Ratios for children under 3 yrs

[ozchez]

Hi all

Today one of my co-workers mentioned to me that she read in a document dated April 2018 that the ratios had changed for the under 3's. With the new ratio being 1:5. I told her that as far as I knew it hadn't changed and that it is still 1:4. Has anyone heard/read or been informed of any changes and where I could find some official document to show what the current ratios are.

This is some information that I found on https://www.education.vic.gov.au/childh ... atios.aspx website

Ratios by age group
0 to 35 months
Ratio: 1 educator to 4 children

Educator qualification requirements:
at least 50 per cent of required educators must have (or be enrolled in and studying towards) an approved diploma level qualification.

All other required educators must:
have (or be enrolled in and studying towards) an approved certificate III level (or above) qualification, and
have completed and passed their 3 month probationary period.

36 to preschool age
Ratio: 1 educator to 11 children

Educator qualification requirements:
At least 50 per cent of required educators must have (or be enrolled in and studying towards) an approved diploma level (or above) qualification.

All other required educators must:
have (or be enrolled in and studying towards) an approved certificate III level (or above) qualification, and
have completed and passed their 3 month probationary period.

Above preschool age
Ratio: 1 educator to 15 children

Educator qualification requirements:
At least 50 per cent of required educators must have (or be enrolled in and studying towards) an approved diploma level qualification which meets Victorian requirements for working with children over preschool age.

All other required educators must:
have (or be enrolled in and studying towards) an approved certificate III level (or above) qualification which meets Victorian requirements for working with children over preschool age, or
enrol in that qualification no more than 6 months after commencing work with children.

I also looked at this website: https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/educator-to-child-ratios which states the same.

Thanks
Cheryl

[Lorina]

Hi Cheryl,

As per Regulations:

Educator to child ratios—centre-based services

(1) The minimum number of educators required to educate and care for children at a centre-based service is to be calculated in accordance with the following ratios—
(a) for children from birth to 24 months of age—1 educator to 4 children;
(b) for children over 24 months and less than 36 months of age—1 educator to 5 children;
(c) for children aged 36 months of age or over (not including children over preschool age)—1 educator to 11 children;
(d) for children over preschool age, 1 educator to 15 children.
(2) If children being educated and cared for at a centre-based service are of mixed ages the minimum number of educators for the children must meet the requirements of subregulation (1) at all times.
(3) If an early childhood teacher is required under Division 5 to be in attendance at a centre-based service, subject to regulation 122 that teacher is counted as an educator at the service for the purposes of this regulation.
(4) If a centre-based service is required under regulation 130 or 131 to have access to an early childhood teacher for a period, subject to regulation 122 that teacher is counted as an educator at the service for the purposes of this regulation.
(5) In subregulations (1) and (2) a reference to children does not include a child who is, or 2 or more children from the same family who are, educated and cared for at a centre-based service in an emergency for a period of not more than 2 consecutive days on which the service operates.

Examples.
1 A child is determined to be in need of protection under a child protection order.
2 The parent of a child needs urgent health care that prevents them caring for the child.
(6) An approved provider of a centre-based service must not permit an additional child or additional children to be educated and cared for at the service in an emergency in the circumstances set out in subsection (5) unless the approved provider is satisfied on reasonable grounds that this will not affect the health, safety and wellbeing of all the children attending the service.

Hope this helps!

,
Lorina

[ozchez]

Thanks Lorina

I should have specified also that I am looking at the ratios for Victoria... what I found is that it is still 1:4 for under 3's and 1:11 for over 3's

Cheryl

[Lorina]

Hi Cheryl,

The links you have given above is from the Department of Education and Training Victoria and ACECQA, both those sources can be used as official documentation. As of now, I haven't heard or read any changes in the ratio. Before the new ratios came into effect for some states it was 1:5 and then changed to 1:4. I would recommend asking your co-worker to give you a copy of the information she found...

,
Lorina