Cleaning a childcare centre or school is not the same as cleaning a commercial office. Children are more vulnerable to infectious illness, more likely to put hands and objects in their mouths, and spend more time in direct contact with floors, surfaces, and shared equipment than adult workers do. The regulatory framework for these facilities reflects this vulnerability, and facility managers who approach cleaning as simply ‘making things look tidy’ risk both compliance failures and genuine harm to the children and young people in their care.

This guide covers the key regulatory frameworks, practical cleaning requirements, and the standards that NSW childcare centres and schools are expected to meet. Royce Cleaning’s school cleaning service is designed around these requirements, with background-checked staff and documented cleaning protocols.

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The Regulatory Framework for Childcare Facilities

Education and care services in Australia (including childcare centres, long day care, family day care, and outside school hours care) operate under the National Quality Framework (NQF), administered by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) in collaboration with state regulatory authorities such as the NSW Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) directorate.

National Law and Regulations

The Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services National Regulations set out the legal requirements for approved education and care services. Within this framework, cleaning and hygiene obligations fall primarily under Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety, which addresses physical and psychological wellbeing, healthy lifestyles, and risk management.

Key cleaning and hygiene-related obligations under the National Regulations include:

Ensuring that the service environment is free from hazards and supports the health and safety of children (Regulation 103)
Providing and maintaining safe and clean facilities including toilets, handwashing stations, and nappy change areas (Regulations 104, 112)
Maintaining a policy and documented procedures for hygiene practices, including cleaning schedules for all areas of the facility
Ensuring food preparation areas meet food safety standards applicable to the service
Maintaining cleaning records that demonstrate compliance with the service’s cleaning and hygiene policy

💡 Documentation matters: Regulatory assessors do not only look at whether a facility is visually clean. They examine documentation: is there a written cleaning schedule? Is it being followed? Are cleaning logs maintained and up to date? Documented evidence of compliance is as important as the cleaning itself.

The National Quality Standard (NQS) Ratings

ACECQA assesses services against the National Quality Standard and assigns ratings including Working Towards, Meeting, Exceeding, or Excellent. Cleaning and hygiene practices contribute to the Quality Area 2 assessment and can affect a service’s overall NQS rating. Services rated ‘Significant Improvement Required’ in Quality Area 2 can face regulatory action, including the potential suspension of approval.

State-Level Requirements in NSW

In NSW, the Department of Education’s ECEC directorate acts as the regulatory authority for education and care services. Beyond the National Regulations, NSW services must also comply with any relevant state-level guidelines and any conditions attached to their specific service approval. The NSW Food Authority’s food safety requirements apply to services that prepare food for children, adding an additional layer of regulatory obligation to kitchen cleaning protocols.

The Regulatory Framework for Schools

Government schools in NSW operate under the NSW Department of Education’s policy framework, which includes workplace health and safety obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and associated cleaning and maintenance standards. Independent and Catholic schools are similarly bound by WHS legislation and any accreditation requirements of their relevant sector authority.

Core school cleaning obligations

Classrooms must be cleaned to a standard that supports healthy air quality and reduces the risk of illness transmission, particularly during and following periods of high respiratory illness activity
Bathroom and toilet facilities must be cleaned at least once daily and more frequently where student numbers or usage demands it
Food preparation and consumption areas must meet Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) food safety standards
High-touch surfaces, including door handles, light switches, desks, and shared equipment, must be included in daily cleaning schedules with appropriate disinfection during illness seasons
Sports halls, gymnasiums, and changing rooms carry specific hygiene requirements given their role in facilitating close physical contact and shared equipment use

📋 Asbestos in older schools: Many NSW school buildings constructed before 1990 contain asbestos-containing materials (ACM). Any cleaning work that could disturb ACM requires specific protocols and, in many cases, licensed asbestos management. This is a critical compliance consideration for any cleaning service working in older educational facilities.

Key Areas That Require Specific Attention

Area	Regulatory focus	Minimum frequency
Toilets and bathrooms	Hygiene, cross-contamination prevention	At least daily; more often in high-use settings
Nappy change areas (childcare)	Infection control, surface disinfection after each use	After every use; documented
Kitchens and food prep	Food safety standards (FSANZ)	After each food preparation period
Classrooms and learning areas	WHS, healthy indoor environment	At least daily
Outdoor play areas	Hazard inspection, surface cleanliness	Daily inspection; scheduled cleaning
Sick bay or isolation areas	Infection control, disinfection after use	After each use with appropriate disinfectant
High-touch surfaces	Illness transmission reduction	Daily minimum; increased during illness outbreaks

These are general guides. Specific frequencies and protocols must reflect the requirements of your service’s individual cleaning policy and any regulatory conditions or guidance applicable to your facility.

What Compliant Cleaning Requires in Practice

Beyond the physical cleaning tasks, genuine compliance with the regulatory framework for educational and care facilities requires:

A written cleaning policy and schedule tailored to the specific facility, covering all areas and all required frequencies
Cleaning logs that are completed in real time and retained for a period that allows regulatory inspection
Staff training documentation confirming that all cleaning staff understand the cleaning protocol, product safety, and infection control requirements
Background checks for all cleaning staff who will be present on site when children may be present. Royce Cleaning staff are background-checked as a standard requirement
Product documentation including Safety Data Sheets for all cleaning products used on site
A documented response protocol for infectious illness events, including enhanced cleaning procedures and specific disinfection requirements

Royce Cleaning’s hygiene services and school cleaning service are designed to support facilities in meeting these documentation and compliance requirements.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do childcare cleaners need a Working With Children Check in NSW?

In NSW, any person who works with children in a childcare or school setting, including contractors who are present when children are on site, must hold a valid Working With Children Check (WWCC). Royce Cleaning staff hold current background checks as a standard requirement for any school or childcare facility service. When engaging any cleaning provider for an educational or care setting, verify that all staff attending the site hold current checks.

How often should a childcare facility be professionally cleaned?

Childcare facilities require daily cleaning of toilets, food preparation areas, and high-touch surfaces as a minimum. A professional deep clean covering all areas, including floors, carpets, fixtures, and less-accessible surfaces, is typically recommended at least weekly. During periods of confirmed infectious illness in the facility, an enhanced disinfection clean should be conducted as promptly as possible. Your facility’s cleaning schedule should reflect the actual usage patterns and foot traffic of your specific service.

What cleaning records should a school or childcare facility keep?

Facilities should maintain a cleaning log that records who cleaned, what was cleaned, when, and with what products. This log should be accessible to regulatory inspectors on request. For childcare facilities regulated under the NQF, documented cleaning policies and completed cleaning logs form part of the Quality Area 2 evidence that regulators examine during service assessment. Contact Royce Cleaning to discuss how our services can support your compliance documentation requirements.