarten, and outside school hours care services.
The new Bill will facilitate more timely updates to the NQF, ensuring that Western Australia’s early childhood and care legislation remains consistent with other Australian jurisdictions.
In Australia, over 1.4 million children benefit from early childhood education and care services, with 126,000 of those children attending an approved service in Western Australia.
The Cook Government remains committed to collaborating with the Commonwealth and other States and Territories to provide children with the best possible start in life.
Early Childhood Education Minister Sabine Winton stated:
“The Cook Government is continually working to improve our early childhood education and care regulatory framework. As the Minister for Early Childhood Education, nothing is more important to me than the safety of children, and I know this is also the top priority for the early childhood education sector.
“Western Australia has upheld the Early Childhood Education National Quality Framework through previous legislation, but this Bill will allow the State Government to align its legislation with that of the host jurisdiction, Victoria.
“Our Bill has been carefully drafted to accommodate modifications that reflect the unique nature of Western Australia’s Early Childhood Education and Care sector. This marks a significant milestone in our ongoing journey to establish nationally consistent standards for early childhood education and care.
“I want to extend my thanks to everyone who has contributed to helping the Cook Government reach this milestone.”
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