Assessment & Rating Information sheet - ACECQA

1 Assessment & Rating | Information sheet developing . AND reviewing . YOUR QUALITY. IMPROVEMENT. PLAN. Ongoing self- Assessment Under the National Regulations, The QIP template features links to Regulation 31 and 55 stipulate a service resources for each quality area and a against the National Quality QIP is required to be developed within place for you to: Standard (NQS) drives three months of the service's approval, record Information about and tell continuous improvement in kept on site for inspection and the unique story of your service include an Assessment of the service's document your service's strengths practice, and therefore leads quality against the NQS and National reflect on practices within your to better quality outcomes Regulations. It also needs to identify service that have been identified for children. areas for improvement, and contain align with the three Exceeding NQS. the service's philosophy.

2 Regulation themes 56 requires that the QIP be updated document and plan for at least annually or as directed by the developing and reviewing regulatory authority. improvements in practice. your service's Quality The ACECQA QIP template and It is expected that the development or Improvement Plan (QIP) is revision of your QIP would be informed Self- Assessment Tool provide one approach to documenting your quality an important part of this by an open, honest and reflective self- improvement journey. It is important process, and also has related Assessment process. to remember these are not mandated legislative requirements. ACECQA 'S QIP TEMPLATE AND and educators and service leaders SELF- Assessment TOOL are encouraged to choose a process and format that suits the service's The ACECQA Quality Improvement unique context, community, and self- Plan (QIP) template and Self- Assessment and planning approaches. Assessment Tool are free and useful resources that can help you document TIPS FOR WRITING AND reviewing .

3 Your self- Assessment process and YOUR QIP. outcomes, strengths and plan future Identify the key priorities for your improvements. You can use them to service and ensure your strategies assess the quality of your service's and goals are achievable. performance in delivering quality education and care against the NQS. and National Regulations. September 2020 Assessment & Rating | developing and reviewing your Quality Improvement Plan YOUR QIP SHOULD DEMONSTRATE YOUR ONGOING COMMITMENT. TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND HOW YOU WILL CONTINUE TO. EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE QUALITY. While it is important to self-assess and reflect on current EXCEEDING NQS. practice, policies and procedures against the seven quality areas, there is no expectation that all 15 standards and 40 As you complete your self- Assessment and review, you may elements must be addressed in the QIP at the same time. identify practice that is exceeding the expectations of the NQS.

4 The Exceeding NQS sections provided within the ACECQA QIP. Your QIP should demonstrate your ongoing commitment template and Self- Assessment Tool should be completed to to continuous improvement and how you will continue identify evidence of one or more of the Exceeding NQS themes to explore opportunities to improve quality this is impacting on practice at the service. especially important for services previously rated Meeting or Exceeding NQS. When your QIP is submitted to the regulatory authority for If your service is doing particularly well in one quality area Assessment and Rating , an authorised officer will consider how you may choose to include statements about how this the evidence you have documented impacts on the practices will be maintained and concentrate on other areas for at the service, to determine if the Exceeding NQS themes are improvement. evident for that standard. Add the QIP as a standing agenda item for staff and parent meetings; this will allow the review to occur regularly, share For further Information on the three Exceeding themes, improvement tasks, review quality areas and assess current including case studies that offer high quality practical and practice.

5 It also provides an opportunity to update the illustrative examples of Exceeding NQS practice for each service team and families on the progress of improvements. standard, see the ACECQA 's Exceeding the NQS webpage. Sharing tasks, including implementing improvement WHO REQUIRES ACCESS TO YOUR QIP? plans, reviewing quality areas and assessing current practice, associated with the QIP and discussing them as Your state or territory regulatory authority will request a service group has the potential to empower your service your QIP as part of your service's Assessment and Rating community members to contribute to the QIP. process or at any other time. This is a great opportunity The Guide to the National Quality Framework is a great to demonstrate your commitment to continuous starting point for you to review your service operations and improvement, and to showcase service strengths and the reflective questions are useful to prompt discussion achievements prior to the Assessment and Rating visit with children, educators, leaders, staff, families and occurring.

6 Stakeholders. The QIP is required to be made available to families of enrolled children, and families who are thinking of enrolling INCLUDE THE SERVICE COMMUNITY AND CHILDREN in your service. Your service community including the children, families, educators, staff members, approved provider, service REFERENCES AND RESOURCES. leaders and community members can play an important Visit the ACECQA website at to download: role in the service's self- Assessment and QIP review. Quality Improvement Plan template It is particularly important to include the voices of the Self- Assessment Tool children in the review process. Examples of how this may occur can be found in the ACECQA Newsletter and Guide to the National Quality Framework We Hear You blog. Find other useful resources: Consider how they may all be given a meaningful Quality Improvement Plan opportunity to collaborate with the review process. How National Law and Regulations might you capture this Information and how can you share Approved learning frameworks it with others, including the regulatory authority?

7 For more Information on how your state or territory regulatory authority regulates education and care services including how they may use your QIP, contact them via the details on the ACECQA website. September 2020 Assessment & Rating | developing and reviewing your Quality Improvement Pla