Updated 20 January 2022
Notifying the ECU
You will need to let us know if:
- There are circumstances that pose a risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of children who attend your service.
- If a child or staff member has attended your service and has tested positive for COVID-19.
- If your service closes or partially closes due to COVID-19 either by choice or due to a Public Health directive.
- You change operating hours or the number of children able to attend your service.
- You cease to operate an education and care or child care service.
- If you are unable to meet staff child ratios or qualification requirements of staff. If you need to apply for a waiver because of COVID-19 related reasons, the ECU may waive your fee.
How to notify of a positive case of COVID-19 via the NQAITS.
You do not need to let us know of the following:
- a family member of a child or family member of a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 (noting that there is a need to notify if that child or staff member subsequently tests positive).
- a visitor to your service has tested positive for COVID-19.
To notify us or to apply for a waiver, you will need to login to the National Quality Agenda IT System (NQAITS).
Need help? Visit ACECQA’s guidance on notifying through the NQAITS.
Notification for licensed services
Licenced services under the Child Care Act 2001 have limited access to the NQAITS.
Licenced services should notify the ECU of a positive case by sending an email to: ECU.COVID19@decyp.tas.gov.au and Jane Jepson jane.jepson@decyp.tas.gov.au.
Services should be familiar with our FAQ on notifications and the Outbreak Management Guidelines and respond promptly when a case is identified.
Specific information for notifying of a confirmed case
Once you have submitted a notification of incident (I01) through NQAITS regarding a confirmed case, you are not required to make another notification of subsequent positive cases. However, please contact your Point of Contact Authorised Officer to advise of the subsequent cases. After a period of seven days with no new positive cases, the notification of incident will be closed. If you have more cases after this time, a new notification of incident (I01) will need to be submitted through the NQAITS.
Where the case is a staff member, personal details about that staff member are not required. The free text area should be a summary about the contact the confirmed positive case has had with children or staff, Public Health’s advice and any measures taken by the service in response to the notification.
If you need to close the service or reduce your number of children, this will require an additional notification to the notification of a confirmed case (see below).
See ACECQA’s instructions for guidance on how to log these notifications.
Specific information for notifying of a closure or reduction of numbers
If you choose or are directed by Public Health to close or reduce numbers at your service you are required to submit a notification of incident (I01) through the NQAITS. It will be a I01 – Notification of incident – An incident that requires the approved provider to close or reduce the number of children attending the service for a period.
This means you may need to submit two notifications of incidents (I01) if you have a positive case/s and close or reduce numbers as a result of the positive case/s.
Email correspondence with your point of contact authorised officer will occur as follow up. This may also involve consideration of gap fee waivers and Child Care Subsidy due to COVID-19 related reasons.
See ACECQA’s instructions for guidance on how to log these notifications.
If you have any questions about submitting notifications, please call your Point of Contact Authorised Officer directly, or alternatively contact the ECU on 6165 5425.