8. Appendix

The BQSH uses 'early learning facilities' as an umbrella term covering 2 facility sub-categories:

1. kindergartens, which include kindergartens on school sites (KOSS), kindergartens on acquired land (KOAL) and modular kindergartens for placement on or off school sites, and
2. early learning and childcare centres (ELCCs), which are government-owned and operated facilities for education and care services.

Area schedules for early learning facilities are developed on a site by site basis. Child place numbers, rooms and additional facility scope are determined by the Education and Care Services National Law Act and, in the case of kindergartens, are contingent on agreed outcomes with third party partners and other strategic opportunities. The Early Childhood Strategy and Planning Unit prepares area schedules for each site prior to principal design consultant procurement. Indoor and outdoor space allocations in early learning facility design, including those in multi-storey buildings, must comply with the minimum requirements of the National Law Act. For further details, refer to Space Requirements for Early Childhood Services(opens in a new window).

The Department of Education is delivering new early learning facilities to provide additional infrastructure capacity to support the roll-out of Three and Four Year Old Kindergarten and the Best Start, Best Life program across Victoria. High quality learning is supported through the physical and social environments, and opportunities that these early learning facilities provide.

The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF)(opens in a new window) adopts a comprehensive approach to children’s learning and development. The VEYLDF sets out outcomes and practices to guide early learning professionals in their work with all families and their young children from birth. Supporting children to progress toward these outcomes in conjunction with their families is the core of the VEYLDF.

Early learning facility design must be designed to support the VEYLDF’s 9 practice principles.

The Victorian Government has made a commitment to overhaul early learning education and care in Victoria. In 2022, the government announced the Best Start, Best Life early learning education reform. These reforms are the most significant change to the Victorian early learning sector in a generation, and include new major initiatives:

• Free Kinder: all children in Victoria who are 3 and 4 years old can access Free Kinder

• Three-Year-Old Kindergarten: the roll-out of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten continues, with programs increasing to 15 hours a week across the state, providing Victorian children with 2 years of a quality kindergarten program before school

• Pre-Prep: Four-Year-Old Kindergarten in Victoria is in the process of changing to 'Pre-Prep'. This means that every 4-year-old child can go to a play-based learning program for 30 hours per week, and

• Early Learning and Childcare Centres: establishing 50 Victorian government-owned and operated Early Learning and Childcare Centres.

The Department of Education will deliver a number of early learning facilities to provide additional infrastructure capacity to support the roll-out of Three and Four Year Old Kindergarten. Some early learning facilities will be delivered on new and existing government school sites.

The Government is committed to the benefits of integrating early learning into the wider government school system. New co-located early learning facilities can help make drop off time simpler for carers/parents, support smoother transitions between early learning and primary school, and make early learning programs more accessible for some children.

The new infrastructure required to deliver on the government’s Best Start, Best Life(opens in a new window) and Pre-prep reforms(opens in a new window) will also include long day care provision.

The National Quality Framework (NQF) sets out the standards and legal obligations for approved service providers of early learning services across Australia. The Education and Care Services National Law Act and Education and Care Services National Regulations set out the benchmarks for early learning education and care, including around early learning facility design, equipment and spatial organisation to maximise children’s positive engagement, safety and wellbeing, and learning.

Early learning environments must comply with the requirements under the National Law and Regulations(opens in a new window), Premises Requirements for long day care and kindergarten(opens in a new window) and National Quality Standard – Quality Area 3 – Physical Environment(opens in a new window) to achieve and maintain service approval.

The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) is the independent national authority that monitors and promotes the consistent application of the National Law, and assists governments to administer the NQF. Consultants should refer to ACECQA’s Guide to the National Quality Framework(opens in a new window) for assistance interpreting and applying the National Law and Regulations.

Some standard design solutions for AS 1428 may not align with the operational objectives and Early Childhood Education and Care Legislative requirements for early learning facilities. This can create a conflict, and thus, consultants must highlight all AS 1428 conflicts through the departure process and solution rationale. Design solutions must achieve equitable access for all users, consistent with the objectives of the DDA, NQS Quality Area 3 and Child Safe Standards 5 and 9. Additionally, in such cases a DDA/Access consultant engagement is recommended for specialist insight and guidance. For more information, see the section on Hierarchy of requirements and departures (in 1.3.1 The writing style of specifications(opens in a new window)).

Where a new early learning facility is to be co-located on a school site, consideration must be given to the interface between the early learning facility’s children's outdoor play areas with an area of learning or play with primary school, to promote opportunities for connection and learning.

Early learning facilities co-located on school sites must have easy to find and accessible entry that is separate to the school entrance. There should only be one main entry/exit point into the early learning facility, but multiple emergency exits. All entries and exits must satisfy the Child Safe Standards. Where the early learning building will have additional integrated community facilities (such as MCH and or community meeting room) or is integrated under the school roofline/building, alternative requirements for emergency and maintenance points are required.

Noting that, some standard design solutions for AS 1428 may conflict with the operational objectives of the National Regulations. In these cases, consultants must highlight all AS 1428 conflicts through the departure process and solution rationale (see section 1.3), and engagement of a DDA/Access consultant is recommended for specialist insight and guidance.

