Regulatory & sector resources
The authoritative bodies and official sources behind running a childcare service in Australia, curated and explained, so you know who does what and where to go.
There is no shortage of government pages about childcare. The hard part is knowing which body actually makes the decision that affects you, and where to look. This is a curated shortlist, with a plain note on what each source is for and when you would use it.
Official details, dates and figures change, so always confirm the current position on the official site. When you would rather have someone who works across every state and territory translate it into a plan, that is what Talisha does.
National bodies & frameworks
Australian Government Department of Education
The department responsible for the Child Care Subsidy and the Family Assistance Law that underpins it. Your source of truth for national policy, subsidy settings and sector announcements.
ACECQA
The national body that supports consistent application of the National Quality Framework. Useful for national guidance and qualifications, and for finding your state or territory regulatory authority.
Subsidy, payments & families
Services Australia
Administers payments to families, including the Child Care Subsidy and allowable absences. The right place to send families with questions about their own entitlements and balances.
myGov
Where families manage their Centrelink and Child Care Subsidy online, including checking their year-to-date absence count. Handy to reference when answering common family questions.
Quality & assessment
Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)
The research body delivering the Australian Government funded Preschool Outcomes Measure (POM) pilot. Worth following if you run a preschool program in the year before school.
Workforce & training
Child safety & workforce programs (Department of Education)
National child safety foundation training, worker retention payments, workforce subsidies and HELP debt reduction for very remote teachers all sit with the department. Time-sensitive deadlines apply, so check the current position.
State & territory regulators
Find your state or territory regulatory authority
In most cases your state or territory regulatory authority is your first point of contact for approvals, assessment and rating, and compliance. Names and contact points differ by jurisdiction and can change, so ACECQA keeps the current list. Talisha works across every state and territory.
Not sure which rule applies to your service?
Tell us what you are working through. Talisha will point you to the right body and, if it helps, prepare and manage the process for you, across any state or territory.
Ask Talisha a question
Talisha will reply personally, usually within one business day.
Thank you, we'll be in touch shortly.
Your enquiry has been received. Talisha will reply personally, usually within one business day.