The information on this page relates to the following services regulated under the National Quality Framework (NQF):
- Long day care
- Standalone kindergarten
- Family day care
- Outside School Hours Care (OSHC)
- Vacation care.
The information also relates to occasional care and limited hours services regulated under the Children’s Services Act (CS Act).
Educational qualifications – National Quality Framework (NQF)
The NQF sets out the minimum qualifications for educators required to meet the educator to child ratios.
Read Qualification requirements to find detailed information about the following topics:
- the qualification requirements for each education and care setting (including school aged care)
- the meaning of ‘actively working towards a qualification’
- recognition as a ‘suitably qualified person’
- recognition as an ‘equivalent early childhood teacher’.
For information about ECT requirements see: Early childhood teacher requirements.
Educational qualifications – limited hours and occasional care services (CS Act)
Limited hours services
All educators educating and caring for children must have completed at least an approved Certificate III level Education and Care qualification.
Occasional care services
Of the educators required to meet the educator to child ratio:
- at least 50% of the educators must have, or be actively working towards, an approved diploma level education and care qualification
- all other educators required to meet the required educator to child ratio must hold, or be actively working towards, at least an approved Certificate III qualification.
Read more about children’s services regulated under the CS Act.
Short-term relief of educators at centre-based services
All centre-based services can now replace educators who are absent or have resigned, on a short-term basis.
From 2 April 2024 this included all services regulated under the NQF as well as occasional care, limited hours and other children’s services regulated under the CS Act.
Services can replace Certificate III or Diploma qualified educators (and those ‘actively working towards’ one of these qualifications) that are required to meet the educator to child ratios for the following reasons:
- short-term illness
- leave
- attendance at a practicum placement for a higher approved qualification, or
- resignation.
These educator roles can be replaced:
- by a person who holds a primary teaching qualification
- for up to 30 days in any 12 month period (per role) for a full-time educator, or
- where the educator is part-time the days are calculated on a pro rata basis.
For a full-time educator, these roles can be replaced by a person who holds a primary teaching qualification for up to 30 days in any 12-month period (per role). Where the educator is part-time, the days are calculated on a pro-rata basis.
The 12-month period is not based on a calendar year or any other set date. The days are counted by looking at the 12-month period immediately before the role is replaced.
For example: Elly, a full-time educator with a Certificate III, is ill on 15 August 2023.
- Before the service can replace Elly’s role, it must check its records and count how many days her role has been replaced by a primary school teacher in the previous 12-month period (i.e. between 14 August 2022 and 14 August 2023)
- If Elly’s role has been replaced for fewer than 30 days, the service can replace her with an educator that holds primary teaching qualification.
The replacement person can be counted in the relevant educator to child ratio if they are working directly with children.
For more information, read the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)’s information sheet: Short-term relief of educators at centre-based services.
Practicum placements
The practicum placement can be at another service or at the same service where the educator usually works. If it is at the same service, the short-term relief backfill provisions apply when the educator is absent from their normal role.
For example, a Diploma-qualified educator who normally works with children aged from birth to 3 years undertakes practicum towards an ECT qualification in the same service’s kindergarten session.
Record keeping requirements
Services must keep a record of when educators are replaced. The record must include:
- the name of the person being replaced
- the role being replaced (e.g. Certificate III, Diploma level educator)
- the qualification of the person replacing the role
- the dates the person was replaced
- the reason for the absence (short-term illness, leave, attendance at a practicum placement for an approved qualification or resignation).
Read about short-term staffing relief for early childhood teachers (ECTs).
Check if your qualification is approved
Check whether your qualification is approved using ACECQA’s Qualifications checker.
Approved qualifications for the NQF are also approved for services regulated under the CS Act.
If your qualification is not listed, you can apply to ACECQA to have your qualifications assessed for equivalence:
First aid, anaphylaxis and asthma management training
Read about first aid, anaphylaxis and asthma management training and qualifications requirements for services.
Workforce initiatives to support upskilling
The department provides a range of funding and career support, and professional development.
For more information, read: Training and support for early childhood professionals.
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