For early learning facilities in multi-storey and vertical buildings, exit numbers for each storey must comply with NCC D2D4 and D2D16 requirements. Also see ACECQA Emergency and Evacuation policy guidelines(opens in a new window) for guidance on prams, evacuation devices, and non-ambulatory children, and section 3.3.7 Emergency exits(opens in a new window) for further information on emergency exits.

Specific site planning considerations for early learning facilities should include:

• northern orientation for indoor and outdoor play spaces

• facility to be directly accessible from the street

• regular shaped building (and rooms) to support supervision

• direct access from car parking to the early learning facility entry

• where the early learning facility is located on a school site, a strong connection to/interface with school facilities.

Where an early learning facility is to be integrated into the school facilities, consideration should be given to shared use of (school and early learning) administration, meeting and staff breakout spaces, and the creation of gathering areas for parents and carers close to the early learning facility’s entrance. 'Integration' of early learning services within school buildings (under the same roofline) differs from co-location of early learning facilities on school site where typically there is limited shared facilities or amenities under the same roofline, due to separate governance and operational arrangements. In these instances, the design should ensure that the early learning facility, in which NQF requirements always apply, has a clear service approval area to meet early learning education and care regulations distinct from the school community use areas.

Consultants must ensure all emergency egress in early learning facilities is designed in accordance with the National Quality Framework and the National Construction Code. Early learning facility exits must not lead directly onto busy roads.

Where an early learning facility includes a car park and vehicular thoroughfares, consideration must be made to younger children and carers/parents with prams as they are more vulnerable to high risk vehicular movement.

Where site conditions allow, early learning facility car parking should be separate from the school car parking area. It must provide direct access to the early learning facility’s entry. Carparks and access roads near the early learning site must include effective carpark design considerations to ensure the safety of young children and parents, and minimise and control associated safety risks. The early learning Regulatory Authority will examine these safety risks, including unprotected vehicle access, the possibility of vehicles entering outdoor areas adjacent to the carpark, and unsafe car manoeuvres (such as reversing) near entrances. Physical barriers (e.g., bollards), natural elements like plants and garden beds, or appropriate signage and labelled systems can be used to adequately control the aforementioned safety risks.

Where site conditions allow early learning facility car parking for parents/carers accompanying children to sign them in and out of the early learning facility, the car park should be separate from school staff car parking and provide direct access to the early learning facility’s entry.

Vertical school and early learning facility design must satisfy the following criteria: […]

• in the case of vertical schools that include primary schools or early learning facilities, satisfy fire safety and emergency evacuation requirements set out in the NCC and the National Quality Framework

• where an early learning facility is located above ground floor, there must be sufficient outdoor space and access to natural environment on the same floor as education and play spaces

• where early learning facilities are located above ground floor, lift access and operation arrangements must differ for at least one lift i.e. lift capacity should accommodate efficient, mechanical transport of small children and carers/parents in larger groups and not require key passes, additionally

• early learning designated lift/s must have capture gates, and this must not impede the DDA-compliance of surrounding circulation spaces

Specific regulations and spatial requirements apply to outdoor spaces in early learning facilities, including:

• additional safety measures, such as fencing or barriers, must be installed for early learning facility sites close to potential natural water hazards or swimming pools

• a qualified landscape designer must be consulted to design all aspects of the outdoor areas of early learning facilities to ensure regulations can be achieved

• outdoor spaces must be enclosed by AS1926.1-compliant fencing / barriers that are, minimum, 1,800mm high and of a design that children cannot go through, climb over or under, or create entrapments. Fencing should not be climbable in its own right or via items (such as outdoor air conditioning condenser units or yarning circle logs) within 1,000mm that children could use to scale

• storage sheds, trees and play equipment such as cubby house should not be placed within 1,000mm of a perimeter fence line, care must be taken to ensure equipment or landscaping elements do not create footholds onto and over the fence

• grated stormwater pits are fitted with heel safe lids or mesh covering to avoid finger entrapment

• provide suitable maintenance gates.

External fencing must be two metres high and non-scalable around early learning facilities located above ground level.

In early learning and primary school settings landscape planning must consider behavioural risks, such as young children digging and potentially eating plants.

In addition, for early learning facilities project consultants must consider the design principles set out in the Education and Care Services National Regulations, Child Safe Standards, DDA and National Quality Standards(opens in a new window), particularly Quality Areas 2, 3 and 7 which directly impact design.

Critically, all early learning facility design must facilitate supervision of children at all times, while maintaining the rights and dignity of children being educated and cared for by the service.

Early learning facilities are third-party operated and must be zoned separately from schools, with separate security systems. This applies to early learning facilities located in vertical and non-vertical schools.

Safety and security measures in early learning facilities must comply with the Education and Care Services National Regulations, Child Safe Standards, DDA and mandatory parts of AS 1428. Noting that, some standard design solutions for AS 1428 may conflict with the operational objectives of the National Regulations. In these cases, consultants must highlight all AS 1428 conflicts through the departure process and solution rationale (See section 1.3), and engagement of a DDA/Access consultant is recommended for specialist insight and guidance.

Where installed, CCTV should support, but not replace, active supervision. For more detailed CCTV requirements in early learning facilities, see section 5.11.7 CCTV monitoring(opens in a new window) and the relevant Functional Design Guide.

