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Whether you're looking for your first casual shift, stepping into a room leader role, or working towards becoming an Early Childhood Teacher — this guide covers every document you need to work in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia. We include the correct course codes, where to get each document, how long they're valid, and state-specific links for NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and ACT.
- What roles can you apply for? (Cert III → ECT)
- Working with Children Check (WWCC) — all states
- Qualification or proof of enrolment
- Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education
- Working towards ECT
- Teacher registration — all states
- Resume / CV
- USI transcript
- First Aid — HLTAID012
- CPR — HLTAID009
- Child Protection course — CHCPRT025
- Geccko Child Safety Training (mandatory from 2026)
- Food Handling Certificate
- State-by-state compliance links
- Quick reference table
- Frequently asked questions
What roles can you apply for?
Your qualification level determines which childcare roles you're eligible for. Here's a clear breakdown so you know exactly where you stand — and what you're working towards.
If you hold a Certificate III and are actively enrolled in your Diploma, you can apply for casual and assistant educator roles immediately. Once you complete your Diploma, you become eligible for lead educator and room leader positions — a significant increase in both responsibility and pay rate.
1. Working with Children Check (WWCC) — all states
Working with Children Check / Screening Check
A WWCC (or state equivalent) is the single most fundamental requirement for anyone working with children in Australia. Without it, no childcare centre can legally have you on site. You must apply for an employee check (not a volunteer check) if you are paid for your work — including casual shifts.
- Valid for 5 years — continuous background monitoring runs for the full validity period
- You'll need proof-of-identity documents and may need to verify in person
- Allow up to 4 weeks for processing — apply before you start your job search
2. Qualification or proof of enrolment
To work as an educator in an ECEC service, you need a nationally recognised qualification issued by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) listed on training.gov.au, or a higher education provider registered with TEQSA.
Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
CHC30121 — Certificate III in ECEC
The minimum qualification to work as a casual or assistant educator in a childcare centre. This is the entry point for most people entering the ECEC sector.
- Must be issued by an active, registered RTO
- Unlocks: casual educator, assistant educator roles
Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
CHC50121 — Diploma of ECEC
Required for lead educator, room leader and educational leader positions. This is the most versatile qualification in the sector — Diploma holders are eligible for every educator role below ECT level.
- Must be from an active, registered RTO
- Unlocks: assistant educator, lead educator, room leader, educational leader
Early Childhood Teacher (ECT) — Bachelor's degree or above
Early Childhood Teacher qualification
Required to meet the Early Childhood Teacher ratio under the National Quality Framework. ECTs must hold an ACECQA-approved qualification and current teacher registration in their state (see Section 6).
- Approved qualifications include a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood), Bachelor of Early Childhood, or a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education (For some providers only)
- Check your qualification is listed on the ACECQA approved qualifications list
Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education
A Graduate Diploma sits between a Diploma and a full Bachelor's degree. If you already hold a Diploma of ECEC and have significant industry experience, or hold a bachelor's degree in another field, the Graduate Diploma provides a faster pathway to become a registered Early Childhood Teacher.
Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education
The Graduate Diploma is a university-level qualification that qualifies you to register as an Early Childhood Teacher (ECT). Unlike the Diploma of ECEC (which is a VET qualification), the Graduate Diploma is a higher education qualification and leads directly to ECT registration.
Key details
- Duration: typically 1 year full-time (or 2 years part-time)
- Entry requirements: a completed bachelor's degree in any field, OR a Diploma of ECEC plus at least 5 years of relevant industry experience (entry pathways vary by provider)
- Includes: a minimum of 60 days supervised professional experience (placement) in an ECEC setting
- Outcome: qualifies you to apply for teacher registration in your state and be employed as an ECT
- Must be ACECQA-accredited to count towards ECT ratios under the NQF
Important: only a few providers offer this
Not many universities offer the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education. If you are a Diploma holder looking to upskill to ECT, check with these providers:
Always confirm your chosen course is listed on the ACECQA approved qualifications list before enrolling.
If you are currently enrolled in a Certificate III or Diploma, you can apply for casual and assistant educator roles now. You'll need a current enrolment letter or transcript from your RTO confirming active enrolment and course progress. Your RTO must be listed on training.gov.au.
