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Ask a Child Care Adviser

Child care professionals regularly telephone NCAC to ask questions about child care and the Child Care Quality Assurance process. NCAC has compiled the most frequently asked questions from services and NCAC's Child Care Advisers have prepared responses. These questions and answers will be updated monthly to ensure the currency and accuracy of the information provided.

This webpage is not intended to replace telephone support from Child Care Advisers. NCAC encourages services to telephone NCAC on 1300 136 554 and speak with a Child Care Adviser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the Validator consider the ratings and comments in the Self-study Report when validating our service?

No. The Validator does not see or read a service’s Self-study Report. The Validator will observe service practice, view documentation and ask questions to gather information to complete the Validation Report.

The Self-study Report is the service’s perspective and makes up 20% of the final Accreditation Decision. The information provided in the Self-study Report assists Moderators at Step 4: Moderation to determine ratings for each Principle.

Moderators also consider a service’s Self-study Report when writing the Continuing Improvement Guide.

Does the Validator know if my service is Not Accredited?

The Validator is not given any information regarding the service’s Accreditation status prior to coming to your service. The Validator may become aware of this once they are at the service as the Quality Profile Certificate should be on display.

Validators do not make judgements based on the service’s most recent Accreditation Decision but will observe current practice, view documentation and ask questions to gather information which will enable them to validate the indicators in the Validation Report.

Our service is Not Accredited so I do not have a Certificate of Accreditation on display. What do I tell the Validator?

Inform the Validator that you do not have an Accreditation Certificate on display. The Validator will mark the indicator relating to the display of the Accreditation Certificate as ‘not occurring’, however as your service is Not Accredited the indicator (7.1.6) will be made ‘not applicable’ once the Validation Report is received at NCAC.

Our policy handbook includes dates and sources of information at the front of the handbook and not on individual policies. Do we need to have the date and source listed on each policy?

Providing the date on each policy makes it easier to check the currency of the information and provides a timely reminder for further review of a particular policy.

The source noted on a policy is a recommended authority and provides justification as to why the service implements certain practices. The source can also provide a good starting point for anyone who would like to conduct further research into a topic.

Having review dates and the source of information included on all policies provides up to date information on current research and practice.

How can my service best explain to a family about issues relating to a child’s challenging behaviour?

Having a written policy, which reflects current early and middle childhood practices, on the positive guidance of children’s behaviour can provide families with information for children’s challenging behaviours. Informing families of the service’s policy before a child begins care can provide a good starting point to ensure a common understanding between all stakeholders.

Families should be provided with regular opportunities to contribute to the development and review of their child’s behaviour guidance strategies. These plans can assist to promote positive outcomes for children.

It is important that a service’s behaviour guidance policy guides staff practices and reassures families that the service supports children to learn self-regulation and guide their own behaviour.

I have received my Surveys. Does that mean that a Validator won’t come until I return them to NCAC?

When NCAC receives your Self-study Report:

Surveys are posted to you and are due for return to NCAC within a six week timeframe. This timeframe will be clearly stated in the letter accompanying the Surveys
The process of assigning a Validator to your service begins

Assigning a Validator may take up to twelve weeks. However, in some instances the Validator will be assigned in a shorter timeframe. If it takes longer than twelve weeks to assign a Validator, NCAC will write to you regarding the delay.

While the submission of the Surveys and the Validation Visit are both part of Step 3: Validation, they are separate actions. For example, your Validation Visit may occur before the Surveys are due back to NCAC.

Our OSHC service is located in a school. The school has an OHS Policy. Can I use this in my service?

A school’s policies may be a good basis from which to develop service policies. Where necessary, these should be adapted to ensure that they reflect the service’s practice. It is important that any policies and procedures used are relevant to your service and are used to guide daily practice.

Some practices may be unique to your service and these should be clearly stated in policies and procedures. There may also be information included in the school’s policies that are not relevant to your service.

In all cases it is important to remember that policies must be kept on the service’s premises and be accessible to staff, families and children at all time.

Our family day care coordination unit is not open every day. What will the Validator do if they turn up and we are closed?

If the coordination unit is not open, the Validator will go to the first carer on their list. The Validator will also attempt to ring the phone number provided for the coordination unit.

