In early childhood education, two terms often surface in compliance conversations: active supervision and in ratio. While both are essential to child safety and regulatory integrity, they serve distinct purposes—and conflating them can lead to serious oversights in practice. Let’s unpack each concept, then explore how they play out in real-world settings.

A: Legally, yes—an educator is considered “in ratio” as long as they are physically present and supervising the required number of children according to the age-based ratios set by the National Quality Framework (NQF). But practically? That’s where the system starts to unravel.

Early childhood educators and advocates have welcomed a sweeping $189 million reform package unveiled by federal, state, and territory education ministers, which includes a long-awaited review of staffing ratios and regulatory loopholes. Among the most significant developments is the decision to examine the controversial “under the roof” ratio—a practice that has long drawn criticism for compromising child safety and supervision.

Across the early childhood education and care sector, educators are sounding the alarm: current staffing ratios are insufficient to deliver safe, meaningful, and developmentally appropriate care. While recent reforms have focused on mobile phone bans and child safety protocols, many in the sector argue that these measures overlook a deeper structural issue—chronic understaffing driven by profit-based ratio models.

Dear Supporters,

Thank you for continuing to stand with us in the call to close the “Under the Roof” loophole in early childhood staffing ratios. Your voices have helped bring national attention to a regulatory gap that affects child safety, educator wellbeing, and sector integrity.

In early childhood education, minimum ratios is one of the most insidious drivers of burnout across the sector. When minimum standards become maximum limits, educators are expected to absorb overwhelming cognitive and emotional loads while maintaining composure, care, and compliance. The result? Chronic stress, professional dissonance, and rising attrition. Ratios don’t just affect supervision—they shape every moment of decision-making, relational engagement, and safeguarding. The following article provides research on the effect of ratios on educators. 

Here’s a curated set of critical reflection questions designed to provoke deep thinking around educator-to-child ratios in early childhood settings.

In early childhood education and care, ratios are more than a technicality—they are a frontline safeguard. Every child deserves responsive supervision, emotional connection, and developmental support. Yet in Australia, the current staff-to-child ratio standards may meet regulatory requirements, but they fall short of protecting what matters most: children's safety and well-being.

This template can be used for a targeted supervision strategy.

Across Australia, regulated staffing ratios aim to safeguard children in early learning settings. However, a growing number of incidents reveal that meeting these minimum requirements on paper doesn’t always translate into active, vigilant supervision. Below are several case studies that illustrate how gaps can emerge—even when legal ratios are nominally met.