In January 2026, updates to the NQF & CCS will affect how services manage child safety and CCS: The reforms aim to strengthen child safety, reduce barriers to early learning, and support more consistent quality across services. But they also mean providers need to prepare operationally, administratively, and from a governance standpoint. Below is a
Critical reflection helps educators improve their practice, strengthen programs, and create better outcomes for children. It’s a key part of quality education and an essential element of the National Quality Standard (NQS). Still, many educators find the idea unclear or hard to apply day-to-day. So, what does critical reflection actually involve, and how can it
OWNA, Australia’s leading all-in-one childcare management platform, today announced the acquisition of Juice Technologies, the parent company of Kidsoft, Kangarootime Australia, Smart Central & Infocare (NZ), marking a major milestone in the evolution of early learning technology across Australia and New Zealand. This acquisition brings together some of the most trusted names in childcare technology
Welcoming Juice Technology to the OWNA Family [Sydney, Oct 10, 2025] Today, I’m thrilled to share an exciting milestone in our journey OWNA has officially acquired Juice Technology, the parent company of Kidsoft, Kangarootime Australia, Smart Central, Kindyhub, and Infocare (NZ). Over the past few years, we’ve been in ongoing discussions with the Juice Technology
NQS Quality Area 6: Collaborative partnerships with families and communities (QA6) is one of the 7 Quality Areas under the National Quality Standard Quality Area 6 aims to foster respectful and supportive relationships with families and ensure the service is responsive to the community’s context and priorities. Collaborative partnerships strengthen the capacity and resilience of
In Australia, Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) services are required to deliver an educational program in accordance with one of the approved learning frameworks. For Early Childhood services, this is the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). For OSHC, this is My Time, Our Place (MTOP) – the approved learning framework for school-age children. As OSHC
How OWNA is helping services meet the new child safety requirements Updated: Sep 12 From 1 September 2025, new legislative requirements took effect under the National Quality Framework (NQF), reshaping how early childhood education and care (ECEC) services protect children’s safety, especially in digital environments. These reforms strengthen expectations around child safe policies, digital safety, staff
Want to see this blog article in video format? Check out a webinar we recently ran alongside Firefly HR! Australia’s early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector is undergoing pivotal reform, in the form of child safety changes across both national and regional level. Child safety has been thrust into the national spotlight following a
In a significant move to bolster child safety, South Australia has enacted a ban on personal devices (such as mobile phones) in all childcare centres and preschools across the State. They join Victoria, who announced a similar ban last month. This new policy aims to prevent potential misuse of technology and enhance the protection of
NQS Quality Area 5: Relationships with children (QA5) is one of the 7 Quality Areas under the National Quality Standard. Quality Area 5 aims to promote relationships that are responsive, respectful, and that promote children’s sense of security and belonging. These kinds of relationships give children the freedom to explore the environment, and engage in