In early learning facilities, special attention must be paid to maintaining supervision sightlines. […]

Education and play spaces in early learning facilities are subject to specific regulatory requirements. Consultants must ensure that designs meet the National Quality Framework (NQF) and the seven National Quality Standards related to the Physical Environment Quality Area 3(opens in a new window), including that indoor education and play spaces allow minimum unencumbered indoor space that does not factor in:

• areas such as passageways, bathrooms and nappy change areas, space set aside for the use of storage, staff or administrative rooms, storage areas or

• any space not suitable for children.

An NCC compliant circulation strategy is required to inform the design of each new school or school building. The circulation strategy must satisfy the following criteria: […]

• where an early learning facility is located above ground floor, at least one lift must accommodate the efficient, mechanical transportation of groups of children and parents/carers without key passes, and

• early learning designated lift/s must have capture gates, and surrounding circulation spaces must be DDA-compliant

Sleep areas must accommodate the required number of cots and sleep mats for planned child occupants, as outlined in the Area Schedules, and in compliance with Child Safe Standards. The designated sleep and rest area must be safe, conducive to sleep, well-ventilated and flexible enough to accommodate a range of ages and sleep needs.

Sleep areas must not have blind spots that prevent staff from supervising the whole sleep area. The design of sleep areas should also balance reduced light for sleeping with adequate light for child supervision.

ELCC sleep areas must also include provision for storage of, vertically stacked, sleep mats that is accessible to older children, noting that dimensions for a standard rest mat are 120x55x5.5 cm. Storage must accommodate the same number of mats as planned child occupants for the room in question (e.g. 12 mats for a 12-place room, 33 mats for a 33-place room).

In vertical schools, careful consideration must be given to: […]

• restrictors must be installed in early learning facility windows to limit opening to 125mm.

Special attention must be paid to maintaining supervision sightlines where early learning facilities are situated on steep sites. […]

All indoor and outdoor approved areas of an early learning facility must be designed in a way that facilitates supervision of children at all times they are being educated and cared for by the service including toilets and nappy change facilities.

Where early learning facilities are co-located on a school site, outdoor play spaces should be located adjacent to primary school outdoor play areas or school learning spaces to enhance connection. Even when an early learning facility is located under the same roofline as a school, its design must meet all requirements set out in the National Law Act and Regulations, and address safety and security risks associated with multi-use sites with reference to 3.3.6 Integration of shared facilities(opens in a new window) and 3.5 School and early learning design principles(opens in a new window).

Early learning facility design must comply with these in addition to the Education and Care Services National Law Act and Education and Care Services National Regulations. See 3.6.1 Early education and care legislation(opens in a new window) for more information.

The National Quality Framework (NQF) consists of Acts, regulations, and standards that guide the design of early learning facilities.

The NQF is underpinned by the following regulatory tools:

• the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010

• the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011

• the National Quality Standards (NQS) and quality rating system.

The NQS provides early learning service providers certainty about what is expected of them and what they are required to do to comply with the National Quality Framework, this includes guidance on the design and development of a facility. The physical environment of an early learning facility must be safe, suitable and provide a rich and diverse range of experiences that promote children’s learning and development. Good design of an early learning facility is a major contributor to ensuring these regulations are addressed and fundamentally underpins what needs to be met before an early learning facility gains a service approval to operate.

Early learning facilities designs must comply with all of the NQF tools and additional requirements laid out in this Handbook.

Early learning-specific performance criteria for education and care (indoor and out), reception, staff and amenity spaces concern ‘approved’ spaces required under the NQF, unless otherwise stated. Noting that some performance criteria for foyer and community spaces (i.e. Maternal Child Health spaces) are also set out in the BQSH, although these are not NQF-approved spaces.

Indoor and outdoor space allocations in early learning facility design, including those in multi-storey buildings, must comply with the minimum requirements of the Education and Care Services National Law Act and Education and Care Services National Regulations. For further details, refer to Space Requirements for Early Childhood Services(opens in a new window).

Early learning facilities in multi-storey buildings must include the following:

• capture gates to restrict children's access to lifts and stairs and surrounding circulation spaces must be DDA-compliant

• pin code and fob key operable lifts

• handrails are required to meet regulatory requirements, including a low handrail at a height suitable for use by 3 year old children

• upgraded exits, sprinkler and smoke detection systems, as per NCC requirements for early learning facilities, and

• provide separate secure line/access for school and early learning facilities, where relevant.

Furthermore, the Education and Care Services National Law Act and Education and Care Services National Regulations stipulate that outdoor spaces allow children to explore and experience the natural environment. While artificial grass and features are suitable for smaller areas only, there must be appropriate access for children to interact with the natural environment and natural vegetation. If an early learning facility is located above ground floor, there must be sufficient outdoor space and access to natural environment on the same floor as education and play spaces.

Consultants must comply with safety, design and approval requirements for children in multi-storey buildings, as set out in the NQF under the National Law Act and Regulations that are current at time of masterplanning the early learning facility.

All spaces designated for babies should be on the ground floor. In exceptional circumstances where these spaces are located above the ground floor, direct, protected egress with an adequate ramp must be provided in new builds and upgrades involving entire new buildings or precincts.

The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), the secretariat for the National Quality Framework, has published an Evacuation of Multi-storey Buildings resource(opens in a new window). This provides clarity on expectations in relation to early learning facilities in multi storey buildings to ensure developers, designers and builders understand the increasing stringent service approval process applied to these services.

