Which qualification code should I enrol in now?

CHC30125 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and CHC50125 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care are the current codes on training.gov.au. They supersede CHC30121 and CHC50121, which many providers were still delivering during the transition — check which version your RTO is enrolling you in.

Can I start work before I finish the certificate III?

Yes. The National Regulations allow educators who are actively working towards an approved qualification to count toward ratio, subject to conditions. You must still hold the required clearance for your state before your first shift.

Is outside school hours care different from long day care?

Yes. OSHC uses the My Time, Our Place framework, has its own ratio and qualification requirements, and ACECQA approves a broader range of qualifications for OSHC — including relevant diplomas in areas such as nursing, sport and recreation or behavioural science. The ANZSCO code for the role is 421114 Out of School Hours Care Worker.

Do I need my own working with children check in every state I work in?

Yes. The eight schemes are separate: a blue card in Queensland, a WWCC in NSW, a Working with Children Clearance in Victoria, a WWC Check in WA and SA, RWVP in Tasmania, WWVP registration in the ACT and an Ochre Card in the NT. They are not mutually recognised.

Which award covers me?

The Children's Services Award 2010 (MA000120) covers most educators in the early childhood education and care industry. Early childhood teachers employed in these services are generally covered by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 (MA000077).

Does my overseas qualification count?

Only if ACECQA has approved it. ACECQA publishes the approved qualifications list and assesses overseas qualifications for equivalence on application — you cannot rely on an overseas qualification being accepted without that assessment.

What does the National Quality Framework actually require of me?

That you hold or are working towards an approved qualification, that ratios are maintained, that your practice aligns to an approved learning framework, and that the service meets the National Quality Standard at assessment and rating. The regulatory authority in your state carries out that assessment.

Childcare and Outside School Hours Care jobs in Australia

Educators in long day care, family day care, preschool and outside school hours care plan and deliver play-based learning, supervise children and support their wellbeing and development. The work is governed by the National Quality Framework, which sets minimum qualifications, educator-to-child ratios and quality standards across every state and territory.

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Vacancies

Current vacancies

No childcare and outside school hours care roles are listed on Valont right now. Licensing and local context below still apply — this page updates when a matching role is published.

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Locations

Where we cover childcare and outside school hours care

AdelaideSA AlbanyWA Albury-WodongaNSW/VIC Alice SpringsNT ArmidaleNSW BairnsdaleVIC BallaratVIC Batemans BayNSW BathurstNSW BendigoVIC Blue MountainsNSW BrisbaneQLD Broken HillNSW BroomeWA BunburyWA BundabergQLD BurnieTAS BusseltonWA CairnsQLD CanberraACT Central CoastNSW Charters TowersQLD Coffs HarbourNSW DarwinNT DevonportTAS DubboNSW EchucaVIC EmeraldQLD GeelongVIC GeraldtonWA GladstoneQLD Gold CoastQLD GoulburnNSW GriffithNSW GympieQLD Hervey BayQLD HobartTAS HorshamVIC IpswichQLD KalgoorlieWA KarrathaWA LauncestonTAS LismoreNSW LoganQLD MackayQLD MandurahWA MaryboroughQLD MelbourneVIC MeltonVIC MilduraVIC Mount GambierSA Mount IsaQLD Murray BridgeSA NewcastleNSW NowraNSW OrangeNSW PerthWA Port HedlandWA Port LincolnSA Port MacquarieNSW QueanbeyanNSW RedlandsQLD RockhamptonQLD RomaQLD SaleVIC SheppartonVIC Sunshine CoastQLD SydneyNSW TamworthNSW TareeNSW ToowoombaQLD TownsvilleQLD TraralgonVIC Wagga WaggaNSW WangarattaVIC WarrnamboolVIC WarwickQLD WhyallaSA WollongongNSW

Licensing

Licensing by state

Educators are not individually licensed, but they are individually qualification-regulated. Under the National Quality Framework, educators must hold, or be actively working towards, an approved qualification published on the ACECQA approved qualifications list, and services must meet minimum ratios of certificate III and diploma qualified staff. Approval to operate a service and provider approval are issued by the regulatory authority in each state and territory, not by ACECQA. Separately, every educator must hold the child-related clearance for their state or territory, and these are genuinely different schemes with different names, terms and issuing bodies — a Queensland blue card does not cover you in Victoria. First aid, CPR, asthma and anaphylaxis certification is mandated by the National Regulations.

