Early Learning Victoria has robust staffing practices.
These ensure a positive workplace and safe, high-quality education and care for children.
There are several Early Learning Victoria policies covering different aspects of staffing (outlined below). This policy explains how we meet national staffing standards and make sure children’s safety, rights and best interests are paramount in everything we do.
1. Scope
This policy applies to families, staff, management and visitors of Early Learning Victoria centres. This includes volunteers, students on placement and contractors or labour-hire employees of Early Learning Victoria.
2. Policy statement
This policy guides delivery of quality practices in staff organisation, professional development, professionalism and wellbeing support. Early Learning Victoria recognises that these practices are crucial to delivering high-quality education and care for children.
2.1 Requirements
Early Learning Victoria must follow the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 (National Regulations). This includes having policies and procedures for staffing, including:
- a code of conduct for staff
- determining the responsible person at the service
- how volunteers and students on placements take part.
These policies and procedures are set out in:
- Staff code of conduct
- Child safety code of conduct
- Determining responsible person policy
- Visitors, volunteers and students on placement policy.
This Staffing overview policy sets out staffing practices to meet National Quality Standards quality area 4: Staffing arrangements and the Victorian Child Safe Standards – standard 6: Suitable staff and volunteers.
We know that how we recruit, train and organise staff is critical to the learning and growth of children attending our centres. So, too, relationships between staff, families and children, and the level of experience of staff.
The practices set out here ensure Early Learning Victoria centres provide experienced, qualified educators and supervisors. These professionals develop warm, respectful relationships with children. They create safe, predictable environments and help children engage with the learning program.
Quality area 4 also focuses on the organisation and professionalism of staff. This includes educators, staff and management.
These standards support the best outcomes for children. We know that:
- professional, collaborative relationships between management, educators and staff support ongoing improvement. This leads to improved learning experiences and outcomes for children
- careful organisation of staff means each child’s learning and development can be supported in a continuous, consistent way
- careful organisation of staff also means children are supervised effectively
- professional standards set quality benchmarks for educators’ practice and relationships.
National Quality Standards quality area 4: Staffing arrangements (overview)
- 4.1 Staffing arrangements - Staffing arrangements enhance children’s learning and development.
- 4.1.1 Organisation of educators - The organisation of educators across the service supports children’s learning and development.
- 4.1.2 Continuity of staff - Every effort is made for children to experience continuity of educators at the service.
- 4.2 Professionalism - Management, educators and staff are collaborative, respectful and ethical.
- 4.2.1 Professional collaboration - Management, educators and staff work with mutual respect. They work collaboratively, and challenge and learn from each other, recognising each other’s strengths and skills.
- 4.2.2 Professional standards - Professional standards guide practice, interactions and relationships.
We are committed to hiring suitable people to work with children. We prioritise child safety in our policies and recruitment processes. We support our staff and volunteers to uphold the safety, rights and best interests of children in all aspects of their work.
All educational staff employed in Early Learning Victoria centres must hold an early childhood qualification. (Or, they must be able to show they are actively working towards one.) Minimum qualifications are set out below.
Early childhood teachers – qualifications
All early childhood teachers (ECTs) must hold an approved early childhood teaching qualification. Or, they must hold an equivalent qualification that has been assessed and approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA).
ECTs must be registered to practice in Victoria through the Victorian Institute of Teaching. And, they must maintain annual registration requirements.
Early childhood educators – qualifications
Early childhood educators must be qualified with either a Diploma or Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (or equivalent), as approved by ACECQA.
At least 50% of the educators needed to meet the educator-to-child ratio in a centre-based service (with children preschool-age and under) must have, or be actively working towards, an approved diploma-level education and care qualification (or higher). This is a requirement of the National Quality Framework.
Other staff qualification requirements
Kitchen staff must hold, at a minimum, a Food Handling Certificate. At least one member of the kitchen staff and/or leadership team at each Early Learning Victoria centre must hold a Food Safety Supervisor Certificate (as per Food Safety Regulations).
All Early Learning Victoria centre staff must have:
- a current Victorian Working with Children Check (WWCC) and/or Victorian Institute of Teaching registration
- a Food Handling Certificate
- an ACECQA-approved first aid, emergency asthma management and anaphylaxis qualification.
Educators must complete training on reportable conduct and national-based child safety training, mandatory reporting obligations and child information-sharing. (Information and resources about the Child Safe Standards and what to do about responses or disclosures from children are also available to all staff.)
Certain staff must also hold current Red Nose training. These are: Early Learning Victoria staff working in multi-aged rooms with children aged between 0 to 3, room leaders, the educational leader and the nominated supervisor.
Organisation of staff
The nominated supervisor is responsible for staffing arrangements, with help from Early Learning Victoria central office if needed.
Organisation of staff prioritises the safety, rights and best interests of children alongside learning and development outcomes. We consider:
- the requirements of the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 (National Law) and National Regulations
- the importance of staff continuity for children
- the need to allow time for educators to interact and form relationships with children’s families
- educators’ ability to attend centre meetings
- educators’ ability to undertake professional development and reflective practice
- dedicated program planning time for educators, to improve learning outcomes
- the need to complete all administrative work efficiently and effectively
- staff preferences (where practical and feasible)
- workplace restrictions as a result of Occupational Health and Safety matters
- conflict of interest, including professional and private associations. This is in line with the Department of Education’s Conflict of Interest Policy.
Staff professionalism
Early Learning Victoria educators, staff, volunteers and students uphold the highest professional standards, guided by Early Learning Victoria policies and practices.
Position descriptions clearly outline the role and its responsibilities, as well as our commitment to child safety.
