The Northern Territory uses the national ratios unchanged: 1:4 from birth to 24 months, 1:5 from over 24 months to under 36 months, 1:11 from 36 months to preschool age and 1:15 over preschool age (regulation 123). Its own rules in Part 7.4 are about school-age care: at least half of the OSHC educators in the ratio must hold or be working towards a listed qualification (regulation 290), and program documentation for school-age children is simplified (regulation 289A). The regulator is Quality Education and Care NT (QECNT).
This page covers what applies in the NT: the ratios, OSHC qualifications, school-age program documentation and the regulator.
The Northern Territory applies the Education and Care Services National Law through the Education and Care Services (National Uniform Legislation) Act 2011 and uses the Education and Care Services National Regulations. Regulation 288 applies Part 7.4 to the NT. The regulatory authority is Quality Education and Care NT (QECNT) in the NT Department of Education and Training. It approves services and providers, assesses and rates services, and investigates serious incidents and complaints.
| Age of children | Ratio in the NT | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Birth to 24 months | 1:4 | r 123(1)(a) |
| Over 24 months and under 36 months | 1:5 | r 123(1)(b) |
| 36 months or over, up to preschool age | 1:11 | r 123(1)(c) |
| Over preschool age | 1:15 | r 123(1)(d) |
Part 7.4 contains no ratio variation and no short-absence provision, so only educators working directly with children count (regulation 122) and ratios are calculated across the whole service. In mixed-age groups each age band’s ratio must be met at all times. The NT ratio calculator applies these figures; see the age groups guide for what “preschool age” means.
For children over preschool age at a centre-based service, regulation 290 sets the qualification requirement for regulation 126(2): at least 50% of the educators needed to meet the ratio must hold, or be actively working towards, one of:
For example, an OSHC session with 45 children needs 3 educators at 1:15, and at least 2 of them must meet regulation 290.
Regulation 289A applies in place of regulation 74(1)(b). For a child over preschool age, the service documents evidence about how the educational program was developed, rather than the evaluations of each child’s wellbeing, development and learning that regulation 74(1)(b) otherwise requires. The program itself still has to be based on an approved learning framework; for school-age care that is usually My Time, Our Place.
The NT transitional rule for centres with 60 or more children (regulation 294) only delayed parts of the national rules until 1 January 2020, so NT long day care services now follow the national early childhood teacher requirements in regulations 130 to 135.
The national ratios: 1:4 from birth to 24 months, 1:5 from over 24 months to under 36 months, 1:11 from 36 months to preschool age, and 1:15 for children over preschool age (regulation 123).
No. Part 7.4 of the National Regulations, which holds the NT-specific rules, has no ratio variation, so regulation 123 applies unchanged.
Under regulation 290, at least 50% of the educators in the ratio for children over preschool age must hold or be working towards a qualification on ACECQA's NT list, a 2-year accredited post-secondary child care course, or a post-secondary sports and recreation or teaching qualification.
Quality Education and Care NT (QECNT), in the NT Department of Education and Training, is the regulatory authority under the National Law.
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.