It is important that NCAC has the opening and closing times of your service and any other relevant information that may affect the scheduling of your Validation Visit. This information is taken into consideration to ensure that the Validation Visit takes place at appropriate times.

If your service’s details change, it is important to advise NCAC in writing, or by calling a NCAC Registrations Officer.

For more information on what you can do to prepare for the Validation Visit, refer to the CCQA Support Document for Step 3 - Validation (PDF 62kb - New Window) and the CCQA Support Document for Validation Visits (PDF 53kb - New Window).

What information should I include in the Validation Evaluation Form?

The Validation Evaluation Form provides your service with the opportunity to reflect upon and discuss what was happening on the day of the Visit and to describe how your service believes it demonstrated a particular practice during the Validation Visit.

Writing clear and detailed comments, especially for any Unsatisfactory indicators, will help the Moderator to develop a comprehensive understanding of your service's practice. Some useful tips for writing comments include:

Identify any Satisfactory indicators marked as 'Not Occurring'. This will mean that the indicator is Unsatisfactory. These are the indicators you should be focussing on as a priority
‘Paint a picture’ so that the person reading the comment can visualise what was occurring and what the Validator observed during the Validation Visit
Make sure that you have a clear understanding of the intent of the indicator. You can do this by re-reading the indicator and/or relevant Quality Practices Guide preamble, discussing the indicator with colleagues or contacting a NCAC Child Care Adviser
Accurately describe the practices that were occurring in your service during the Validation Visit
Provide specific examples of practices that show how your service met the indicator(s). For example, provide excerpts from written policies and procedures, refer to specific programs or meeting minutes
Avoid referring to what you are planning to do in the future to improve practice, for example, ‘We have booked maintenance to repair the latch on the door to the nappy change area to prevent children’s access’. Validators and Moderators can only consider the practices that were occurring in the service during the Validation Visit; they cannot account for practices which were not occurring during the Visit

Your service has up to seven working days after the Validation Visit to return the Validation Evaluation Form. If you requested a photocopy of the Validation Report at the time of the Visit, then your service's Validation Evaluation Form will be due within 7 working days from the date on NCAC’s letter included with the photocopy of the Validation Report.

When a Validator asks a question I don’t understand, what should I do?

Ask the Validator to rephrase or clarify the question
Ask the Validator what indicator they are validating
Use the Quality Practices Guide to find the Principle and the indicator to place the Validator’s question into context
Consider how your service may meet the indicator and provide this information and/or documentation to the Validator
Call a NCAC Child Care Adviser on 1300 136 554

I have noticed a Confirmation of Service Details Form stapled to the Self-study Report. How does NCAC use this information?

The Confirmation of Service Details Form provides NCAC with important information about your service’s operations. The Form asks for information about the average daily enrolments and any dates your service will not be operating over the next 12 months (for example, pupil free days, closure periods, state show days). This information assists NCAC when scheduling Validation Visits and Spot Checks and also determines the duration of the Validation Visit.

We used our original Survey, but we need to photocopy two more. What can I do?

NCAC recommends that services keep an original copy of all the Validation Surveys until the completed Surveys have been posted back to NCAC. This ensures that services can make additional copies if necessary.

In the event that you have misplaced a Survey, or need a new copy, please contact NCAC and speak with a Child Care Adviser.

We sent a cheque for a copy of the Validation Report. When will we receive it?

Requests for a copy of the Validation Report will be processed within 24 – 48 hours after the request has been received by NCAC. When a copy of the Validation Report has been requested, and it is close to the date of the Validation Visit occurring, the Validation Evaluation Form is due to be returned within 7 working days of the date of NCAC’s letter included with the photocopy of the Validation Report.

If the request is too far past the date of the Validation Visit, the service will have already progressed to the next Step, Moderation, and it will be too late to submit a Validation Evaluation Form.

