The National Regulations set a handful of fixed cycles: an emergency evacuation rehearsal every 3 months (r 97(3)); every 12 months, a review of the QIP (r 56), the emergency risk assessment (r 97(2A)), the sleep and rest risk assessment (r 84C), and the regular outing and transport risk assessments; the annual service fee by 1 July (r 33); a CPR refresher every year and other first aid, anaphylaxis and asthma training every 3 years (r 136(4A)); and child safety training every 2 years (r 128D, 128E). Some duties are triggered by events instead: notifications within 24 hours or 7 days (r 176), 14 days’ notice to families of policy or fee changes (r 172), and incident records within 24 hours (r 87). Policy reviews have no set interval, but officers expect a dated cycle.
Every recurring childcare compliance task with a fixed interval in the National Regulations, sorted by how often it falls due, plus the event-triggered deadlines and the items with no set interval.
| Task | Regulation |
|---|---|
| QIP reviewed and revised (and whenever the regulator directs) | r 56(1). See QIP guide |
| Emergency and evacuation risk assessment reviewed (centre-based), and the procedures updated | r 97(2A), (2B) |
| Sleep and rest risk assessment (also after any relevant change) | r 84C. See sleep and rest |
| Risk assessment for each regular outing (valid 12 months) | r 100, r 101. See excursion policy |
| Risk assessment for regular transport (valid 12 months) | r 102B, 102C. See transporting children |
| Safe arrival of children risk assessment, where the service transports or arranges transport | r 102AAC |
| Family day care residence and venue assessments | r 116. See family day care regulations |
| Annual service fee paid on or before 1 July | r 33. See NQF fees |
| CPR component of first aid qualifications refreshed | r 136(4A)(a)(i) |
| Event | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Serious incident; complaint alleging a serious incident or a breach of the Law; incident forcing closure | Regulator within 24 hours | r 176(2) |
| Other prescribed changes (for example operating hours, provider contact details) | Regulator within 7 days | r 175, 176 |
| Incident, injury, trauma or illness | Record completed and parent told within 24 hours | r 87, r 86 |
| Change to fees or a significant policy change | Families told at least 14 days before | r 172 |
| New staff member or volunteer | Child protection and foundation child safety training within 14 days, or before working directly with children if earlier | r 128B, 128D |
See NQA ITS notifications for every notification type.
The Regulations set no review interval for the regulation 168 policies and procedures. Officers still look for evidence that they are current, reviewed, and followed (r 170). A dated annual cycle is the usual approach; see the policy review schedule. To track every item above, with reminder emails, use the compliance calendar.
Emergency and evacuation procedures must be rehearsed every 3 months and each rehearsal documented (regulation 97(3)).
At least annually, and whenever the regulatory authority directs (regulation 56).
The National Regulations set no fixed interval, but policies must be current and followed (regulations 168 to 170). Most services review on a dated annual cycle, and families must get 14 days' notice of significant changes (regulation 172).
The CPR component of an approved first aid qualification is current for 12 months. Other first aid components, and anaphylaxis and asthma training, are current for 3 years (regulation 136(4A)).
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.