Victorian Children's Services
The relevant children's services legislation is:
Amendment of Victorian Children’s Services Legislation – 1 January 2012
On 1 January 2012, amendments to the Children’s Services Act 1996 (Victorian Act) and the Children’s Services Regulations 2009 (Victorian Regulations) commenced.
These amendments exclude preschools (kindergartens), long day care, family day care and outside school hours care services required to operate under the National Quality Framework from 1 January 2012 from the Victorian children’s services legislation.
A number of services will continue to operate under the Victorian children’s services legislation including all limited hours and short term licensed services, a small number of other services that currently hold a standard licence including budget-based services not funded for Child Care Benefit, occasional care, early childhood intervention, mobile services, and a few school holiday care programs.
A list of the services continuing to operate under the Victorian children’s services legislation is available in the register of licensed children’s services in Victoria.
See: Summary of changes to the Victorian Act and Victorian Regulations
Information for Victorian children’s services
- Register of Victorian Children's Services
- Resources for Victorian Children's Services
- Archived resources – Regulations 1998
- Forms for Victorian Children’s Services
- Fees and penalties
- News and events
- Newsletters
- Training and qualifications for Victorian Children's Services
- First aid and anaphylaxis
- Child Protection Protocol: Protecting the safety and wellbeing of children
- Enforcement - Compliance Information
- Child Care Benefit
Summary of Changes to the Victorian Act and Victorian Regulations
- Exclusion of all children’s services that fall within the definition of an “education and care service” in the National Law from the requirements of the Children's Services Act 1996.
- Clarification of the services that are not covered by the Children’s Services Act 1996.
- New requirements for minimum hours of teaching staff in standard services licensed to care for and educate fewer than 25 children.
- Regulation of school holidays care services – services that provide school holiday care for no more than four weeks per calendar year.
- Provision for associated children’s services, where a provider is operating one service under the National Quality Framework and one service operating under the Victorian Act at the same location (further information is available in the fact sheet Moving into the new system: Associated Children’s Services available at: Education and Care Services.
Copies of the Victorian Act and Victorian Regulations may be purchased from the Victorian Government Bookshop:
In person: Level 20, 80 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
By telephone: 1300 366 356
Online: www.bookshop.vic.gov.au
More information for services operating under the National Quality Framework is available at: Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)
Information specific to Victorian services operating under the National Quality Framework is also available.