3. Working towards ECT
"Working Towards" an Early Childhood Teacher qualification
Under Regulation 242 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations, a person who is actively studying an approved ECT qualification can be counted as "working towards" the ECT requirement for staffing ratio purposes. This means services can employ you in an ECT-counted position while you complete your studies.
Who qualifies?
- You must be actively enrolled in an ACECQA-approved bachelor's degree or Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education
- Your course must be listed on the ACECQA approved qualifications list
- You must be making satisfactory progress in your studies
Documents you need to provide
- Current enrolment confirmation letter from your university, showing the course name, expected completion date, and that you are actively enrolled
- Academic transcript showing your progress and units completed
While "working towards" status lets you be counted for ECT ratios, you cannot be the solely responsible ECT in a room until you have completed your qualification and obtained teacher registration. A fully qualified ECT must also be available at the service.
4. Teacher registration — all states
State teacher registration (ECTs only)
If you hold an ECT qualification (Bachelor's degree or Graduate Diploma), you must register with the teacher registration authority in the state or territory where you work. Registration confirms you meet professional teaching standards and are approved to work as an ECT.
In NSW, QuickCare requires ECTs to provide their Teacher Summary Report downloaded from the NESA eTAMS portal. For all other states, provide your teacher registration card or certificate.
5. Resume / CV
Current professional resume
A current, professional resume is required for all applications through QuickCare. Your resume should include:
- Work history, including all childcare and education-related experience
- Qualification details and RTO or university name
- At least two professional references (preferably from childcare settings)
- Any professional development completed in the past two years
- For casual educators: list any agencies, relief roles or flexible experience
6. USI transcript
Unique Student Identifier (USI) transcript
Your USI is linked to every nationally recognised training qualification you've completed in Australia since 2015. A USI transcript is an official, government-authenticated record of your qualifications — and is the fastest way for employers to verify them.
- Download your transcript for free at the USI Student Portal
- If your qualification doesn't appear, contact your RTO — RTOs submit records on a quarterly or annual basis
7. First Aid certificate — HLTAID012
Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting
All educators — including casual educators on day-to-day relief — must hold a current first aid certificate specific to education and care settings. Note that the CPR component (HLTAID009) within this certificate must be renewed every 12 months — see Section 9 below.
- Must be issued by a Registered Training Organisation (RTO)
- In-person practical component required — online-only is not sufficient
- Check the course code is HLTAID012 (not an older code)
Where to get it
8. CPR certificate — HLTAID009
Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
CPR must be renewed every year per Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines — even if your First Aid certificate (HLTAID012) is still current. This applies to all educators including casuals.
- Can be completed as a short standalone practical session (typically 2–3 hours)
- Must be issued by an RTO
- Set a calendar reminder — an expired CPR is the most common reason applications are delayed
Where to get it
9. Child Protection course — CHCPRT025
Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Under Section 162A of the Children (Education and Care Services) National Law, child protection training is mandatory for nominated supervisors and persons in day-to-day charge. QuickCare requires all educators — including casual and assistant educators — to hold this certificate.
- Must be completed through an RTO — internal or in-house training is not sufficient for Section 162A compliance
- Available online and self-paced, typically 5–6 hours
- CHCPRT001 is still accepted if previously completed; CHCPRT025 is the current approved course
Child Protection refresher (every 12 months)
If more than 12 months have passed since you completed your full CHCPRT025, QuickCare requires a refresher course. The refresher does not need to be the full accredited unit — a shorter refresher from an RTO is acceptable. Regulation 84 requires approved providers to ensure staff maintain current awareness of child protection law.
Additional requirement — PROTECT mandatory reporting
If more than 12 months have passed since you completed your full CHCPRT025, QuickCare requires a refresher course. The refresher does not need to be the full accredited unit — a shorter refresher from an RTO is acceptable. Regulation 84 reqVictorian educators must also complete the Protecting Children — Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations (PROTECT) training, available free at vic.gov.au/mandatory-reporting-training. This is a child protection training requirement, not food safety related.uires approved providers to ensure staff maintain current awareness of child protection law.
10. Geccko Child Safety Training — mandatory from 2026
All individuals working or volunteering in an ECEC service regulated under the National Quality Framework must complete Geccko Foundation Training. The transition deadline is approximately August 2026. Do not leave this to the last minute.
