Early childhood services in Australia that receive a ‘Working Towards’ quality rating are expected to engage in continuous quality improvement. This qualitative study investigated this expectation by exploring the experiences of educators in Working Towards services. The study implemented a social constructivist research design and involved interviews with educators from three Working Towards rated services. Data analysis sought to establish participants’ understanding of the National Quality Standard and their own provision of quality, and what factors within their service facilitated and limited this provision. Findings highlight educators’ varying understandings and interpretations of the National Quality Standard, and perceived barriers to quality improvement from both within and without their centres. The study contributes to the limited literature surrounding the experiences of educators in Working Towards services and poses implications for future policy and research.

在澳大利亚，获得“朝着努力”质量评级的幼儿服务有望持续改善质量。这项定性研究通过探索教育工作者在“迈向工作”服务方面的经验，调查了这种期望。该研究实施了一种社会建构主义的研究设计，并与来自三个“朝着工作迈进”评级服务机构的教育者进行了访谈。数据分析旨在建立参与者对国家质量标准及其自己的质量规定的理解，以及服务中哪些因素促进和限制了该规定。调查结果突显了教育工作者对国家质量标准的不同理解和解释，以及从中心内部和外部没有意识到的提高质量的障碍。