With the impact of COVID -19 and well as shortages of ECT and qualified Educators, what do services do when an Educator is absent or when a temporary replacement of ECTs is required due to staff shortages or illness.  The following explains how to ensure staff ratios are compliant when an ECT is absent, no ECT is present at the service, an ECT has not completed their qualification and more. 

The Quality Support Program, Dual Program Pathways is a professional learning partnership between ACECQA and the NSW Department of Education as the NSW Regulatory Authority (RA) for children’s education and care services and providers. 

The Australian Government Department of Education has declared a period of emergency for families and early childhood services in 23 Local Government Areas in NSW plus Jervis Bay, which have been affected by severe weather, including flooding.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a virus that causes respiratory infections. NSW Health is currently seeing high numbers of cases in young children, especially in childcare centres.

In a Bluey first, Auslan was featured in a Bluey episode. Dougie’s conversation with his mother in Auslan is a critical part of the episode as it shows the power of natural communication between parent and child.

From 01 July, new Child Safe Standards commenced to better protect children and to provide more clarity for organisations. The eleven new Standards have replaced Victoria’s seven standards and principles.

The NSW Government will spend $281.6 million over the course of four years on a set of initiatives designed to increase the number of employees working in the early childhood education and care industry, keep on board current teachers and educators, and give current employees more opportunities to advance their careers.

With the joint commitment to overhaul early education in NSW and Victoria, the most significant issue that the sector currently faces is the lack of Early Childhood Educators.

The Budget has allocated to the early childhood industry a sizable $15.9 billion, which will be spent over a ten-year period, with initiatives announced in the 2022-23 Budget. This is being divided into two categories: those with a four-year period and those with a ten-year period.

For leaving a young child on a minibus outside a Townsville childcare centre last year, a lady was fined $1000 but avoided a criminal conviction.