All early learning facilities must meet the minimum outdoor space requirements as per Education and Care Services National Regulation 108 and satisfy the following:

• a qualified landscape designer or landscape architect must be consulted on all aspects of outdoor design

• Outdoor Space Minimum Requirements must be met without counting:

• areas such as pathways, thoroughfares, car parks and storage sheds

• any other space that is unsuitable as outdoor space for children, or

• any area of veranda included in indoor space calculations.

Early learning facilities must maintain supervision sightlines between outdoor learning areas and children’s bathrooms. Special attention must be paid to maintaining supervision indoor-outdoor sightlines where the facility is located on a steep site. Multiple-level changes should be avoided as they can hinder child supervision, restrict access, and create potential hiding spots.

In early learning facilities, synthetic or non-natural materials, such as artificial grass and rubber soft fall, should not be used in outdoor spaces. Refer to the section on early learning facility outdoor spaces (in 5.1.4 External equipment(opens in a new window)) for further information.

For early learning and special, special development and supported inclusion schools, consultants must adhere to specific regulations for barriers and fencing. All outdoor space must be enclosed by a fence or barrier, with a minimum height of 1,800mm whose design prevents children of early learning age and under (5 years) from passing through, over or under.

In early learning facilities, outdoor gates should be self-closing and self-latching, with a mesh or solid panel on the internal side of the fence to ensure that unauthorised adults cannot reach over and open the gate. A high-level handle must be provided on the internal/early learning side of the fence only.

Capture gates, or other appropriate safety measures, must be provided beside exit doors in early learning facilities that do not have a foyer to prevent children from exiting into unsafe areas unsupervised.

Fences must not be scalable by creating footings or have an item (such as outdoor air conditioning condenser units, vegetation, poles or yarning circle logs) within 1,000mm that could be used to scale the perimeter fence. Furthermore, solid plinths may need to be provided below fences to ensure children cannot dig out the soil or mulch that increases the gap below the fence to greater than 100mm. […]

See Table 7 in 5.1.3 Hard landscaping and indoor sports courts(opens in a new window) for detailed fencing requirements.

Exposed sharp aggregate paving finishes must be avoided in primary schools and early learning facilities for safety. […]

In early learning facilities, evacuation pathways must be able to accommodate movement of cots and prams, and must not create blind spots.

Sandpits must: […]

• be at least 400mm deep (preferably 600mm) in early learning facilities

Shade structures in early learning facilities must be located clear of fences and barriers so they do not enable climbing and comply with AS1926.1. Shade must be provided over static play areas such as sandpits. It should also be provided over areas of soft fall and digging patches. In cases where new plantings need time to grow, temporary shade solutions must be provided to ensure constant adequate sun protection for children.

Wetlands must not be included in the design of early learning facilities. Should wetlands be included within school grounds that have an early learning facility on site, the design must comply with Regulation 113, Child Safe Standard 9 and the OHS Act, and prevent access to the wetlands by early learning facility children. The Regulatory Authority will not approve a service co-located on a school site with wetlands unless satisfactory physical barriers and supervision protocols are in place.

Some early learning facilities on school sites will be operated by a third party service provider such as the local Council or early learning providers. Therefore, these facilities must be designed with separate utilities infrastructure and authority meters independent to the schools.

In exceptional, documented cases where separate utilities are not viable, check meters for all utilities including electricity, potable and recycled water must be installed. In ELCCs, check meters must not be used for MCH or community/visitor spaces. The following should also be satisfied:

• manual override lighting controls provided to indoor education and play spaces

• incoming supply pillars and mains switchboards located outside children's areas.

Window sill heights in early learning facilities must comply with NCC requirements.

Internal and external early learning facility playspaces, children's bathrooms and art preparation areas must be designed for high visibility and supervision at all times.

Storerooms in early learning facilities must have a window or other suitable and safe glazing for supervision sightlines and to ensure children do not get trapped inside without the educator’s knowledge. […]

In early learning facilities, windows must satisfy the following criteria:

• in education and play spaces, the height of window sills must not exceed 1,100mm AFL to ensure an unimpeded line of sight from the indoor to the outdoor space, enabling supervision by educators

• at least 50% of windows in education and play spaces must have sills no higher than 500mm AFL, in accordance with the NCC F6D3(4), and

• design must enable supervision between the indoor education and care spaces and the bathroom, as well as between outdoor spaces and toilets. This can be achieved through:

• a supervision window

• a glazed door

• AS 2208-compliant safety glass, if at a low level accessible to children, or

• other suitable design solution/s.

Supervision sightlines must not rely on line of sight through two or more panes of glass, which obscures visibility, and must not have blind spots.

Project consultants should select and satisfy operable windows that meet the following requirements:

• fitted with a means of securely limiting above-ground floor window openings in schools (restrictors must be installed in early learning facility windows to limit opening to 125mm)

In early learning facilities, if a blind is installed on an internal or external window it must be translucent, except for meeting rooms and staff lounges, which should include opaque blinds or frosting for windows. Blinds, particularly in north- and west-facing windows, must effectively manage sunlight and glare. Blinds in sleep areas must not obstruct active supervision, and must balance adequate lighting with the occupants' needs.

Manual blinds must be installed with cord restraints that are fixed to the window frame for child safety. The cords should be easily accessible; all potential adult users must be able to reach them without leaning over furniture.

