Optimising professionalism and quality in long day care: early childhood professionals' perceptions of the impact of the regulatory environment

Australian long day care services operate under a myriad of regulatory requirements (see page 8 for an overview of requirements of NSW long day care services). State- and territory-based child care regulations, the National Child Care Accreditation Council's Quality Improvement and Accreditation System (QIAS) and other external requirements are premised on the need for public accountability for the quality of the care provided and the management of perceived risks to children. These regulatory requirements are positive in intent and undoubtedly, in many respects, in their functioning and outcomes. As Power (1994) notes, however, the increased emphasis on regulation and rules, or the shift to an 'audit society', has "brought a complex bundle of gains and losses" (p. 9). While we are not proposing the abolition of child care regulations or the QIAS, we believe it is timely to consider the gains and losses with respect to the impact of the regulatory environment on early childhood professionals' capacities to provide quality care.