Staff are required to hold both educational and first aid qualifications. When recruiting, it's important to check that applicants hold valid qualifications.
When staff provide their qualifications, how closely do you look at them to see if they appear legitimate?
Paying close attention to the details on each qualification might give you clues that they aren't authentic.
The Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (Regulatory Authority) has seen copies of qualifications from approved providers that appear to be fake because words were spelt incorrectly, there were formatting inconsistencies, the issuer was not a registered training organisation (RTO), the QR code gives a different person's details, and variations in the 'look' of certificates issued by the same RTO.
While these are likely red flags to make you suspect that the qualification is fake, you need to take steps to ensure that all qualifications are valid—regardless of how they initially appear.
Find out how to check that a qualification is valid, and view examples of fraudulent qualifications, on our
recruitment page.
Your process should also include checking the qualification is an
approved qualification listed on the ACECQA website. The Regulatory Authority is aware that there is an overseas diploma qualification that takes a couple of weeks to complete; a check of ACECQA's website would confirm that this diploma is not an approved qualification.
More information
Keep abreast of ASQA's regulatory actions by regularly checking the
ASQA website as well as reading our
regulatory bulletins.
If you have concerns about an RTO, or the qualifications of an educator, contact ASQA on 1300 701 801 or
submit a report online.
Find out more about our
staffing regulatory priority so that you have robust screening processes in place to ensure all staff are appropriately qualified because they hold valid educational and first aid qualifications which are on the
ACECQA's approved list.