Cords must not be accessible to young children or toddlers.

Project consultants should select and satisfy glazing that meets the following requirements: […]

• in early learning facilities, any glass installed in areas accessible to young children and below 1,000mm AFL must be safety glass. […]

In early learning facilities, if an observation booth is included, the window between it and the indoor education and play space must feature one-way glass to prevent disruption to the children during observation of practice. One-way glass must not compromise supervision sightlines or child safety. Refer to 5.9.8 Lighting Systems(opens in a new window) for additional requirements for the observation booth.

Project consultants must consult with the Project Control Group (PCG) on door schedules prior to their finalisation, due to the complex interface between early learning care and education regulations, emergency and fire management building codes, NQF, and DDA and accessibility requirements in early learning facilities.

Further advice must be sought from a building surveyor or DDA consultant to determine the appropriate level of considerations have been made to meet the range of regulations and requirements. The key features of doors for early learning facilities include:

• most doors and gates, including exits to the perimeter of the early learning facility, must:

• swing inwards (with the exception of doors which lead to outdoor play spaces, are nominated by the fire engineer to swing outwards, or have a self-latching mechanism)

• be self-closing and self-latching, with finger protection devices, and

• have handles installed between 1,500–1,650mm AFL

• door handles into the children's bathroom and the indoor education and play space leading to the outdoor space should be 1,000–1,200mm AFL, additionally

• doors from children’s bathrooms to outdoor and indoor learning and play areas must be able to be locked/pinned open, to allow children easy and quick access to the bathroom

• where double doors between indoor and outdoor spaces are installed to allow large items to be moved between areas, they should:

• swing 180 degrees

• be capable of being pinned to an adjacent wall via cabin hooks or hold down bolts, and

• be appropriate for three and four years olds to operate, furthermore

• all doors in children's indoor and outdoor play spaces must include child-safe finger guards, anti-slam hinges and lever handles at compliant heights. Sufficient gaps on either long side to avoid finger entrapment are an acceptable alternate solution.

An airlock must be provided at the entry of early learning facility entrances, as outlined in the Automatic operation doors and airlocks(opens in a new window) section. In addition, consideration must always be given to potential conflicts or intersections between DDA and safety regulations door requirements. Airlock doors in early learning facilities should be capable of being disabled to allow manual operation only via a push exit button, if required, to prevent children from exiting unsupervised.

Exit buttons must be located between 1,500–1,650mm above the floor in accordance with NCC Vic D3D26(6). Sensors should be located at a height suitable for detecting small children, enable supervision and prevent entrapment. The designated distance between airlock doors should accommodate the movement of prams.

An intercom/bell can be installed as a further accessibility and emergency measure.

Where the early learning facility contains facilities shared by services such as maternal and child health (MCH), all services must be easily accessible to community members with mobility issues. Where an ELCC is co-located with a MCH that operates after hours or weekends, a separate video intercom should be installed between the MCH and the front entrance.

Project consultants must consult the VSBA delivery manager to confirm inclusion of additional facilities and services prior to finalising Door Schedules.

Early learning facility doors and gates, and exits to the perimeter must comply with NCC requirements specific to early learning facilities. All doors must be designed for anticipated movements into and within the early learning facility.

Doors to internal stores/program spaces in early learning facilities must:

• provide direct access to indoor education and play space(s), and be shared between two of these spaces, where possible, for efficiency

• be lockable

• provide flexibility to leave doors safely open, to accommodate child movement in and out of the space, as required

• be sliding door, where possible, and have a soft close device to minimise finger entrapment

• provide easy access for staff but be inaccessible to children and lockable, while providing free egress as required by the NCC for access and egress, and

• have handles at adult height (1,500–1,650mm AFL) to prevent children from independently accessing the space.

Project consultants must provide stairs and ramps that comply with the following requirements: […]

• step risers should be between 150mm and 180mm, and preferably 150mm for P-6 schools and early learning facilities

• tread depth must be within a range of 300mm to 355mm, with a preference for the lower end of range in primary and early learning facilities, and both must comply with the NCC D3D14 tread/riser ratios […]

In early learning facilities, stairs and ramps should not be located adjacent to early learning facility perimeter fences as the required handrails can be used as a foothold to scale the fence. In early learning facilities, particularly modular kindergartens where structures are elevated above ground level, special consideration should be given to designing outdoor learning spaces that integrate seamlessly with the rest of the service. Stepped-down connections and abrupt level changes should be avoided, ensuring babies and small children can reach outdoor spaces independently or with minimal support. Uneven hard surfaces in retaining walls or similar landscape elements resulting in drops of more than 150mm pose serious safety and fall risks for babies and small children and must be avoided in outdoor areas of early learning facilities.

Stair and ramp handrails in facilities containing primary or early childhood aged children have different handrail requirements, as per NCC D3D22. Handrails, particularly lower ones, must be designed in a way that does not create a climbing risk. Openings in barriers in early learning facilities must not exceed 125mm.

All balustrades and barriers must be non-scalable, with no horizontal rails or potential footholds, which could be used for climbing. In early learning facilities, in particular, non-scalable mesh screening may be a necessary supplementary measure. […]

Where a balustrade forms a barrier or fence around the early learning facility (i.e. above ground floor in multilevel buildings or protecting from water or climbing hazards) it must be 2,000mm AFL, non-scalable and not have an item within 1,000mm that could be used to scale. In addition, mesh wire fencing must form the balustrade to reduce climbing risk and items, such as children's play items, inadvertently passing through the barrier dropping below.