Geccko Child Safety Training — Foundation & Advanced modules
Geccko is the Australian Government's free online learning platform for the ECEC sector. This training is separate to and does not replace your Child Protection course (Section 10).
Foundation Training
- Available now and mandatory for all ECEC workers, educators, volunteers and students — including casual educators on any shift
- Free to complete
Advanced Modules
- Available from July 2026
- Designed for service leaders, Diploma-qualified room leaders, managers and those in positions of authority
- You must create your own individual Geccko account using a personal email address — shared or generic accounts are not permitted
- Register and complete at learning.education.gov.au
11. Food Handling Certificate
Food Handler training
Educators who prepare, serve, store or handle food in a childcare setting must hold food safety training. This is required under the National Quality Standard (Quality Area 2 — Children's Health and Safety).
- Does not need to be from an RTO — it does not have to be a nationally accredited course
- Must cover safe food handling, contamination prevention, cleaning and sanitising, and personal hygiene
- QuickCare validity standard: renewed every 5 years
Where to get it by state
State-by-state compliance links
Use these links to find the regulatory authority and compliance requirements for your state. These are the government bodies that oversee ECEC services and can answer state-specific questions about requirements.
Regulatory authorities and key links
For WA, TAS and NT educators: the compliance documents are the same nationally. Use your state's ACECQA regulatory authority contact page to find your state regulator.
Quick reference — all documents at a glance
Ready to start? Upload your documents to QuickCare
Once you have your documents together, store and manage them securely in your QuickCare profile. Verification is fast, and you can start applying for casual, assistant and room leader roles straight away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can't find what you're looking for? Send us a message above.
You need a Working with Children Check (or state equivalent), a recognised qualification (Certificate III, Diploma, Graduate Diploma or degree in ECEC), First Aid (HLTAID012), CPR (HLTAID009 — renewed annually), a Child Protection course (CHCPRT025), Geccko Child Safety Foundation Training, and a Food Handling Certificate. A current resume and USI transcript are also required by most agencies and employers.
A Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education is a university-level qualification (typically 1 year full-time) that provides a pathway to become an Early Childhood Teacher (ECT). It's designed for people who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field or a Diploma of ECEC with significant experience. Only a few providers offer it — including Southern Cross University, Victoria University, CIHE and Acknowledge Education. It must be ACECQA-accredited to qualify you for ECT registration.
Yes. A Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care qualifies you to work as a casual or assistant educator in any ECEC service. Casual work includes day-to-day relief shifts through staffing agencies like QuickCare. You'll still need all the compliance documents listed in this guide.
If you are actively enrolled in an ACECQA-approved bachelor's degree or Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education, you can be counted as "working towards" ECT for staffing ratio purposes under Regulation 242. You'll need to provide a current enrolment letter and academic transcript. While you can be counted towards ratios, you cannot be the sole ECT in a room until you complete your qualification and obtain teacher registration.
A Diploma qualifies you for casual educator, assistant educator, lead educator, room leader and educational leader roles. Diploma holders are among the most sought-after educators in the sector, particularly for casual and relief work where services need someone who can lead a room at short notice.
Each state and territory has its own teacher registration body. In NSW it's NESA, VIC is VIT, QLD is QCT, SA is TRB SA, ACT is TQI, WA is TRBWA, TAS is TRB Tasmania, and NT is TRB NT. You must register in the state where you work. NSW ECTs need to provide their Teacher Summary Report from the NESA eTAMS portal; all other states provide their registration card.
Yes — Geccko is a separate and additional requirement. From 27 February 2026, Geccko Foundation Training is mandatory for all ECEC workers, including casual educators, volunteers and students. Your existing CHCPRT025 does not replace it. The two trainings cover different aspects of child safety and both are required.
Most requirements — WWCC, First Aid, CPR, Child Protection, Geccko, Food Handling — apply nationally across all states under the National Quality Framework. The state-specific differences are: the type of WWCC or screening check (each state has its own system); teacher registration bodies vary by state; Victoria has additional PROTECT mandatory reporting training; and food handling providers vary by state. This guide covers NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and ACT with direct links for each.
Yes. If you are actively enrolled in a Certificate III, Diploma, or Graduate Diploma, you can apply for casual and assistant educator roles. You'll need a current enrolment letter or transcript from your training provider confirming your active enrolment. For those studying towards ECT, you may also be counted towards ECT ratios under the "working towards" provisions.