ACECQA Extends Requirement Of Persons Taken To Be ECT Until 2021

Regulation 242 - Persons taken to be an ECT, has been extended to 31 December 2021 in NSW, QLD, SA, ACT and TAS. This means an Educator who is actively working towards an approved early childhood teaching qualification and provides the approved provider with evidence that they have completed 50% of the course or holds an approved Diploma qualification can be taken as an ECT until 31 December 2021.

Please note:

None of these provisions applies in Victoria and Regulation 242 does not apply in NSW if you are working in a centre-based service educating and caring for 30 or more children preschool age or under.

In reference to the Education and Care Services National Regulations it states the following:

242 Persons taken to be early childhood teachers

(1) This regulation applies on and after 1 January 2014 and before 1 January 2020 (now extended in some States and Territories in Australia until 31 December 2021) to a participating jurisdiction other than Victoria.

(2) A relevant regulation applies to an education and care service as if a reference in regulations 130 to 134 to an early childhood teacher included a reference to a person who—

(a) is actively working towards an approved early childhood teaching qualification; and
(b) provides the approved provider with documentary evidence that—
(i) the person has completed at least 50 per cent of the course; or
(ii) holds an approved diploma level education and care qualification.

To ensure the consistent application of this requirement, governments also agreed to make a number of technical amendments to the National Regulations, for example including additional ‘suitably qualified person’ guidance in line with existing early childhood teacher guidance. These amendments will be made before the end of 2019.

Reference:
Education Council agrees to extend transitional workforce provisions, ACECQA Newsletter Issue 7 2019, 18 July 2019