Children's toilets and nappy change facilities in early learning facilities must comply with the Education and Care Services National Regulations, and be directly accessible from both indoor and outdoor education and care spaces. Staff and visitor amenities only need to comply with NCC requirements. […]

Amenities for staff, students, children and visitors must be provided to satisfy the following: […]

• the NCC Volume 1, Table F4D4f for schools, and Table VIC F4D4g for early learning facilities (found at [LIINK]) must be used to calculate toilet allocations

• in ELCCs, tempered water (between 30-35 degrees) is provided to children's handwashing basins/troughs

• in kindergartens, either cold or tempered water (between 30-35 degrees) is provided to children’s handwashing basins / troughs, as determined by operator preference

The design of children's bathrooms in early learning facilities must comply with the Education and Care Services National Regulations and Child Safe Standards, and enable active supervision at all times, while maintaining children's rights and dignity. The following requirements must be satisfied:

• children's bathrooms are located with direct access to indoor education and play spaces and outdoor spaces, and

• in multi-storey buildings, toilets are provided on each floor and must be directly accessible from both indoor and outdoor education and care spaces, allowing children to access toilets reasonably quickly

• design must prevent children from being trapped unseen inside and enable supervision between the indoor education and care spaces and the bathroom, as well as between outdoor spaces and toilets. See 5.3.3 Windows(opens in a new window) for further guidance

• the private areas of children’s bathrooms are not visible to people in the foyer or beyond the play space fence

• junior toilet pans and roll holders are installed at child height and within child-arm reach, respectively, i.e. roll holders should be no more than 300mm from the edge of pan and large toilet roll holders must not be used as they are challenging for child access and use

• toilet seat design must not be an entrapment risk, and specifically, not have an overhang beyond the ceramic base

• the minimum number of wash basins required by NCC VIC Table F4D4g, at least, are provided, noting that a continuous sink or trough type washbasin is another acceptable option

• wash basin heights comply with regulatory requirements, including that rim heights are accessible to children and no more than 600mm AFL

• taps and soap dispensers are child-friendly (i.e. heights, complexity, required pressure)

• in ELCCs, tempered water (between 30-35 degrees) is provided to children’s handwashing basins/troughs

• in kindergartens, either cold or tempered water (between 30-35 degrees) is provided to children’s handwashing basins/troughs, as determined by operator preference

• mirrors are installed at child height (base of mirror no higher than 600mm)

• closet pans situated in a bank must be separated from each other by opaque partitions, between 900-1200mm AFL

• single partition doors have sufficient gaps on either long side to avoid finger entrapment (double barn-style doors must not be used due to entrapment risk)

• lower height doors, up to 900-1200mm AFL, to provide children with adequate privacy and dignity while still enabling visual supervision

• partition front edges are rounded to reduce injury risk

• the required number of DDA-compliant toilet/s, at minimum, provided for wheelchair and mobility scooter access

• hand dryers:

• (ELCCs) electric hand dryers must not be installed in children’s bathrooms, instead hooks must be installed for hand towels at an appropriate child height and paper towel dispensers installed at adult height, and

• (kindergartens) hooks for hand towels at children’s height and paper towel dispensers at adult height are preferred, however where electric hand dryers are provided, they must be temperature controlled, have maximum 60db and be safe for child use, and

• (all early learning facilities) blade type hand dryers must not be used

• shower/baby bath:

• (ELCCs) a minimum of one recessed baby bath to be provided, and one additional recessed baby bath where the facility has more than two rooms for children under 3 years old

• (kindergartens) an additional shower bath (not more than 300mm deep) with a flexible handheld shower head, located in the bathroom servicing the education and play spaces

Early learning facilities must include dedicated laundry rooms that provide:

• secure storage for cleaning equipment and supplies

• infrastructure for a washing machines and dryers, and

• a wet area.

Where these rooms adjoin education and care spaces, they must be lockable so that children do not have access to chemicals or soiled items.

When an early learning facility accommodates children under 3 years old, and a nappy changing bench is installed, the following requirements must be satisfied:

• design complies with NCC VIC F4D4(9)(c) and the Education and Care Services National Regulations, including proximity to a baby bath and restricting unsupervised access by children

• change area design must allow educators to maintain physical contact with the child while changing and disposing of nappies, as per the National Regulations

• positioned to allow supervision sightlines between the bathroom, adjoining indoor education and play spaces and/or outdoor space

• adult hand washing basin is located in proximity to nappy changing bench with tempered water

• bench to be a minimum of 1,200mm length and 800mm depth to allow educators to lay babies either vertically or horizontally for access and ergonomics

• be of non-porous and chemical-resistant surfaces

• design considers the placement of overhead hazards

• overhead cabinetry is considered that:

• is not located directly over the nappy changing area or baby bath where it poses a head injury risk, but rather directly adjacent over bench/hand wash basin space

• is ergonomically accessible by staff, and

• has open pigeonhole storage and closed cupboards

• under bench storage with child proof latches are included

• design considers waste strategy for nappy change including:

• ergonomics

• prevention of unsupervised child access

• utility in terms of location, access and bin type

• where pull-out bins are used they can be operable with one hand and located within easy reach and to the side of the nappy changing bench

• steps beneath the nappy changing bench are included that:

• enable child access to the bench without staff having to lift them

• withstand a minimum load of 40kg

• include side handrails, and

• can lock into a fixed position, and stairs and stair locking mechanisms are operable with one hand

• nappy changing bench and steps are not positioned near a door in a way that impedes access to and from the room or poses a risk of tripping.

