Regulatory data
This page provides the latest quarterly data from the NSW Early Learning Commission (the Commission), the independent regulator for early childhood education and care (ECEC) in NSW.
NSW Early Learning Commission has moved to a new website
The independent NSW Early Learning Commission is moving to a new website within nsw.gov.au. All online content, resources and guidance developed by the NSW Early Learning Commission will be moved across from the NSW Department of Education to nsw.gov.au throughout 2026.
Slight variations in the figures published each quarter may be experienced as data is captured at a specific point in time and may be updated retrospectively to reflect information related to the reporting period.
Publishing regulatory data provides transparency around the Commission’s work and encourages voluntary compliance and improved service quality by the ECEC sector in NSW.
Unless stated otherwise, the figures provided on these pages relate to NSW ECEC services regulated under the National Quality Framework (NQF).
Quarter 4 (April to June), 2025–26 financial year
The ECEC sector is changing all the time. The figures below provide a snapshot of the number of approved ECEC services and the total approved number of places these services may provide.
As at 30 June 2026:
- There are 6,224 approved ECEC services in NSW.
- The number of ECEC services in NSW has increased by 0.7% since the same quarter last year.
- There are 6,154 services approved under the NQF.
- There are 48 additional NQF-approved services, an increase of 0.8% since the same quarter last year.
- There are 381,745 approved centre-based places for children – an increase of 0.02% since the same quarter last year.
Approved NQF services by type
The table below shows the number of approved NQF services in NSW as at 30 June 2026 (Q4, 2025–26 FY). Figures for earlier quarters are provided for comparison.
| NQF service type | This quarter (Q4, 2025–26 FY) | Previous quarter (Q3, 2025–26 FY) | Same quarter last FY (Q4, 2024–25 FY) | % change on same quarter last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long day care | 3,708 | 3,698 | 3,631 | 2 |
| Outside school hours care | 1,546 | 1,552 | 1,578 | -2 |
| Preschool | 778 | 774 | 769 | 1 |
| Family day care | 122 | 126 | 128 | -5 |
| Total | 6,154 | 6,150 | 6,106 | <1 |
Service monitoring
The Commission regularly conducts visits to assess ECEC services’ quality and compliance with legislative requirements. These visits can be announced or unannounced.
Where non-compliance is identified, the Commission will take enforcement action to ensure the issues are effectively addressed. Their immediate priority is always to remove risk to the safety of children in ECEC.
The Commission conducted 2,787 monitoring visits this quarter.
The table below shows the number of visits conducted by the Commission in Q4, 2025–26 FY. Figures for earlier quarters are provided for comparison.
| Activity | This quarter (Q4, 2025–26 FY) | Previous quarter (Q3, 2025–26 FY) | Same quarter last FY (Q4, 2024–25 FY) | % change on same quarter last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visits | 2,787 | 2,530 | 2,556 | 9 |
Service and provider applications received
The Commission assesses applications from individuals and organisations who wish to provide ECEC in NSW. Robust approval processes ensure providers are capable of educating and caring for children.
The Commission received 159 service and provider approval applications this quarter – a 6% decrease on the same quarter last year.
The table below shows the number of applications received by the Commission in Q4, 2025–26 FY. Figures for earlier quarters are provided for comparison.
| Activity | This quarter (Q4, 2025–26 FY) | Previous quarter (Q3, 2025–26 FY) | Same quarter last FY (Q4, 2024–25 FY) | % change on same quarter last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service and provider approval applications received | 159 | 130 | 170 | -6 |
All applications by type
The table below shows the number of applications received by the Commission in Q4, 2025–26 FY by application type. Figures for earlier quarters are provided for comparison.
| Application type | This quarter (Q4, 2025–26 FY) | Previous quarter (Q3, 2025–26 FY) | Same quarter last FY (Q4, 2024–25 FY) | % change on same quarter last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amend provider approval | 22 | 16 | 23 | -4 |
| Amend service approval | 202 | 97 | 77 | 162 |
| Extension – temporary waiver | 21 | 15 | 38 | -45 |
| Internal review of reviewable decision | 37 | 33 | 13 | 185 |
| Provider approval | 82 | 83 | 109 | -25 |
| Provider Approval by Executor of Estate of Approved Provider | 0 | 0 | 0 | NaN |
| Reassessment and re-rating | 23 | 8 | 7 | 229 |
| Review of ratings by the Commission | 15 | 9 | 10 | 50 |
| Service approval | 77 | 47 | 61 | 26 |
| Service or temporary waiver | 145 | 134 | 155 | -6 |
| Suspension provider approval | 17 | 12 | 16 | 6 |
| Suspension service approval | 31 | 15 | 12 | 158 |
| Transfer of service approval* | 63 | 69 | 55 | 15 |
| Total | 735 | 538 | 576 | 28 |
*Notifications of transfer of service approval are counted as an application type for reporting purposes.