licensing school-based preschools or children's services
why is DoCS licensing school-based preschools or children’s services?
The aim of regulating school-based children’s services is to ensure that all families are provided a consistent quality of early childhood education and care, regardless of who operates the service. DoCS already licenses over 3300 other children’s services in NSW under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (the Act) and the Children’s Services Regulation 2004 (the Regulation).
when will licensing begin?
Section 213 of the Act extends licensing of children’s services to include school-based children’s services (primarily preschools). Licensing will begin on 1 July 2008 and will be implemented in stages, by geographical region.
The first stage will commence in the Metro West and Metro South West DoCS regions before introduction to other regions, as per the following timetable:
1 July 2008
Metro West Region: including Auburn, Blacktown, Hawkesbury, Katoomba, Mt Druitt, Parramatta, Penrith, St Marys.
Metro South West Region: including Bankstown, Bowral, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Ingleburn, Liverpool
From 1 July 2008, all school-based preschools or children’s services operating within these two regions must be licensed.
1 July 2009
Sydney Metro Central: including central Sydney, Burwood, Lakemba, Epping, Chatswood, Eastern Sydney, St George, Sutherland.
Hunter and Central Coast: including Cardiff, Cessnock, Charlestown, Gosford, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Raymond Terrace, Wyong.
Southern Region: including Bateman’s Bay, Bega, Cooma, Corrimal, Goulburn, Nowra, Queanbeyan, Shellharbour, Ulladulla, Wollongong, Yass.
1 July 2010
Northern Region: including Armidale, Ballina, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Glen Innes, Inverell, Kempsey, Lismore, Moree, Narrabri, Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Taree, Tweed Heads.
Western Region: including Albury, Bathurst, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Cobar, Condobolin, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Cootamundra, Cowra, Dareton, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Griffith, Leeton, Lithgow, Mudgee, Orange, Parkes, Nyngan, Walgett, Wilcannia, Tumut, Wagga Wagga.
If you are unsure which DoCS region your service is in please contact Central Licensing on 02 9716 2100.
applying for a licence
Licence application forms for school-based preschools or children’s services and the licensing application guide can be found on the application forms page
Licence applications should be submitted to DoCS by 31 March 2008 to allow sufficient time for the application to be assessed and the licence granted by 1 July 2008. Applications submitted after 31 March 2008 cannot be guaranteed a licence by 1 July 2008.
lodging a licence application
Completed licence application forms should be lodged by mail at:
Central Licensing
Children’s Services Directorate
NSW Department of Community Services
Locked Bag 4028
ASHFIELD NSW 2131
For more information contact Central Licensing on 02 9716 2100.