In early learning facilities, external taps must meet the following requirements:

• separate taps are provided for both children's water play activities and facility gardening/maintenance

• hose taps for children's play activities must be:

• provided at multiple points

• timed push button or lever tap, and user-friendly for the facility's intended age group/s

• installed at a child accessible height, and

• connected to treated mains water, not recycled water

• external taps for maintenance and gardening purposes are connected to harvesting tanks and fitted with vandal-resistant handles.

Where an ELCC is operating on a full-time basis and providing a daily meal service (i.e. 3 meals per day) for enrolled children, a Class 1 commercial kitchen must be installed and registered with the local authorities.

Class 1 commercial kitchens in ELCCs must satisfy the following requirements:

• comply with State Government Environmental Health Standards for Class 1 Level Kitchen, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), and the Food Act 1984

• satisfy all local government/council requirements to ensure compliance and prevent licensing delays

• be designed in accordance with the ELCC Functional Design Brief, and

• commercial kitchen design specialist advice, wherever possible, and

• include an appropriately sized grease trap, and

• natural and mechanical ventilation.

Indoor program kitchens must have direct access to and line of sight into the children’s room. A child-safe gate must be installed between the kitchen and children’s room.

Kitchens must contain a sink, bar fridge, bench space, overhead cupboards, and simple joinery/pantry to store a small amount of ingredients, utensils and tableware. The sink must have tempered (between 30-35 degrees) and cold water, with a mixer tap to control water temperature.

An oven should be considered with a slide in door and other safety features such as a lockable and induction cooktop with a child lock function. Kitchens with open electric cooktops must have an adult height switch mounted near the appliance in a visible and readily accessible position, to ensure the safety of children in the room. A sliding or double-hung window should serve as a servery to the external veranda area, and a hand-wash basin must be provided.

An outdoor program kitchen is sometimes installed as a supplement to an indoor program kitchen. It is a simplified version of an indoor program kitchen, however, outdoor kitchens must include a sink with tempered (between 30-35 degrees) and cold water access, bench space with under-bench storage, and secure outdoor power outlet. A cavity for a permanent fridge or oven is not required. Where site conditions allow, the landscape design should include a safe area for a portable fire pit near the outdoor kitchen, ensuring it does not pose a fire risk to the building or decking. The kitchen must provide space and power for bench-top appliances such as plug-in stoves, portable ovens, and toasters. The design should also include storage for these appliances, either in the kitchen or a nearby internal store. The joinery should feature a pantry for storing a small amount of ingredients, utensils, and tableware, designed to prevent access by animals.

Each indoor education and play space in an early learning facility must be provided with a custom fabricated rack of joinery pigeon-holes or mobile locker units with caster wheels. The number is determined by the number of places per rooms.

For example, a 33-place room should have 33 pigeon-holes. Children's lockers or pigeon-holes, whether located within an education and play or a circulation space, must meet the following requirements:

• heavy-set and stable to prevent tripping hazards

• positioned to allow direct staff observation

• each is approximately 350 x 450mm

• washable materials are used, and where located in circulation space

• the design and placement keep the circulation path unobstructed, and

• the minimum required width of the circulation path is maintained.

(Indoor education and play spaces) Should include wet/art troughs with soap dispensers above troughs, along with bench and under-bench storage cupboards—one at adult height (900mm) and one at child height (no more than 600mm).

Cabinetry above sinks must be avoided.

All low-height joinery doors must be fitted with keyed locks (with same key for all), magnetic latches, or childproof catches to restrict access by children.

(ELCCs) Joinery design in the children’s program space and internal store should meet the following criteria:

• comply with Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) standards and ergonomic principles

• maximise built-in sturdy shelving with a recommended depth of approximately 620mm

• incorporate flexible usage features, including large storage spaces, drawers, adjustable shelving, and closed cupboards with lockable options, and

• include at least one overhead cupboard equipped with a key lock for secure storage.

(ELCCs) Joinery in the baby bottle preparation area should include:

• at least one overhead cupboard (not above sink) with a key lock, and shelves

• bench space for safe and hygienic preparation, including a soap dispenser and paper towel dispenser

• a hand wash basin and a separate sink with an integrated drainer, and

• space for a microwave and a small under-bench fridge.

(KOSS) Joinery design in children’s internal store must also include maximum built-in sturdy shelving to a recommended depth of approximately 620mm.

(Maternal child health (MCH) consulting rooms) Fixed joinery must be designed in consultation with the council/ third-party providers. It should generally include the following features:

• drawers and cupboards with childproof and lockable doors

• nappy bin drawers

• pull-out stairs for mobile children to climb onto the change bench, and

• an examination bench, which includes a measuring ruler of minimum 1m, positioned under natural light with vinyl flooring.

In early learning facilities, insect screens on windows that open between approved and non-approved spaces must withstand a force of 300N in any direction without breaking, deforming more than 10mm along their length, or showing signs of fracture, as per AS1926.1. This includes insect screens on windows that open to outdoor areas not enclosed by children’s playgrounds.

