Role of the Regulatory Authority
Information about the functions and powers of the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA), Victoria’s independent early childhood and care regulator.
Early Childhood legislative changes
Find out more about the national and Victorian legislative changes to strengthen the safety, quality and accountability of early childhood services.
On this page
- VECRA’s regulatory role
- Child Safe Standards regulator
- Ministerial Statement of Expectations
- Regulatory schemes
VECRA’s regulatory role
The Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA) is Victoria’s independent early childhood education and care regulator.
Our job is to ensure that Victoria’s early childhood services are providing safe, high-quality education and care that children need to prosper.
Keeping our children safe
The safety, wellbeing and rights of children are paramount in everything VECRA does. This principle guides all regulatory decisions, actions and priorities and reflects our core responsibility to act in the best interests of children at all times.
VECRA strives every day to ensure that our early childhood services are meeting their obligations to keep children safe and raise the standards of wellbeing and care in every service.
We support early childhood services to do this through regular monitoring, inspections and education sessions on how to comply with national and state laws. We won’t hesitate to use our regulatory and enforcement powers to take action against those that put the safety of children at risk.
Victorians can have confidence in a strongly regulated early childhood sector that delivers safe, high-quality services. We will rigorously hold providers to account for the trust that families place in them every day.
Delivering high quality education
The first 5 years of a child’s life are critical for their future outcomes. A great early childhood service sets children up for life.
Victorian families deserve to know whether their local services are delivering the educational, developmental and wellbeing outcomes their children need.
VECRA works to ensure that Victoria’s early childhood services are delivering the highest-quality services, so Victorian children develop and prosper. We assess services against tough national guidelines, so families have the information they need to make the best choice for their child.
Child Safe Standards regulator
VECRA is also the integrated sector regulator of the Child Safe Standards (CSS) for all early childhood services in Victoria.
Read about:
- How we regulate the Child Safe Standards
- Information and guidance about implementing the Child Safe Standards.
Ministerial Statement of Expectations
The Ministerial Statement of Expectations sets out the expectations of VECRA as the regulator of early childhood services to support children attending education and care and children’s services by:
- promoting their safety, health and well-being
- improving their educational and developmental outcomes.
Regulatory schemes
VECRA regulates Victorian early childhood services under the following regulatory schemes:
- the National Quality Framework
- the Education and Care Services National Law (National Law)
- the Education and Care Services National Regulations (National Regulations)
- the National Quality Standard
- the Victorian Children’s Services regulatory scheme:
- regulation of the Child Safe Standards (CSS) for all early childhood services in Victoria under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005.
Updated 26 March 2026
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