Aussie Childcare Network Forum

Hi,
I am a Diploma educator, am currently attaining my Bachelors in early Education (a bit over half way through) and have worked in child care approximately 9 years part and fulltime ranging from assistant educator to administration assistant to room leader. I attained my Diploma end of 2015, took 2016 off child care and have just come back this year as a 3-5s Room Leader. My employer pays me award 5.4 which from my understanding is above award wage for just a Room Leader. My responsibilities however consist of implementing an educational program, running staff meetings, liaising with the Director about staff rosters, discussing changes needing to be made with Educational Leader, making managerial decisions when approached for guidance by educational leader, ensuring policies are up to date, ensuring centre staff and family policies and procedures are thorough and adequate, distributing newsletters, and managing the day to day runnings of the centre. I'm of the belief that my responsibilities are more that of an Assistant Director/Coordinator. From the above description of my daily/weekly responsibilities are your thoughts similar?

Also, in your opinion should some of these responsibilities fall on the shoulders of the educational leader who is higher trained than me and receives a higher pay?

For Level 5 it sounds like your responsibilities are of an Assistant Director, which also includes the responsibilities of a Room Leader. So, basically, you are doing both, a room leader and an assistant director. In the Children's Services Award it states that:

Level 5 - This is an employee who has completed an AQF Level V Diploma in Children's Services or equivalent and is appointed as:

- Assistant Director of a service
- A Children's Services coordinator
- A Family Day Care coordinator
- A Family Day Care Trainee Supervisor or
- School Age Care coordinator
- An Assistant Director will also take on the same duties and perform the same tasks as a CSE Level 4.

Indicative duties:

- Co - ordinate and direct the activities of employees engaged in the implementation and evaluation of developmentally appropriate programs.
- Contribute, through the Director, to the development of the centre or service's policies.
- Co - ordinate centre or service operations including Occupational Health and Safety, program planning, staff training.
- Responsible for the day - to - day management of the centre or service in the temporary absence of the Director and for management and compliance with licensing and all statutory and quality assurance issues.
- Generally supervise all employees within the service.

In regards to the Educational Leader, their responsibility is to lead the development of educational programs in the service, so this includes making sure documentation and planning are in line with NQF requirements etc.

I think you are paid reasonably for your responsibilities and duties that you have listed above...

,
Lorina

Thanks! It's good to get a second opinion on t all. Thanks for your help