In early learning facilities, wall lining in indoor education and play spaces must be made of durable, washable materials, while also considering the room’s acoustic requirements to control reverberation. Additionally, neutral colours and textures should be used to minimise sensory overload.

In early learning facilities, resilient, washable and non-slip sheets such as vinyl/linoleum flooring must be installed in indoor education and play spaces. The floor finishes must also have a soft-touch surface to ensure comfort for toddlers who may play on or touch the flooring directly. The materials should also contribute to a welcoming and child-friendly environment.

In early learning facilities, indoor or partially enclosed education and play areas should have as many sound-absorbing panels as possible, such as pinboards, on ceilings or walls (but not cupboard doors). These can also display children's work, posters, or regulatory notices while helping to reduce noise. In addition, education and play areas in early learning facilities should have a ceiling with a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of at least 0.7.²²

²² Association of Australasian Acoustical Consultants, Guideline for Child Care Centre Acoustic Assessment.

Children and educators in early learning facilities must be able to speak and be heard without strain.

Exposed sharp aggregate paving finishes must be avoided in primary schools and early learning facilities.

Mechanical heating (and cooling) units must be provided in the following rooms of an early learning facility:

• office, planning/meeting and staff rooms

• sanitary facilities, including nappy change areas

• foyers, and

• indoor education and play spaces, including sleep areas.

In early learning facilities, air conditioning units must be provided in the following spaces:

• office, planning and staff rooms

• foyer, and

• children's indoor playspaces.

For example, in early learning facilities, general power outlets (GPOs) must be installed in appropriate locations to support check-in/check-out devices at the reception area. […]

In early learning facilities, general power outlets must be located at 1,500mm AFL in spaces that are accessible to children.

Project consultants must select lighting that meets the following requirements: […]

• in early learning facilities and specialist schools, controls must be located inside the room, to enable lighting to be adjusted without interrupting/
  compromising supervision […]

• in early learning facilities, if an observation booth is included, an indicator light must be installed in the indoor education and play space, with its switch located inside the booth, to inform educators that the observation booth is in use

The VSBA delivery manager must facilitate IMTD's review of ICT design documentation and plans, including for power and data point schedules for all new early learning facilities.

Communications rooms in early learning facilities must be treated as primary or core communications rooms and have two separate communications cabinets in order to provide the following facilities:

• conduit connection to the school network designed to connect to a separate rack that will not be accessible by the early learning facility operator, and

• a new NBN connection from the street connected to a separate rack for the early learning facility service provider to install their own equipment and connection.

Project consultants should refer to the early learning facility functional brief for information on the number and location of wireless access data points.

Where early learning facilities are to be leased to external service providers, all data points in these spaces must connect to a secondary communications rack dedicated exclusively to the external service provider infrastructure. For this purpose, sufficient space for a separate (external service provider) rack in the communications room should be allocated. External service providers are responsible for installing their own active IT equipment such as WAPs, switches, audio visual and telephone equipment.

Whether an early learning facility is subject to State Purchase Contract (SPC) arrangements and VGPB procurement rules or not depends on whether that facility is government-operated or not. Where an early learning facility is operated by the local council or a third party provider it is responsible for that facility's ICT equipment and services.

Recessed floor boxes must not be installed in early learning contexts. […]

In early learning facilities, data outlets (and GPOs) must be installed at 1,500mm AFL in spaces that are accessible to children.

Any new early learning facilities located on a school site must have separate ICT service in addition to a conduit back to the school network. Consultants must allow for two suitably sized and ventilated service cupboards to accommodate the IT equipment and communications cabinet in the early learning facility.

Project consultants must refer to the relevant functional brief for ELF telephone handset and network point requirements. For ELCCs, consultants must additionally refer to the ICT ELCC Design Manual, or engage directly with IMTD for guidance if the Manual is not available.

Project consultants must provide, at minimum, the following physical security measures: […]

• where a new early learning facility is to be delivered on a school site with additional community facilities, such as maternal child and health (MCH) consulting rooms or community meeting spaces, consultants must consult with the Project Control Group and early learning facility service provider about the design of barriers and gates to ensure access to the community facilities while maintaining secure early learning facility boundaries that only authorised early learning staff and registered users can access.

Early learning facilities on school sites must be designed to restrict public access to all areas. The early learning facility keying system must be independent from the school keying system. A fence must define the early learning facility’s perimeter to prevent school users and members of the public from accessing the early learning facility without permission and supervision.

Advice from the service provider should be obtained to determine where keypad entry systems should be installed within the early learning facility.

CCTV should not be installed in early learning facilities, unless explicitly requested by the agreed provider and approved through the Project Control Group.

In early learning facilities, automatic smoke detection and alarm systems must be provided throughout the whole building in accordance with NCC E2D20 requirements.

Early learning sprinkler system requirements must comply with NCC E1D11.

If vertical transportation is provided, it must meet the following requirements: […]

• where an early learning facility is located above ground level, lift capacity, access and operational arrangements for at least one lift must accommodate the efficient, mechanical transportation of groups of children and parents/carers without the need for key passes, in addition

• the lift/s designated for this purpose must have capture gates, and the surrounding circulation space must be DDA-compliant