Childcare ratios in Australia by age and state

Where the states differ

The ratio for babies under 24 months is the same everywhere. The differences are for toddlers, for 3 to 5 year olds, and for school age children in before and after school care.

• Victoria keeps 1 educator to 4 children until 36 months. Every other state moves to 1 to 5 at 24 months.
• NSW and Western Australia require 1 educator to 10 children from 36 months to preschool age, where Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory allow 1 to 11.
• Tasmania requires 1 to 10 from 36 months to preschool age, or 2 educators for 25 children attending a preschool program.
• The ACT requires 1 educator to 11 school age children. NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory allow 1 to 15.
• Western Australia sets school age staffing by a table in regulation 369. Where no kindergarten children are present, ACECQA summarises it as 1 educator to 10 children for the first 12 children, then 1 to 13, so 11 or 12 children still need 2 educators (note 1 under the table).
• Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory follow 1:4, 1:5, 1:11 and 1:15.

What the age groups mean

Preschool age covers children who have not yet started school. A child is over preschool age once they are enrolled at school and attend the first year of school or a higher grade. The first year of school is called kindergarten in NSW and the ACT, prep in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, reception in South Australia, pre-primary in Western Australia and transition in the Northern Territory. A 5 year old in a long day care preschool room counts at the preschool ratio; the same child in before and after school care after starting school counts at the school age ratio.

How ratios work inside a centre

• Across the service, for now. The National Regulations count ratios across the service, not room by room (ACECQA), so the number of children per educator in one room can differ from the table. Education Ministers agreed in February 2026 to remove that wording: see under the roof ratios below.
• Only educators working directly with children count. An educator must be physically present with the children and directly involved in their education and care. A cook, or a director working in the office, does not count while doing that work.
• Mixed ages. In a room with children of different ages, the youngest age group's ratio does not apply to every child. Each age group's ratio must be met, and an educator can count towards more than one age group.
• Ratios are a minimum. Every child must be adequately supervised at all times, which can need more educators than the ratio, for example on excursions or in a large yard.

Under the roof ratios

An under the roof ratio counts every educator and every child in the building together, instead of room by room. Under the current National Regulations a centre meets its ratios if the service as a whole has enough educators for each age group, even when one room is above the minimum and another is below it.

In February 2026 ACECQA reported on a rapid assessment of child safety practices. It found that most services put children's safety first, but that changes made in 2014 created loopholes a small number of providers had used to cut corners on supervision. Education Ministers accepted all of its recommendations, including removing "across the service" from the law and clearly defining "adequate supervision". ACECQA is advising services on compliant practice while the National Law is changed (Australian Government, 27 February 2026).

Whatever the counting rule, only educators working directly with children count towards a ratio, and every child must be adequately supervised at all times. On a tour, count the adults and children in your child's future room, not just across the centre.

Family day care ratios

A family day care educator can care for up to 7 children at a time, with no more than 4 of them preschool age or under. The educator's own children younger than 13 count towards the 7 when no other adult is there to care for them. The same rule applies in every state and territory.

Educator qualifications

Ratios set how many educators a centre needs. Qualification rules set who those educators must be.

• Diploma and certificate III. In centres caring for children preschool age or under, at least half of the educators counted in the ratios must hold, or be actively working towards, an approved diploma. All the others must hold, or be working towards, at least an approved certificate III (ACECQA).
• Early childhood teachers. A centre with fewer than 25 children must have access to an early childhood teacher for at least 20% of its operating hours. With 25 or more children, a teacher must be employed full time, or be in attendance for 6 hours a day when the centre opens 50 hours or more a week and 60% of the time when it opens fewer hours. With 60 or more children preschool age or under, a second teacher or suitably qualified person is also required, for 3 hours a day at 60 to 80 children and 6 hours a day above 80. NSW has its own teacher rules.
• Family day care. New family day care educators must hold an approved certificate III before they start. Coordinators must hold an approved diploma (ACECQA).
• Before and after school care. There are no national qualification requirements for educators of school age children. The ACT, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and the Northern Territory set their own (ACECQA).

What ratios mean on a tour

The ratio is the legal floor, so a centre at the floor is compliant, not generous. On a tour, count the children and the adults in your child's future room and compare them with the table above.

• Ask how many children and educators are in the room at the busiest times of day, not only at the time of your visit.
• Ask who covers educator breaks, and whether the educators you see are the regular room team or relief staff.
• Ask how many of the room's educators hold a diploma, and how many hours the early childhood teacher spends with the children.
• Ask how long the room's educators have been at the centre. Continuity of educators is part of quality area 4, staffing arrangements.
• Check the centre's quality area 4 rating on its centre page. How NQS ratings work.

If you think a service is not meeting ratios, raise it with the service first. If you are still concerned, contact the regulatory authority in your state or territory.

Frequently asked questions

Ratios: ACECQA, Educator to child ratios, and the Education and Care Services National Regulations, including Western Australia regulation 369. Qualifications: ACECQA qualification requirements for centre-based services, family day care and outside school hours care. Under the roof ratios: Minister for Education and Minister for Early Childhood Education, Safety in early education and care update, joint media release, 27 February 2026, read 31 October 2026. Official sources checked 30 October 2026.