Childcare exclusion and disease control in the NT

Who regulates childcare in the NT

Quality Education and Care NT (QECNT), in the Department of Education and Training, is the regulatory authority for education and care services under the National Quality Framework in the Northern Territory.

Where exclusion periods come from

NT Health says exclusion periods apply in schools, pre-schools and day care centres for children and educators who have, or have been exposed to, an infectious disease. The periods are set out in NT Health's Time out poster: minimum periods of exclusion from school, pre-school and childcare facilities, published by the Centre for Disease Control (2023 edition). Download it from the NT Health Digital Library and keep the current copy where staff can see it.

NT Health's disease pages, such as gastroenteritis, also point back to Time out for the minimum exclusion period.

The Centre for Disease Control

Public health responses to notifiable diseases in the NT are coordinated by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in NT Health's Public Health Division. Doctors and laboratories must notify the CDC when they diagnose or seriously suspect a disease on the NT schedule of notifiable diseases.

That legal duty sits with medical staff and laboratories, not with educators. But if you suspect an outbreak at your service, or a child has a serious infection such as measles or whooping cough, your director can contact the local CDC office for advice and follow its advice.

Disease fact sheets

NT Health's disease resources include fact sheets on conditions such as scabies, group A streptococcal disease, melioidosis and gastroenteritis, and many state the exclusion that applies. Ask your service which ones matter most for your community.

Your part

• Follow your service's exclusion policy and the Time out poster.
• Record illness and tell your nominated supervisor about clusters straight away.
• Use Staying healthy for everyday hand hygiene, nappy changing and cleaning.