the Australian Capital Territory: Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) registration from Access Canberra under the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011. Services are regulated by Children's Education and Care Assurance within the ACT Education Directorate.
New South Wales: Working With Children Check (WWCC) clearance from the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian, valid five years, with the employer required to verify the number online before you start. Services are regulated by the NSW Department of Education's early childhood education directorate.
the Northern Territory: Working with Children Clearance (Ochre Card) through SAFE NT, valid two years — the shortest term in the country, so renew early. Services are regulated by the Quality Education and Care NT unit within the NT Department of Education and Training.
Queensland: Blue Card from Blue Card Services (Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety) is mandatory for every educator, with 'no card, no start' strictly enforced — you cannot commence before the card issues. Services are regulated by the Department of Education's Early Childhood Regulatory Authority. Registered teachers working in an early learning service need an exemption card rather than a blue card.
South Australia: Working with Children Check issued by the DHS Screening Unit, valid five years with continuous monitoring, plus Child Safe Environments training. Services are regulated by the SA Education Standards Board.
Tasmania: Registration to Work with Vulnerable People (RWVP) from Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS), Department of Justice, under the child-related category. Services are regulated by the Education and Care Unit within the Department for Education, Children and Young People.
Victoria: Working with Children Clearance issued under the Worker Screening Act 2020 by Working with Children Check Victoria (Department of Justice and Community Safety). Services are regulated by the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division of the Victorian Department of Education, and Victoria's Child Safe Standards apply to the service.
Western Australia: Working with Children (WWC) Check assessed by the WWC Screening Unit, Department of Communities. Services are regulated by the Education and Care Regulatory Unit within the WA Department of Communities.

Role

What the job involves

Plan and deliver play-based learning experiences aligned to the Early Years Learning Framework or My Time, Our Place
Supervise children actively and maintain educator-to-child ratios at all times
Observe and document each child's learning and development and share it with families
Support children's personal care — meals, rest, toileting, nappy changing and hygiene
Guide behaviour positively and support children's social and emotional skills
Build respectful daily relationships with families and communicate about their child's day
Maintain a safe environment, complete risk assessments and follow child protection and reporting duties
Contribute to the service's Quality Improvement Plan and assessment against the National Quality Standard

Training

Qualifications and training

CHC30125 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care — the current entry qualification, superseding CHC30121
CHC50125 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care — the current diploma, superseding CHC50121, and the qualification required of a service's educational leader and many room leaders
For outside school hours care, ACECQA approves a broader list of qualifications, so a relevant two-year diploma or higher in fields such as nursing, sport and recreation or behavioural science can also qualify
An approved first aid, CPR, asthma and anaphylaxis qualification is a legal requirement for at least one educator on duty and is required of most staff in practice
Child protection training is required and its content is set by state and territory legislation

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Play-based learning program planning and documentation · Active supervision and situational awareness · Positive behaviour guidance and emotional coaching · Communicating warmly and clearly with families, including about difficult topics · Knowledge of the National Quality Standard and approved learning frameworks · Child protection awareness and reporting obligations · First aid, CPR, asthma and anaphylaxis response · Physical stamina, patience and teamwork across a room or service

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about childcare and outside school hours care work in Australia.

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Sources

Childcare and Outside School Hours Care — occupation data · verified 2026-08-04. ABS ANZSCO 2022, Unit Group 4211 Child Carers (https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/anzsco-australian-and-new-zealand-standard-classification-occupations/2022/browse-classification/4/42/421/4211); training.gov.au CHC30125 (https://training.gov.au/training/details/CHC30125) and CHC50121/CHC50125 (https://training.gov.au/training/details/CHC50121); ACECQA approved qualifications (https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/nqf-approved) and Are you qualified? (https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications-0/are-you-qualified); Fair Work Ombudsman (https://awards.fairwork.gov.au/MA000120.html and https://awards.fairwork.gov.au/MA000077.html); Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections May 2024 – May 2034 (https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/employment-projections); Queensland Blue Card Services (https://www.qld.gov.au/law/laws-regulated-industries-and-accountability/queensland-laws-and-regulations/regulated-industries-and-licensing/blue-card); NSW Office of the Children's Guardian (https://ocg.nsw.gov.au/working-children-check); Working with Children Check Victoria (https://www.vic.gov.au/working-with-children-check); WA Department of Communities (https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/working-children-check); SA DHS Screening Unit (https://dhs.sa.gov.au/how-we-help/screening-and-background-checks); Tasmania CBOS (https://www.cbos.tas.gov.au/topics/licensing-and-registration/work-with-vulnerable-people); ACT Access Canberra WWVP (https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/business-and-work/working-with-vulnerable-people); SAFE NT (https://pfes.nt.gov.au/police/community-safety/safe-nt)

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