National Quality Framework
Early Childhood Teacher
Requirements for Funded
Kindergarten Programs
Fact Sheet | January 2014
The information in this fact sheet outlines the qualification requirements for early childhood teachers in Victoria as they apply to:

The Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 (National Regulations); and

Education and care services in receipt of kindergarten funding.
Early childhood teacher requirements in the National Regulations1
From 1 January 2014, centre-based services operating under the National Quality Framework and providing education and care
to children preschool age or under must have access to an early childhood qualified teacher or have an early childhood teacher
in attendance at the service (regulations 130 to 134). A service that employs or engages a full-time or full-time equivalent early
childhood teacher is taken to comply with this requirement (regulations 132(2), 133(2), 134(2)).
Further information about the early childhood teacher requirements can be found in the Early Childhood Teacher fact sheet at
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation/Pages/nqffactsheets.aspx.
Qualifications
An early childhood teacher is a person who:
a.
holds an approved or former approved early childhood teaching qualification or qualification assessed by the Australian
Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) as equivalent to an early childhood teaching qualification
(regulations 137(1)(a), 137(3) and 241(1)(b));
b.
between 1 January 2014 and 1 January 2016, is actively working towards an approved early childhood teaching
qualification and can provide evidence to the approved provider that they have completed 50 per cent of the course or
hold a diploma level education and care qualification (regulation 242);
c.
holds a primary teaching qualification that includes at least a focus on children aged 5 to 8 years old (e.g. a qualification
with a focus on children aged 3 to 8 or 5 to 12) and has Australian teacher registration or accreditation and has an
approved diploma level education and care qualification; or
d.
meets any of the other circumstances that are outlined in regulation 241. (If you believe that any of these circumstances
apply to an educator at your service please contact the Department for further information. The Department’s contact
details are at the end of the fact sheet.)
Counting the early childhood teacher in the diploma qualified educator to child ratios
There are many ways the service can meet the requirement to have an early childhood teacher in attendance at the service
(regulation 11). To be included in the diploma qualified educator to child ratios the early childhood teacher must be working
directly with the children. If the teacher is absent due to short term illness or leave, they can be replaced by a person who holds
an approved diploma level qualification or primary teaching qualification for no more than 12 weeks (regulation 135)2.
However, as primary teaching is not an approved qualification for working with children under preschool age this person cannot
be counted in the diploma qualified ratios3. Any service wishing to replace the early childhood teacher with a person with a
primary teaching qualification will need to apply for a waiver from the early childhood teaching requirements of regulations
132(1), 133(1) or 134(1).
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These requirements do not apply to centre-based services where the main purpose is to provide education and care to children over preschool age (regulation 129(2)).
This provision only applies to services that have an early childhood teacher in attendance under regulations 132(1), 133(1) and 134(1).
Unless the person meets the requirements of point c above.
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In addition to regulatory requirements, education and care services providing a funded kindergarten program must
also meet the relevant eligibility criteria and operational requirements for kindergarten funding.
Early childhood teacher requirements for funded kindergarten programs
In order to receive kindergarten funding from the Victorian Government, services must meet eligibility criteria and operational
requirements in addition to regulatory requirements. Services that receive kindergarten funding must have a qualified early
childhood teacher to plan and deliver the funded program. The early childhood teacher qualification requirements may differ
between the National Regulations and the kindergarten funding criteria. Before appointing a person to the position of early
childhood teacher services must ensure that the person meets the relevant early childhood teacher qualification requirements
under the National Regulations and kindergarten funding criteria.
For the purposes of kindergarten funding, a qualified early childhood teacher is a person who:
a.
holds an approved or former approved early childhood teaching qualification or qualification assessed by ACECQA as
equivalent to an early childhood teaching qualification (regulations 137(1)(a), 137(3) and 241(1)(b));
b.
holds a primary teaching qualification that includes at least a focus on children aged 5 to 8 years old (e.g. a
qualification with a focus on children aged 3 to 8 or 5 to 12) and has Australian teacher registration or accreditation and
has an approved diploma level education and care qualification; or
c.
meets any of the other circumstances that are outlined in regulation 241. (If you believe that any of these
circumstances apply to an educator at your service please contact the Department for further information. The
Department’s contact details are at the end of the fact sheet.)
Note: For the purposes of kindergarten funding, persons actively working towards an approved early childhood
teaching qualification, holding an approved diploma level education and care qualification or a primary teaching
qualification (other than under the qualifications requirements above) are not recognised as qualified early childhood
teachers.
A funded kindergarten program must be delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher for 15 hours a week (or 600 hours per
year). Services offering a funded kindergarten program should contact their regional office of the Department immediately if for
any period of time the funded program will not be delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher as defined above. A waiver
from the qualifications requirements of the National Regulations may also be required.
Approved early childhood teaching qualifications
ACECQA publishes the qualifications that have been approved for the purposes of the National Law on their website.
This list includes the qualifications that are approved for early childhood teachers, diploma level qualified educators and
certificate level qualified educators.
If the educator’s qualification is not on the approved or former approved qualifications lists refer to the Educator to child ratios
and
qualifications
fact
sheet
at
www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation/Pages/nqffactsheets.aspx
for
information about the assessment of qualifications by ACECQA (see under ‘approved qualifications’).
Waivers from the National Regulations
If a service is unable to meet the early childhood teaching requirements or the diploma level qualified educator to child ratios the
approved provider may apply for a waiver under section 94 (temporary waiver) of the Education and Care Services National Law
Act 2010. The service’s compliance with all other requirements of the National Quality Framework is taken into
consideration when assessing the application.
Further information can be found in the waivers fact sheets at
www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation/Pages/nqffactsheets.aspx.
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Further information about the National Regulations
The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority is the national, independent statutory authority
governing the National Quality Framework.
Phone: 1300 422 327
Email: enquiries@acecqa.gov.au
Web: www.acecqa.gov.au
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is the Regulatory Authority in Victoria.
Phone: 1300 307 415
Email: licensed.childrens.services@edumail.vic.gov.au
Web: www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/regulation
Further information about kindergarten funding
The Kindergarten Guide 2013 provides detailed information about types of kindergarten funding available, eligibility
criteria and operational requirements for funded service providers and is available on the Department of Education and
Early Childhood Development website:
www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/providers/funding/Pages/kinderfundingcriteria.aspx
The Manager Performance and Planning Advisers at the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
regional offices can provide further information and answer queries about kindergarten funding.
For a list of the Department’s regional offices, see: www.education.vic.gov.au/about/contact/Pages/regions.aspx.
Services operating under the Children’s Services Act 1996 (Victorian Law)
If your service is operating under the Victorian children’s services legisl ation you may contact:

The Regulatory Authority in Victoria for advice regarding regulatory requirements; or

The relevant Manager Performance and Planning Adviser for advice regarding kindergarten funding.
For contact details see above.
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Early childhood teacher qualifications checklist
Qualification
Meets the ECT
requirements
(National Regulations)
Meets the ECT
requirements
(Kindergarten Funding)
Holds an approved early childhood teaching
qualification or qualification assessed by ACECQA
as equivalent to an early childhood teaching
qualification (regulations 137(1)(a) and 137(3));


Between 1 January 2014 and 1 January 2016, is
actively working towards an approved early
childhood teaching qualification and can provide
evidence to the approved provider that they have
completed 50 per cent of the course or hold a
diploma level education and care qualification
(regulation 242).

×
Is actively working towards an approved early
childhood teaching qualification and can provide
evidence to the approved provider that they have
completed 30 per cent of the course.
×
×
Holds a primary teaching qualification that includes
at least a focus on children aged 5 to 8 years old
(e.g. a qualification with a focus on children aged 3
to 8 or 5 to 12) and has Australian teacher
registration or accreditation and has an approved
diploma level education and care qualification for
working with children preschool age or less.


Holds a primary teaching qualification and is
replacing the early childhood teacher at the service
for no more than 12 weeks due to short-term leave
or illness.


Holds an approved diploma level teaching
qualification and is replacing the early childhood
teacher at the service for no more than 12 weeks
due to short-term leave or illness.

×
Meets any of the other circumstances that are
outlined in regulation 241.
Can be counted in the
diploma level qualified
educator to child ratios
(National Regulations)

(The educator must be working
directly with children.)

(The educator must be working
directly with children.)

(The educator must be working
directly with children.)

(The educator must be working
directly with children.)
×

(The educator must be working
directly with children.)
If you believe that any of these circumstances apply to an educator at your service
please contact the Department for further information.
Note: If the educator’s qualification does not meet the requirements of the National Regulations or Kindergarten Funding
Criteria in the table above please refer to the Early childhood teacher requirements in the National Regulations and Early
childhood teacher requirements for funded kindergarten programs sections of the fact sheet for further information.
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