Families can check a childcare service in five places: the rating displayed at the service (r 173); StartingBlocks.gov.au, which since 1 September 2025 shows the date the regulator last visited and 6 types of enforcement action from the past 2 years; ACECQA’s national registers, which show ratings and any conditions on approvals; your state regulator’s register of published enforcement actions; and the Australian Government’s Child Care Subsidy enforcement register. You can also ask the service for its compliance record, which it must keep under regulation 167.
Where to look before enrolling, what each source shows, what it cannot tell you, and the questions to ask the service.
| Source | What it shows |
|---|---|
| At the service | The provider and service approvals and any conditions, the nominated supervisor, the current rating for each quality area and overall, and any waivers (regulation 173) |
| StartingBlocks.gov.au | Ratings, fees and vacancies; since 1 September 2025, the date the regulator last visited the service and 6 types of enforcement action taken by state and territory regulators over the past 2 years, with links to the CCS enforcement register |
| ACECQA national registers | Approved services and providers, current ratings, and conditions on provider or service approvals |
| State regulator registers | Published enforcement actions under the National Law, such as compliance notices, prosecutions, enforceable undertakings and suspensions or cancellations. In NSW, for example, the register of enforcement actions keeps information for 5 years. |
| CCS enforcement action register | Australian Government action under Family Assistance Law, such as conditions, suspensions or cancellations of Child Care Subsidy approval |
Services are rated against the 7 quality areas of the National Quality Standard: Significant Improvement Required, Working Towards NQS, Meeting NQS, Exceeding NQS or Excellent. Check the date of the last assessment and the rating for each quality area, especially Quality Area 2 (health and safety). See NQS ratings explained and the 7 quality areas.
Under regulation 167, every service must keep a record of its compliance, including details of any amendment or (non-voluntary) suspension of the service approval by the regulator and any compliance direction or compliance notice, with the reason, the steps required and the dates. Actions still open to review, or overturned on review, are left out. NSW’s regulator suggests families who want a full picture ask the service directly for this record.
On StartingBlocks.gov.au or ACECQA's national registers, both of which show each approved service's rating; the rating must also be displayed at the service.
Yes. StartingBlocks shows 6 types of enforcement action by state and territory regulators over the past 2 years, and regulators publish registers of enforcement actions such as compliance notices, prosecutions and enforceable undertakings.
Yes. Regulation 167 requires every service to keep a record of its compliance, including compliance notices, directions and regulator amendments or suspensions of its approval. NSW's regulator suggests families ask the service for it.
Under regulation 173, the provider and service approval details and any conditions, the nominated supervisor's name, the current rating for each quality area and overall, and details of any waivers.
WIDEN Law answers National Quality Framework questions with inline citations to the National Law, the Regulations and the NQS, so you can check the source provision yourself.
14-day free trial, no card →This page is a research summary, not legal or compliance advice. It is written in our own words from the sources linked on the page; confirm the position with your regulatory authority before relying on it for a compliance decision.