Staffing and qualifications

Early childhood education and care services must ensure staffing and governance and leadership requirements are met as part of their responsibility to provide quality and safe care to children.

Required roles

Approved providers of all services must have:

• a nominated supervisor(s) (PDF, 127KB) for the service
• an educational leader (PDF, 2.2MB) at the service
• sufficient staff to meet the minimum educator to child ratios for all services.

Approved providers of family day care servicesmust also have sufficient family day care coordinators available at any time the service is being offered.

Ratios and qualifications

Ratios

The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA)'s website outlines the minimum educator-to-child ratio requirements for early childhood education and care services and outside school hours care as set out under the National Quality Framework (NQF).

Qualifications

Approved providers of all services must ensure their service meets:

• minimum educator qualification requirements
• requirements for first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training
• requirements for child safety and child protection training

Centre-based service or family day care with children preschool age and under

View the NQF approved qualification list to check if your or your staff member’s qualification is sufficient to work at an early childhood education and care service. This includes international qualifications, however international job-seekers should contact ACECQA for more information.

If your early childhood qualification does not appear on the NQF approved list you may apply to ACECQA to have your early childhood qualification assessed for equivalence.

Early childhood teacher

In Queensland you need to complete your early childhood teacher (ECT) qualification to work as a qualified ECT. However, educators who are actively working towards an approved ECT level qualification may be counted as a certificate III level educator, diploma level educator or suitably qualified person whilst studying, depending on how much of the qualification they have completed.

ACECQA has approved a transitional measure which allows a person to be recognised as an equivalent early childhood teacher if they hold a primary teaching degree, teacher registration and an approved certificate III or higher early childhood qualification.

Teacher registration is not currently a requirement to work as an ECT in Queensland, however, some employers may require registration as part of employment. Queensland teacher registration is the responsibility of the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT).

Educational leader

The educational leader (PDF, 171KB) does not need a prescribed qualification, but they must be appropriately qualified and experienced for the role.

Approved providers should support the educational leader so that they can effectively lead the curriculum, mentor educators, and drive quality practice across the service. Find out more about this important role from ACECQA, with extensive resources including practical guidance, tools and examples across all service types.

Outside school hours care

Approved providers of out of school hours care services (OSHC) must ensure these services have:

• a minimum educator-to-child ratio of 1:15
• at least 1 educator who holds (or is working towards) an approved 2 year diploma level qualification or higher in a relevant area of study and is at the service either
  
• (if the service provides education and care for children over preschool age for at least 7 hours and 15 minutes a day) at least 7 hours and 15 minutes of that time or
• (otherwise) the entire time the service provides education and care for children over preschool age
• if the service has 30 or more children
• the above requirements
• at least 1 educator for every 30 children (or part thereof) who holds, or is working towards, at least an approved certificate III or 1 year qualification or higher in a relevant area of study.

OSHC grace period

There is a grace period for educators who are 18 years of age or older to start their qualification after they commence work in OSHC:

• Where an educator's position requires them to hold or be actively working towards a minimum 2-year relevant qualification, the educator has 6 months grace period.
• Where an educator's position requires them to hold or be actively working towards a minimum 1-year relevant qualification, the educator has 3 months grace period.

If your qualification does not appear on the approved OSHC qualification list, you may apply to ACECQA to have your qualification assessed.

Waivers

After all efforts have been made to meet the requirements of the National Law and National Regulations, approved providers who are having difficulty meeting operational requirements may apply for a waiver. Read more about temporary and service waivers.

Staff suitability requirements

Approved providers should have recruitment and o​ngoing employment processes to check that the person:

• holds a positive notice blue or exemption card
• is not a prohibited person
• has a valid qualification.

Resources

Careers

Read the department's careers page for more information about a career in early childhood, including more information on staff roles and qualifications. You can also learn more about becoming an early childhood teacher.

Policies and procedures

Ensure your staffing policies and procedures are adequate by reviewing ACECQA's staffing policy and procedure guidelines (PDF, 278KB).

Legislative requirements

Ensure you understand the staffing requirements of the National Law and National Regulations, in particular the offence provisions under part 6—operating an education and care service.