All Early Learning Victoria staff are trained in the Staff code of conduct and the Child safety code of conduct. (All staff must also reflect regularly on these.) The codes detail the behaviour expected of people employed at or associated with Early Learning Victoria centres. They help us uphold the National Law and Regulations, and reflect Early Learning Victoria’s philosophy and commitment to child safety.
We have a culture of ongoing learning. Staff regularly reflect on their work and try to improve (‘reflective practice’). They are supported to upskill and take part in professional learning, as well as ‘communities of practice’ with other professionals. They are also given access to the latest research. Together, this strengthens their ability to support the diverse needs of children and families.
Each year, Early Learning Victoria staff complete a performance and development review. They make a performance and development plan, and take part in performance discussions and reviews. A member of the leadership team will offer constructive, personalised feedback and advice on planning professional learning and development.
This process also supports the ongoing assessment of an employee’s suitability to work with children.
Staff wellbeing
Work in early childhood education means sustaining a high physical, mental and emotional effort.
We acknowledge and support the health, safety and wellbeing of employees and promote a positive workplace.
We support staff wellbeing (‘psychological safety’) through relevant OHS policies. Staff and their family members also have access to Employee Wellbeing Support Services.
Staff recruitment
We recruit staff based on merit and do not discriminate. (See the Recruitment policy.)
Our practices support centres to hire staff who are suitable to work with children.
All staff must meet minimum qualification requirements, in line with National Regulations. Before employment, we run checks including capability assessments, reference checks, WWCC details, VIT registration verification (if applicable), suitability checks and, if needed, probity (background) checks.
As we interview and screen candidates, we ask questions to check if they have been subject to any allegations or investigations.
All new staff undergo a probation period of 6 months. In this time, they take part in an induction and orientation program with a focus on Early Learning Victoria’s child safety practices. They also discuss their performance regularly with their manager or an appointed mentor.
Relief staff
Each nominated supervisor, where required, should develop a group of internal casual relief educators for their centre. That is, staff (not from an external agency) who can be called upon to replace regular staff when required.
If possible, the nominated supervisor should assign the same relief educators to the same rooms. This means children are more familiar with their relief educators. In turn, relief staff become more familiar with the children and their room’s programs and practices.
Casual relief staff members must meet the same pre-employment requirements as regular staff members.
When required, Early Learning Victoria centres will engage relief staff from an agency through the Department of Education (the department). The agency will be approved to supply relief staff for both planned and unplanned staff absences. Agencies must meet strict criteria – including strict adherence to Early Learning Victoria's child safety policies. They must also hold professional indemnity, public liability and WorkCover insurances.
Agencies (suppliers) must also ensure that each relief staff member has:
- been provided, read and understood the Agency induction pack, the Code of conduct and the Child safety code of conduct
- passed a suitability check with the department’s Conduct and Integrity Division (required for any role that has direct contact with children)
- completed the training ‘Protecting Children: Mandatory reporting and other obligations in ECE’ within the past 12 months
- a police check issued within the past 2 years.
Agency staff must produce relevant qualifications, WWCC and mandatory competencies each time they arrive at the service. Qualifications and certifications are verified by Early Learning Victoria staff before the agency staff member can start.
Agency staff should ask permanent educators for guidance and support on meeting children’s needs. This includes ways to support continuity of care and high-quality practices.
Staff records
We keep staff records in accordance with the requirements of the National Law and Regulations.
This includes records about the nominated supervisor, the educational leader, staff, volunteers, students and the responsible person at a service.
Information that must be recorded includes qualifications, training and WWCC.
We also maintain up-to-date details of all workers in the National Early Childhood Workforce Register through NQA ITS.
Early Learning Victoria central office staff run a compliance check at each centre twice a year. (This is part of Early Learning Victoria ’s internal audit processes.)
Staff records must be stored securely in a lockable filing cabinet at the service. They must be managed in line with the Records management policy.
Workforce strategy
We are focused on attracting, retaining and developing excellent staff. We partner with the department and benefit from its recruitment programs.
Early Learning Victoria supports a ‘grow our own’ strategy using high-quality traineeships, student placements and programs, as well as initiatives and local partnerships with training providers and other sector stakeholders. These are among the key ways we encourage and support capability building and long-term workforce opportunities.
To help retain existing staff, we strongly support professional development and offer various opportunities for promotion.
3. Actions and procedures
3.1 Responsibilities of staff
4. Resources
Legislation and standards
Relevant legislation and standards include:
- Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
- Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011
- National Quality Standard, quality area 4: Staffing arrangements
Related policies
- Child safety and wellbeing policy
- Child safety code of conduct
- Staff code of conduct
- Determining responsible person policy
- Governance and management policy
- Supervision of children policy
- Privacy policy
- Records management policy
- Visitors, volunteers and students on placement policy
- Preventing exposure to tobacco, e-cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs policy
- staffing policies, including Recruitment policy
Victorian Government and departmental policies
- Department and Victorian Public Sector values
- Victorian Public Sector Employment Principles and Standards
- Conflict of interest (departmental corporate policy, login required)
Links
- Information about the new National Early Childhood Workforce Register
Definitions
Code of conduct: This policy sets out expected standards of behaviour for staff working in Early Learning Victoria services. It defines how they are expected to behave towards each other, towards children in their care and towards others in the service’s community.
Professional standards: Professional standards guide practice, interactions and relationships. They set out the responsibilities of educators and staff in relation to one another, and to the children and their families.
Regulatory Authority: The Regulatory Authority is established by the National Law. It regulates providers of early childhood education and care services to ensure they protect children’s safety, health and wellbeing and comply with the Child Safe Standards. The Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA) is Victoria’s independent early childhood regulator under a range of regulatory schemes. This is outlined on its website(opens in a new window).
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