Navigating Placement Boundaries in Early Childhood Education

Placements are designed to be safe, structured opportunities for students to learn, observe, and gradually build confidence in their professional practice. They are not employment contracts, nor should they be used to fill staffing gaps. When boundaries blur, students can feel pressured, undervalued, and even exploited. Understanding the difference between learning and labour is essential for both centres and students.

The Student Experience

A student on placement recently shared concerns after only five days at their centre. While placements are intended to be learning opportunities, the student reported:

Being left alone with children, despite not being counted in ratios.
Feeling treated like a regular staff member, rather than a learner.
Being asked to sign a casual employment contract with a start date overlapping their unpaid placement hours.
Requests to stay back beyond scheduled hours to cover staff shortages.
Being moved between rooms to cover staff absences, despite being placed in a specific age group.

Why This Is Problematic

Ratios and compliance: Students should never be counted in educator-to-child ratios. Doing so breaches regulatory requirements and compromises safety.
Unpaid labour: Expecting students to perform staff duties without pay blurs the line between placement and employment.
Contracts during placement: Overlapping placement and employment contracts can create confusion and potential exploitation.
Boundaries: Placement is about learning, not filling staffing gaps. Asking students to cover rooms or extend hours undermines their role as learners.

What NOT To Do With Students on Placement

Placements are learning opportunities, not free labour. To protect both students and children, centres must avoid the following practices:

Compliance & Safety

Do not count students in ratios. They are learners, not qualified staff.
Do not leave students alone with children. Supervision must always be by a qualified educator.
Do not assign students responsibility for rooms or groups. Their role is to observe and learn, not manage.

Employment Boundaries

Do not overlap placement with employment contracts. Students should not be treated as staff until placement is complete and paid work begins.
Do not expect unpaid labour. Students should never cover staff shortages or take on duties outside their learning scope.
Do not pressure students to extend hours. Placements must respect their study commitments and wellbeing.

Role Clarity

Do not move students between rooms to cover absences. Placement should be structured around a specific age group or learning focus.
Do not assign staff-level responsibilities. Students are there to learn under guidance, not to replace educators.
Do not blur mentoring with management. Students need coaching and reflection, not performance expectations.

Instead, Centres Should

Provide structured mentoring and guided practice.
Create a safe, supportive environment where students can ask questions and reflect.
Respect student boundaries and commitments.
Ensure placements are about learning, not labour.

Best Practice Guidance

For centres and students alike, clear boundaries are essential:

Students should:
- Know their rights: they are learners, not staff.
- Politely but firmly decline tasks that fall outside placement expectations.
- Seek support from their training provider if concerns persist.
Centres should:
- Ensure students are never left alone with children.
- Provide structured mentoring, not staff-level responsibilities.
- Avoid overlapping contracts until placement is complete.
- Respect students’ commitments outside placement hours.

This situation highlights the need for stronger safeguards around student placements in early childhood education. Placements should be spaces of growth, mentorship, and guided practice, not a way to patch staffing shortages. By maintaining clear boundaries, centres can protect students’ well-being while ensuring compliance and quality care for children.