About the Survey

True North's Registration Readiness Survey (RR Survey) helps ECD centre principals self-assess against the Department of Basic Education (DBE) 2026 Partial Care Registration Framework. It is lightweight and uses very little data. It does not replace the ECARES system. It takes you through a series of YES / NO questions and produces a report at the end showing how your centre performs against Bronze, Silver and Gold registration requirements. The User Manual explains the RR Survey in more detail and what to expect when you complete the survey.

Why use the Registration Readiness Survey?

The RR Survey contains our interpretation of the registration requirements and are grouped the requirements into three registration tiers, Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Each tier builds on the one before it. Bronze covers the most essential safety and operational requirements. Silver adds structure, policies and health standards. Gold requires the highest level of facilities, qualifications and documentation.

Every question also shows a small note in italic text next to the question. This tells you how the requirement will be assessed during a formal DBE inspection. The assessment methods are:
Observation - The inspector will physically look for this during the site visit.

Document check - You will need to show a document, register or record as evidence.

Pre-submitted document - This document must be uploaded on the ECARES system before the DBE inspection.

Ask the Principal - The inspector will ask you directly during the visit.

Using the RR Survey

When you open the survey, you will see the Centre Details screen. This is where you enter information about your centre before the questions begin. Complete each field as described below.

ELP Name - Enter the full name of your ECD centre exactly as it is registered or known.

Community Based Organisation - Select your community partner organisation from the dropdown list. Your CBO is the organisation that supports and works with your ECD centre. If your support organisation is not listed, or you do not have a CBO, select “No CBO”. Please note that is you select a CBO from the list a copy of you responses will be sent to that CBO.

Principal Full Name - Enter the full name of the principal completing the survey. This appears on the report.

Email Address (optional) - Enter the principal’s email address if you would like to receive a copy of the report by email. This field is optional but strongly recommended.

Date of Assessment - Select the date on which the survey is being completed.

Completion report
On completing the survey, a report will be displayed on your screen detailing where you likely stand in regards to registration. If you included your email address at the beginning of the survey the report will be emailed to you.
If you wish to save the report from your screen use the “Save / Print Report” button at the bottom of the report screen to save a copy as a PDF or print it. In most browsers and email clients, select “Save as PDF” from the print dialog.

Please Note: 

  • Saving progress - this survey does not require an account to access it and thus progress cannot be saved. It is recommended to set aside an hour to complete it from start to finish. There is no limit on the number of surveys you take.
  • Support - If this page, and the manual have not helped please consider contacting our office using details listed at the bottom of this page.
  • Privacy - This survey collects minimal private information except for your Name, ELP Name and your email address. The survey responses are stored securely and may be seen by True North Consulting and your chosen CBO partner. Results may be used for reporting and statistical purposes. Your information will not be shared beyond True North and your selected community partner. For further details, please visit the True North Privacy Policy.
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