Content
Early Childhood Teaching Qualifications
PLEASE NOTE: these lists are subject to change.
Approved early childhood teaching qualifications PDF I CSV
Former approved early childhood teaching qualifications PDF I CSV
CSV versions have been made available. We suggest that you right click on the link and open it with Excel to format and save the data as required.
Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations ACECQA must publish lists of approved qualifications, including lists of approved early childhood teaching qualifications.
The lists of approved early childhood teaching qualifications replace the current state and territory lists of qualifications from 1 January 2012.
A person who holds a qualification on the list of approved early childhood teaching qualifications is an early childhood teacher for the purposes of the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations.
A person who holds a qualification on the list of former approved early childhood teaching qualifications is an early childhood teacher for the purposes of the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations, if they obtained that qualification on or before 31 December 2011.
Also, a person who was enrolled on 31 December 2011 in a course for a qualification that is published in the list of former approved early childhood teacher qualifications is taken to hold an approved early childhood teaching qualification when they complete that qualification.
Please note, teacher registration requirements may apply in your state or territory.
Most qualification requirements are set out in part 4.4 of the National Regulations. Please be aware that many states and territories have saving and transitional provisions which affect qualification requirements – those provisions are included in chapter 7 of the National Regulations. If you have enquiries about state or territory specific saving and transitional provisions, please contact your regulatory authority.
A summary of the early childhood teacher requirements for centre-based services educating and caring for children preschool age or under is set out below:
|
Number of children |
Early childhood teacher requirement |
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Fewer than 25 approved places at the service or |
From 1 Jan 2014 in all states and territories |
|
At least 20 per cent of the time that the service provides education and care, the service must have access to an early childhood teacher working with the service. |
|
| 25 to 59 children in attendance on any given day |
From 1 Jan 2014 in all states and territories |
|
If a service operates for 50 or more hours a week, an early childhood teacher must be in attendance at the service for six hours on the given day. If a service operates for less than 50 hours a week, an early childhood teacher must be in attendance for 60 per cent of the operating hours of the service on the given day. These requirements do not apply if the service has 25‑29 approved places, and employs or engages a full time or full time equivalent early childhood teacher at the service. |
|
| 60-80 children in attendance on any given day |
From 1 Jan 2014 in VIC, QLD, SA, TAS, ACT, NT |
|
If a service operates for 50 or more hours a week, an early childhood teacher must be in attendance at the service for six hours on the given day. If a service operates for less than 50 hours a week, an early childhood teacher must be in attendance for 60% of the operating hours of the service on the given day. These requirements do not apply if the service has 60 to 80 approved places, and employs or engages a full time or full time equivalent early childhood teacher at the service. |
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|
From 1 Jan 2020 in VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT, NT |
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If a service operates for 50 or more hours a week, an early childhood teacher must be in attendance at the service for six hours on the given day, and second early childhood teacher or suitably qualified person must be in attendance at the service for at least three hours on the given day. If a service operates for less than 50 hours a week, an early childhood teacher must be in attendance for 60 per cent of the operating hours of the service on the given day, and a second early childhood teacher or suitably qualified person must be in attendance for at least 30 per cent of the operating hours on These requirements do not apply if the service has 60 to 80 approved places, and employs or engages a full time or full |
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| More than 80 children in attendance on any given day |
From 1 Jan 2014 in VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT, NT |
|
If a service operates for 50 or more hours a week, an early childhood teacher must be in attendance at the service for six hours on the given day. If a service operates for less than 50 hours a week, an early childhood teacher must be in attendance for 60 per cent of the operating hours of the service on the given day. These requirements do not apply if the service has more than 80 approved places, and employs or engages a full time or full time equivalent early childhood teacher at the service. |
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| From 1 Jan 2020 in VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT, NT Saving provision applies in NSW* |
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If a service operates for 50 or more hours a week, an early childhood teacher must be in attendance at the service for six hours on the given day, and a second early childhood teacher or suitably qualified person must be in attendance at the service for at least six hours on the given day. If a service operates for less than 50 hours a week, an early childhood teacher must be in attendance for 60 per cent of the operating hours of the service on the given day, and a second early childhood teacher or suitably qualified person must be in attendance for at least 60 per cent of the operating hours on These requirements do not apply if the service has more than 80 approved places, and employs or engages a full time or full time equivalent early childhood teacher at the service, and employs or engages a second full time or full time equivalent early childhood teacher or suitably qualified person at the service. |
*See Regulation 272.