Quality Area 6, Collaborative partnerships with families and communities, has 2 standards (6.1 Supportive relationships with families, 6.2 Collaborative partnerships) and 6 elements. The NQS describes it this way: “Collaborative relationships with families are fundamental to achieve quality outcomes for children. Community partnerships that focus on active communication, consultation and collaboration also contribute to children’s learning and wellbeing.” Services are rated Working Towards, Meeting or Exceeding NQS against each standard, and the standard ratings determine the quality area rating.
Quality Area 6 asks whether families are genuine partners in the service and in decisions about their child, and whether the service is connected to its community in ways that support children’s inclusion and transitions. The most common finding is that communication runs one way, from the service to families, through an app.
Wording reproduced from Schedule 1 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations, reprint current as at 12 August 2026.
| Number | Concept | Standard / element |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 6.1 | Supportive relationships with families | Respectful relationships with families are developed and maintained and families are supported in their parenting role. |
| 6.1.1 | Engagement with the service | Families are supported from enrolment to be involved in the service and contribute to service decisions. |
| 6.1.2 | Parent views are respected | The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing. |
| 6.1.3 | Families are supported | Current information is available to families about the service and relevant community services and resources to support parenting and family wellbeing. |
| Standard 6.2 | Collaborative partnerships | Collaborative partnerships enhance children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing. |
| 6.2.1 | Transitions | Continuity of learning and transitions for each child are supported by sharing information and clarifying responsibilities. |
| 6.2.2 | Access and participation | Effective partnerships support children’s access, inclusion and participation in the program. |
| 6.2.3 | Community engagement | The service builds relationships and engages with its community. |
Exceeding is judged standard by standard against the three themes. For this quality area the Guide to the NQF and the assessor evidence typically point to:
Each element is assessed as Met or Not Met. A standard is rated Meeting NQS only when every element under it is met; one unmet element makes the standard Working Towards NQS. A standard can be rated Exceeding NQS when the service shows all three Exceeding themes for that standard: practice is embedded in service operations, practice is informed by critical reflection, and practice is shaped by meaningful engagement with families and/or the community. Standard ratings roll up to the quality area, and the quality area ratings roll up to the overall rating: one Working Towards quality area caps the overall rating at Working Towards. An overall Exceeding NQS rating needs at least four quality areas rated Exceeding, including at least two of Quality Areas 1, 5, 6 and 7. The rating levels themselves are prescribed by regulation 57.
Standard 6.1 Supportive relationships with families: 6.1.1 Engagement with the service, 6.1.2 Parent views are respected, 6.1.3 Families are supported. Standard 6.2 Collaborative partnerships: 6.2.1 Transitions, 6.2.2 Access and participation, 6.2.3 Community engagement. Six elements.
Only in the circumstances in regulation 157(4): where permitting entry would pose a risk to the safety of children and staff or conflict with a duty under the Law, or where the provider reasonably believes entry would contravene a court order. Otherwise a parent may enter at any time their child is in care.
An app is a communication channel. Element 6.1.1 and 6.1.2 are about families contributing to decisions and sharing in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing. Assessors look for evidence of two-way exchange and of family input changing something.
Element 6.2.1 Transitions, which requires continuity of learning and transitions to be supported by sharing information and clarifying responsibilities. It also covers transitions between rooms and from other services.
To be rated Exceeding NQS overall a service needs at least four quality areas Exceeding, including at least two of Quality Areas 1, 5, 6 and 7. Quality Area 6 is one of the four that the rating system treats as central to quality.
Type the element number or the situation in your room. WIDEN Law answers with the regulation, the NQS element and the Guide to the NQF passage it relied on, so you can check the source.
14-day free trial, no card →This page is a research summary, not legal or compliance advice. Element and regulation wording is reproduced from the current reprint of the National Regulations; confirm the position with your regulatory authority before relying on it for a compliance decision.