Search for Child Care Online Store Child Care Professionals Families and Children Resources Reports and Statistics QA Training and Support Links Validator Login QA Trainer Login	Home » Child Care Professionals » Ask a Child Care Adviser Ask a Child Care Adviser Child care professionals regularly telephone NCAC to ask questions about child care and the Child Care Quality Assurance process. NCAC has compiled the most frequently asked questions from services and NCAC's Child Care Advisers have prepared responses. These questions and answers will be updated monthly to ensure the currency and accuracy of the information provided. This webpage is not intended to replace telephone support from Child Care Advisers. NCAC encourages services to telephone NCAC on 1300 136 554 and speak with a Child Care Adviser. Frequently Asked Questions Will the Validator consider the ratings and comments in the Self-study Report when validating our service? No. The Validator does not see or read a service’s Self-study Report. The Validator will observe service practice, view documentation and ask questions to gather information to complete the Validation Report. The Self-study Report is the service’s perspective and makes up 20% of the final Accreditation Decision. The information provided in the Self-study Report assists Moderators at Step 4: Moderation to determine ratings for each Principle. Moderators also consider a service’s Self-study Report when writing the Continuing Improvement Guide. Does the Validator know if my service is Not Accredited? The Validator is not given any information regarding the service’s Accreditation status prior to coming to your service. The Validator may become aware of this once they are at the service as the Quality Profile Certificate should be on display. Validators do not make judgements based on the service’s most recent Accreditation Decision but will observe current practice, view documentation and ask questions to gather information which will enable them to validate the indicators in the Validation Report. Our service is Not Accredited so I do not have a Certificate of Accreditation on display. What do I tell the Validator? Inform the Validator that you do not have an Accreditation Certificate on display. The Validator will mark the indicator relating to the display of the Accreditation Certificate as ‘not occurring’, however as your service is Not Accredited the indicator (7.1.6) will be made ‘not applicable’ once the Validation Report is received at NCAC. Our policy handbook includes dates and sources of information at the front of the handbook and not on individual policies. Do we need to have the date and source listed on each policy? Providing the date on each policy makes it easier to check the currency of the information and provides a timely reminder for further review of a particular policy. The source noted on a policy is a recommended authority and provides justification as to why the service implements certain practices. The source can also provide a good starting point for anyone who would like to conduct further research into a topic. Having review dates and the source of information included on all policies provides up to date information on current research and practice. How can my service best explain to a family about issues relating to a child’s challenging behaviour? Having a written policy, which reflects current early and middle childhood practices, on the positive guidance of children’s behaviour can provide families with information for children’s challenging behaviours. Informing families of the service’s policy before a child begins care can provide a good starting point to ensure a common understanding between all stakeholders. Families should be provided with regular opportunities to contribute to the development and review of their child’s behaviour guidance strategies. These plans can assist to promote positive outcomes for children. It is important that a service’s behaviour guidance policy guides staff practices and reassures families that the service supports children to learn self-regulation and guide their own behaviour. I have received my Surveys. Does that mean that a Validator won’t come until I return them to NCAC? When NCAC receives your Self-study Report: Surveys are posted to you and are due for return to NCAC within a six week timeframe. This timeframe will be clearly stated in the letter accompanying the Surveys The process of assigning a Validator to your service begins Assigning a Validator may take up to twelve weeks. However, in some instances the Validator will be assigned in a shorter timeframe. If it takes longer than twelve weeks to assign a Validator, NCAC will write to you regarding the delay. While the submission of the Surveys and the Validation Visit are both part of Step 3: Validation, they are separate actions. For example, your Validation Visit may occur before the Surveys are due back to NCAC. Our OSHC service is located in a school. The school has an OHS Policy. Can I use this in my service? A school’s policies may be a good basis from which to develop service policies. Where necessary, these should be adapted to ensure that they reflect the service’s practice. It is important that any policies and procedures used are relevant to your service and are used to guide daily practice. Some practices may be unique to your service and these should be clearly stated in policies and procedures. There may also be information included in the school’s policies that are not relevant to your service. In all cases it is important to remember that policies must be kept on the service’s premises and be accessible to staff, families and children at all time. Our family day care coordination unit is not open every day. What will the Validator do if they turn up and we are closed? If the coordination unit is not open, the Validator will go to the first carer on their list. The Validator will also attempt to ring the phone number provided for the coordination unit. It is important that