Early Learning Victoria is committed to quality practices in staff organisation, professional development, professionalism and wellbeing support. We recognise that these practices are crucial to delivering high-quality education and care for children.
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
The Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 (National Regulations) require approved providers ensure their services have policies and procedures in place in relation to staffing (regulation 168). This includes:
- a code of conduct for staff members
- determining the responsible person present at the service
- the participation of volunteers and students on practicum placements.
These matters are addressed in:
- Staff code of conduct policy
- Determining responsible person policy
- Visitors, volunteers and students on placement policy
The Staffing overview policy addresses the staffing practices that Early Learning Victoria has in place in line with National Quality Standards quality area 4: Staffing arrangements.
These practices aim to ensure Early Learning Victoria centres provide qualified and experienced educators and nominated supervisors who develop warm, respectful relationships with children, create safe and predictable environments and encourage children’s active engagement in the learning program.
Quality area 4 has two standards that focus on the organisation and professionalism of educators, staff and management. These standards are crucial to delivering high-quality outcomes for children under the National Quality Framework because:
- professional and collaborative relationships between management, educators and staff support continuous improvement, leading to improved learning experiences and outcomes for children
- careful organisation of staff contributes to the continuous support of each child’s learning and development in an effectively supervised environment
- 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.
Early Learning Victoria recognises that the recruitment, organisation, training and experience of staff is critical for the education and development of children attending Early Learning Victoria centres – as are relationships between educators, children, families and managers.
Educator-to-child ratios
Early Learning Victoria is committed to meeting all regulatory and funding requirements for staffing, including educator-to-child ratios and minimum qualification requirements.
For ages birth to 36 months, educator-to-child ratios are 1:4.
For ages over 36 months and including preschool age, educator-to-child ratios are 1:11.
Qualification requirements
All educational staff employed in Early Learning Victoria centres must hold either an early childhood qualification or be currently actively working towards an early childhood qualification. Details of minimum qualifications are:
Early childhood teachers
All early childhood teachers (ECTs) must hold an approved early childhood teaching qualification or an equivalent qualification that has been assessed and approved by the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA). ECTs are also required to be registered to practice in Victoria via the Victorian Institute of Teaching and to maintain annual registration requirements.
Early childhood educators
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. Under the National Quality Framework, at least 50% of educators required to meet the relevant educator-to-child ratios in centre-based services with children preschool-age and under must have, or be actively working towards, an approved diploma-level education and care qualification (or higher).
Other staff qualification requirements
Kitchen staff must hold, at a minimum, a Food Handling Certificate, with at least one member of the kitchen staff at each Early Learning Victoria centre holding a Food Safety Supervisor Certificate (as per Food Safety Regulations).
All Early Learning Victoria centre staff must have a current working with children check and/or Victorian Institute of Teaching registration, a Food Handling Certificate and an ACECQA-approved first aid, emergency asthma management and anaphylaxis qualification.
All educators must also have completed Protecting Children: Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations Training and safe sleep training.
Organisation of staff
Staffing arrangements at each Early Learning Victoria centre are the responsibility of nominated supervisor/s, with assistance as required by Early Learning Victoria central office staff.
The organisation of staff in Early Learning Victoria centres prioritises learning, development and wellbeing outcomes for children and takes account of:
- 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
- the ability for educators to attend centre meetings, pursue professional development and undertake reflective practice opportunities and dedicated program planning time for improved learning outcomes
- the need to complete all administrative work efficiently and effectively
- staff preferences, where it is operationally practical and feasible to do so
- conflict-of-interest considerations, including professional and private associations, in line with the Department of Education Conflict of interest policy.
Staff professionalism
Early Learning Victoria educators, staff, volunteers and students uphold the highest level of professional standards, guided by Early Learning Victoria policies and practices.
Position descriptions outline the roles and responsibilities of all Early Learning Victoria staff, who are provided with training in, and regularly reflect on, the Staff code of conduct policy.
