A few questions on new job?

[KayJane]

Hi guys! My name is Kay and I'm in my second year of my cert 3 course. I have just been offered a casual position in the centre that I have been completing my placement. I have a few questions about it though and they are; Since I'm not yet qualified and I'm only 17 will I be counted in the staff/child ratio? Will I still need supervision since I'm under 18? As a rough idea, what hourly rate will I be on? Can I work in outside school care when I receive my cert 3 qualification?
Thanks in advance
Kay

[Macoola]

Hello Kay I am in a simular situation to you. I just turned 18 but when I started work as a casual four months ago I was 17. I had completed my cert 3 and was half way through my Diploma. Now I am still working as a casual I am paid $23 an hour (I was paid this also when i was 17). Also you can be counted as ratio and do not have to be supervised as stated in legislation:

http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/sessi ... 11-653.pdf

Page 285 states:

312 Qualifications for educators
(1) All educators required to meet the relevant educator to child ratio during a rest period set out in regulation 310 must have attained the age of at least 17 years and hold or be actively working towards an approved certificate III level education and care qualification.

So I was counted at my centre in ratio and did not need to be supervised when I was 17.

Hope this helps
Macoola:)

[KayJane]

Thanks for your reply Macoola! The link is really useful, I'll see if I can hunt down the Qld version of it I suppose if 17 year olds didn't count towards the ratio then why would they employ them in the first place huh?
Kay

[Macoola]

Glad to help I had all the same questions when I was starting out and this website is so useful, so it's nice to be able to help someone else.

Macoola