NCAC has the opening and closing times of your service and any other relevant information that may affect the scheduling of your Validation Visit. This information is taken into consideration to ensure that the Validation Visit takes place at appropriate times. If your service’s details change, it is important to advise NCAC in writing, or by calling a NCAC Registrations Officer. For more information on what you can do to prepare for the Validation Visit, refer to the CCQA Support Document for Step 3 - Validation (PDF 62kb - New Window) and the CCQA Support Document for Validation Visits (PDF 53kb - New Window). What information should I include in the Validation Evaluation Form? The Validation Evaluation Form provides your service with the opportunity to reflect upon and discuss what was happening on the day of the Visit and to describe how your service believes it demonstrated a particular practice during the Validation Visit. Writing clear and detailed comments, especially for any Unsatisfactory indicators, will help the Moderator to develop a comprehensive understanding of your service's practice. Some useful tips for writing comments include: Identify any Satisfactory indicators marked as 'Not Occurring'. This will mean that the indicator is Unsatisfactory. These are the indicators you should be focussing on as a priority ‘Paint a picture’ so that the person reading the comment can visualise what was occurring and what the Validator observed during the Validation Visit Make sure that you have a clear understanding of the intent of the indicator. You can do this by re-reading the indicator and/or relevant Quality Practices Guide preamble, discussing the indicator with colleagues or contacting a NCAC Child Care Adviser Accurately describe the practices that were occurring in your service during the Validation Visit Provide specific examples of practices that show how your service met the indicator(s). For example, provide excerpts from written policies and procedures, refer to specific programs or meeting minutes Avoid referring to what you are planning to do in the future to improve practice, for example, ‘We have booked maintenance to repair the latch on the door to the nappy change area to prevent children’s access’. Validators and Moderators can only consider the practices that were occurring in the service during the Validation Visit; they cannot account for practices which were not occurring during the Visit Your service has up to seven working days after the Validation Visit to return the Validation Evaluation Form. If you requested a photocopy of the Validation Report at the time of the Visit, then your service's Validation Evaluation Form will be due within 7 working days from the date on NCAC’s letter included with the photocopy of the Validation Report. When a Validator asks a question I don’t understand, what should I do? Ask the Validator to rephrase or clarify the question Ask the Validator what indicator they are validating Use the Quality Practices Guide to find the Principle and the indicator to place the Validator’s question into context Consider how your service may meet the indicator and provide this information and/or documentation to the Validator Call a NCAC Child Care Adviser on 1300 136 554 I have noticed a Confirmation of Service Details Form stapled to the Self-study Report. How does NCAC use this information? The Confirmation of Service Details Form provides NCAC with important information about your service’s operations. The Form asks for information about the average daily enrolments and any dates your service will not be operating over the next 12 months (for example, pupil free days, closure periods, state show days). This information assists NCAC when scheduling Validation Visits and Spot Checks and also determines the duration of the Validation Visit. We used our original Survey, but we need to photocopy two more. What can I do? NCAC recommends that services keep an original copy of all the Validation Surveys until the completed Surveys have been posted back to NCAC. This ensures that services can make additional copies if necessary. In the event that you have misplaced a Survey, or need a new copy, please contact NCAC and speak with a Child Care Adviser. We sent a cheque for a copy of the Validation Report. When will we receive it? Requests for a copy of the Validation Report will be processed within 24 – 48 hours after the request has been received by NCAC. When a copy of the Validation Report has been requested, and it is close to the date of the Validation Visit occurring, the Validation Evaluation Form is due to be returned within 7 working days of the date of NCAC’s letter included with the photocopy of the Validation Report. If the request is too far past the date of the Validation Visit, the service will have already progressed to the next Step, Moderation, and it will be too late to submit a Validation Evaluation Form. Ask a Child Care Adviser (Putting Children First Article Extracts) Including children's perspectives in the program (PDF 216kb - New Window) Safety checks in child care services (PDF 151kb - New Window) Building links with your community (PDF 156kb - New Window) Working collaboratively with families to implement quality practices (PDF 168kb - New Window) Managing Change Effectively in Child Care Services (PDF 153kb - New Window) Strategies to Assist Services Preparing For and During Validation Visits (PDF 213kb - New Window) Unannounced Validation Visits (PDF 212kb - New Window) Dental Health (PDF 236kb - New Window) Enrolment and Orientation (PDF 190kb - New Window) Supporting Health and Hygiene Skills (PDF 201kb - New Window) Positive Staff Interactions Benefit Children (PDF 166kb - New Window) Keeping Records of Children's Progress (PDF 155kb - New Window)
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Ask a Child Care Adviser

Frequently Asked Questions

Ask a Child Care Adviser (Putting Children First Article Extracts)

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