The Staff code of conduct policy details the behaviour expected of those employed at, or associated with, Early Learning Victoria centres. This policy reflects Early Learning Victoria's philosophy, commitment to child safety and adherence to the National Law and National Regulations.
Early Learning Victoria cultivates a learning culture by prioritising reflective practice and establishing a healthy cycle of reflexivity and continuous improvement. Early Learning Victoria staff are supported to engage in professional learning and upskilling, to contribute to communities of practice, and to have access to the latest research. This promotes their ongoing growth and development and strengthens their ability to support the diverse needs of children and families.
Early Learning Victoria staff also undertake an annual performance and development process, including making a performance and development plan, and participating in performance discussions and reviews. This is to provide staff with constructive feedback and suggestions about their practices and performance, including personalised guidance so they can proactively plan for their professional learning and development.
Staff wellbeing
Early Learning Victoria acknowledges that work in early childhood education requires sustained high physical, mental and emotional effort. We are committed to promoting a positive work environment where the health, safety and wellbeing of employees is acknowledged and supported.
Psychological safety is supported in Early Learning Victoria services with relevant OHS policies, as well as through access to Employee Wellbeing Support Services for staff and their family members.
Staff recruitment
Early Learning Victoria recruitment follows a merit-based, non-discriminatory process, adhering to the Recruitment policy. All staff must meet minimum qualification requirements in line with National Regulations. Pre-employment checks for early childhood staff include capability assessments, reference checks, working with children checks, VIT registration verification (if applicable), right-to-work checks and, where necessary, probity checks.
All new staff undergo a probation period of 6 months. In this time, they participate in an induction and orientation program and hold regular discussions about their performance with their manager or an appointed mentor.
Relief staff
Each nominated supervisor must develop a group of internal casual relief educators for their centre. Where possible, the nominated supervisor should assign the same relief educators to the same rooms when a regular educator is absent. This gives children greater familiarity with their relief educators and allows relief staff to become more familiar with children and their room’s programs and practices. Relief staff members must meet the same selection criteria as regular staff members.
When required, Early Learning Victoria centres will engage agency relief staff through a third party-approved supplier to backfill for both planned and unplanned staff absences. Suppliers are required to meet stringent criteria (including the requirements of child safety and Reportable Conduct policies, professional indemnity, public liability and WorkCover insurances) before being engaged by Early Learning Victoria. Agency relief staff must produce relevant qualifications, working with children checks and mandatory competencies on each arrival at the service. Qualifications and certifications are verified by Early Learning Victoria staff before the agency casual relief staff member can start.
Staff records
Early Learning Victoria ensures that staff records are kept in accordance with the requirements of the National Law and National Regulations. Staff records must contain information about the nominated supervisor, the educational leader, staff, volunteers, students and the responsible person at a service. Details that must be recorded include qualifications, training and the working with children check. Early Learning Victoria central office staff make periodic checks for compliance, in accordance with Early Learning Victoria’s internal audit processes.
Workforce strategy
Early Learning Victoria is committed to a workforce strategy focused on attracting and retaining high-quality staff, partnering with the Department of Education (the department) and drawing on its existing attraction programs.
Early Learning Victoria supports 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.
Early Learning Victoria’s retention initiatives support staff in their professional development and provide career progression opportunities to minimise staff turnover and maximise continuity of care for children and families.
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
- Staff code of conduct policy
- Determining responsible person policy
- Child safety and wellbeing policy
- Governance and management policy
- Supervision of children policy
- Privacy policy
- Visitors, volunteers and students on placement policy
- Preventing exposure to tobacco, E-cigarettes, alcohol and other drugs policy
- Recruitment policy
Victorian Government and departmental policies
- Victorian Public Sector Values
- Victorian Public Sector Employment Principles and Standards
- Conflict of interest (departmental corporate policy, login required)
Definitions
Code of conduct: This policy provides guidance on expected standards of behaviour for staff working in Early Learning Victoria services and 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. The standards inform educators and staff of their responsibilities 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 department is the Regulatory Authority for early childhood services in Victoria under a range of regulatory schemes.
Updated