In early childhood services across Australia, educators are often expected to stay beyond their rostered hours to complete tasks—cleaning, documentation, ratio coverage, or closing duties. But when this extra time goes unpaid, it’s not just unfair—it may be unlawful.

In early childhood education, two terms often surface in compliance conversations: active supervision and in ratio. While both are essential to child safety and regulatory integrity, they serve distinct purposes—and conflating them can lead to serious oversights in practice. Let’s unpack each concept, then explore how they play out in real-world settings.

A: Legally, yes—an educator is considered “in ratio” as long as they are physically present and supervising the required number of children according to the age-based ratios set by the National Quality Framework (NQF). But practically? That’s where the system starts to unravel.

With new child safety regulations having just come into effect, here’s a sector-responsive list of Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) priorities that services across Australia should consider updating immediately. These priorities align with the National Quality Standard (NQS), recent regulatory changes, and sector best practice.

In early childhood settings, food safety isn’t just a regulatory checkbox—it’s a daily responsibility tied to children’s wellbeing. Whether you're preparing snacks, managing mealtimes, or supporting nutrition education, having a valid food handling certificate is essential. This guide consolidates the most widely recommended options from sector peers across Australia, saving you time and stress.

In early childhood education across Australia, the question of whether educators can refuse to work alone is no longer hypothetical—it’s urgent. With rising behavioural complexities, mounting workloads, and increasing safety concerns, educators are asking, "Do I have the right to say no?" The answer is layered, but powerful: Yes, you do have a leg to stand on. And it’s time we stood together.

Father’s Day offers a chance to celebrate love, care, and connection—but for children without fathers, it can also be a sensitive time. In early childhood settings, educators have a responsibility to ensure that celebrations are inclusive, emotionally safe, and reflective of diverse family structures.

Across the early childhood education and care sector, educators are sounding the alarm: current staffing ratios are insufficient to deliver safe, meaningful, and developmentally appropriate care. While recent reforms have focused on mobile phone bans and child safety protocols, many in the sector argue that these measures overlook a deeper structural issue—chronic understaffing driven by profit-based ratio models.

As national reforms tighten mobile phone use in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings across Australia, educators are asking, "Why not apply similar protections in primary and secondary schools?"

Using blurbs with wall displays in early childhood settings offers a powerful blend of pedagogical value, family engagement, and professional reflection. The following provides blurbs for a variety of activities. Each one is designed to celebrate children's learning, link to EYLF outcomes, and bring warmth and meaning to your wall displays.