Quality Area 7: Governance and leadership in OSHC

What Quality Area 7 asks educators to consider

Use clear roles, child-safe systems, educational leadership, records and continuous improvement to turn reflection into reliable service practice.

This guide supports team planning and reflection. It does not replace the National Law, National Regulations, current ACECQA guidance, your regulatory authority or service policies. Begin with the official ACECQA Quality Area 7 guidance and the National Quality Standard overview.

Five actions educators can take

• Name the person responsible for each action arising from a meeting and set a realistic review date.
• Test whether educators can locate and explain the current procedure needed for a common scenario.
• Use complaints, incidents, near misses and child or family feedback as inputs to reflection while maintaining confidentiality.
• Support the educational leader with scheduled time to examine observations, program decisions and educator questions.
• Write QIP evidence as an action, result and next step rather than a broad claim that practice is embedded.

Put it into the program this week

Choose one ordinary session rather than creating a special “quality area activity”. Before the session, agree on one focus from the actions above and what educators will look or listen for. During the session, preserve children’s choices and respond to safety, inclusion and routine needs as usual. Afterwards, record the decision made, the observable response and one next step.

Use a short cycle:

1. Notice: record a specific event, question, barrier or strength.
2. Interpret: discuss why it matters for Quality Area 7, the children and the service context.
3. Plan: choose one realistic change, responsible person and review point.
4. Act: implement the change without waiting for a special display or assessment visit.
5. Review: decide whether the change helped, created another barrier or needs more information.

Evidence that may be useful

Look for assigned actions, reviewed procedures, educational-leader records, implemented QIP changes and feedback loops showing what was decided and revisited. Keep evidence proportionate and purposeful. A dated two-sentence reflection connected to an implemented change may be more useful than repeated photographs or a generic claim. Protect children’s and families’ privacy and follow service record-keeping requirements.

My Time, Our Place connection

Quality Area 7 and MTOP V2.0 are related but not interchangeable. Use the MTOP Vision, Principles, Practices and Outcomes to inform pedagogical decisions; use the NQS and current regulatory guidance to understand the quality standard and service responsibilities. An activity or document does not automatically demonstrate compliance or progress toward an outcome.

Read the official My Time, Our Place V2.0 framework and ACECQA approved learning frameworks guidance.

Themes for practical exploration

• Board Game Builders
• Coding Without Screens

These theme days provide contexts for educator observation and responsive planning. They are not “Quality Area 7 activities” and should be adapted to the group.

Downloads to use with the group

• Board Game Builders colouring pack
• Human Robot Commands printable game

Review the printable, materials, supervision, accessibility and cultural context before offering it. Keep participation optional and provide an open-ended alternative.

Critical reflection

• Who owns the next action and by when?
• What evidence changed our decision?
• Can the team explain how current practice connects to the philosophy?

Finish by writing one decision the team will test, who will take responsibility and when it will be reviewed.