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National Reconciliation Week will be held from 27^th May to 3^rd June 2026. This year’s theme is – All In – a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day.

National Reconciliation Week provides us with a focused time to celebrate and strengthen the NQF requirements (see below) in practice. It is also a time to reflect and celebrate the work we do with children every day to embed and strengthen children’s understanding of diverse cultures and identities.

NQF Guiding Principles

• Valuing Indigenous Cultures: The NQF stipulates that Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are valued. Engaging with NRW demonstrates that the service values these cultures.

• Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity: The NQF requires that equity, inclusion, and diversity underpin all educational practices.
• Rights of the Child: The NQF asserts that the rights and best interests of the child are paramount, which includes the right to respectful education about diverse cultures and identities. 

National Quality Standard (NQS) Areas

• Quality Area 1 (Educational Program and Practice): Services are required to provide programs that suit children’s needs based on their culture, strengths, and identity. NRW provides opportunities for fostering understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, helping to combat biases.

• Quality Area 5 (Relationships with Children): Celebrating NRW helps to strengthen relationships within the community and supports the development of respectful relationships with First Nations people.
• Quality Area 6 (Collaborative Partnerships): Engaging in NRW helps build relationships with families and the community, which is crucial for building a reconciliation-aware environment. 

Specific Links to Learning Frameworks

• Cultural Competence: The EYLF requires educators to be culturally competent, which involves continuously developing their knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.
• Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs): The NQF framework encourages services to develop a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which offers a structured approach to embedding reconciliation through relationships, respect, and opportunities.