Additional ECT Staffing Requirements Now In Place

From today,01 January 2020, providers of long daycare services and preschools/kindergartens will need to have a second early childhood teacher or, alternatively, a ‘suitably qualified person’ when 60 or more children preschool age or under are being educated and cared for.

 Recognition as a ‘suitably qualified person’

In October 2018, ACECQA determined the following qualifications are required for a ‘suitably qualified person’:

An individual who is ‘actively working towards’ (see Regulation 10 of the National Regulations) an approved early childhood teaching qualification AND has completed at least 50 per cent of the qualification or holds an approved early childhood education and care diploma OR
An individual who is registered (accredited in New South Wales) as a primary or secondary school teacher in Australia AND holds an ACECQA approved early childhood education and care diploma (or higher approved qualification)

As per Regulation 133 and 134 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations

For services that provide education and care to 60 or more children preschool age or under but not more than 80 on a given day, the second ECT or suitably qualified person must be:

• in attendance for at least 3 hours on that day, if the service operates for 50 or more hours a week
• in attendance for 30% of the operating hours of the service on that day if the service operates for less than 50 hours
• OR, if the service already employs a full-time or full-time equivalent second ECT or suitably qualified person, be employed for half of the full-time equivalent hours of the service.

For services that provide education and care to 80 or more children preschool age or under on a given day, the second ECT or suitably qualified person must be: 

• in attendance for at least 6 hours on that day, if the service operates for 50 or more hours a week
• in attendance for 60% of the operating hours of the service on that day, if the service operates for less than 50 hours
• OR, if the service already employs a full-time or full-time equivalent second ECT or suitably qualified person, be employed full-time.

Please note that a ‘suitably qualified person’ can be counted towards educator to child ratios when working directly with children, in the same way, that an ECT can.

Services located in NSW are unaffected by these changes, as additional ECT staffing requirements have been in place for several years.

For more information: ACECQA