Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

Enhance your skills and professionalism in the high-demand early childhood education and care industry.
This primarily workplace-based, part-time course will equip you with the skills to implement an improved learning framework, support children's well-being, learning, and development, enhance your leadership capacity and reflective practice, and understand your legal and ethical responsibilities.
To qualify for workplace-based enrolment in the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, you must be employed as an early childhood educator for at least 15 hours per week under a permanent employment contract in a regulated early childhood education and care service.
Online classes are held every four weeks.

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care prepares you for a rewarding career as an educator in regulated early childhood education and care services, designing and implementing curriculums that meet approved learning framework standards while ensuring compliance in all aspects of service operations.
To enrol in this qualification, you must hold one of the following:
* CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, or
* CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Did you know: The Victorian Government has now made Free TAFE courses even more accessible for new students enrolling for study in 2024. All Free TAFE courses at TAFE Gippsland are now available to people with higher-level qualifications and those who have completed a previous Free TAFE course and are looking to continue in their selected training pathway. Conditions and eligibility rules apply. Check out our Free TAFE information page for further details.

Early Childhood Educator in a long day care service
Nanny
Family Day Care provider
Early Childhood Director

You will gain 120 credit points in the TU5 Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) (Federation University)

Acquire the skills to collaborate with fellow early childhood educators, create a welcoming environment for families, and build professional and respectful relationships. You’ll learn to document children’s learning and develop developmentally appropriate curricula, demonstrating your understanding of the Early Years Learning Framework, National Quality Framework, and child development.
Throughout the course, you'll have opportunities to prepare a variety of learning experiences and resources, and learn to identify and plan for children with additional needs.
Key theory components covered:
* Legislation, work health and safety, mandatory reporting, policy, and procedure
* Providing children with a safe and healthy environment
* Responding to grievances
* Holistic development in early childhood
* Catering to children's individual care needs
* Developing positive relationships with children through meaningful interactions
* Understanding child development and the importance of play and creative experiences
* Maintaining health and safety in a service
* Developing emotional intelligence
* Documenting observations and creating age-appropriate programs
* Providing engaging learning environments
* Promoting environmental responsibility
* Practicing reflective leadership and management skills.

Are there specified requirements for entry into the course/qualification?: Yes

Mandatory entry requirements:

Students must have completed either the CHC30113 or CHC30121 Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care to be eligible to enrol in the Diploma of Eary Childhood Education and Care.
Students must obtain a Police Check and Working with Children's Check to be eligible to complete the required placement hours in an Early Childhood Service.

Recommended entry Requirements:

Early Childhood Services will not hire anyone under the age of 18. This information is relayed to prospective students during the enrolment process. The recommendation is that students should be a minimum of 17 years of age to undertake the course.
Students must have a laptop and access to the internet to complete the additional independent online studies.
It is recommended that students have good digital literacy skills and be confident using the Microsoft Office suite.

Limitations to course Entry:

Inherent requirements for working in the Early Childhood Education sector
Physical activities: The work requires a certain amount of physical activity, such as:
Standing - often for long periods of time
Sitting - down at a child's level, on the floor and in small seats/stools
Bending - lifting and setting up play areas, changing nappies, making cots
Walking - supervising children in both the indoor and outdoor environments
Heavy lifting (>15kg) - sometimes lifting children or moving furniture
• Providing a child safe environment, (being able to move quickly if a child is in danger)
• Providing basic physical and emotional care for students (assisting with toileting and nappy changes/managing behaviour
• Supervision of indoor and outdoor environment
• Lifting of children, nappy changes etc.
• Set up and put away materials both indoor and outdoor where required
• Standing for long periods of time, being able to get down to a child’s level and engage in activities which may be at a table or floor level

• Working with children check
• Police check

Will this course/qualification or a constituent unit provide a pathway to an industry licence or regulated outcome: No

Enhance your skills and professionalism in the high-demand early childhood education and care industry.
This primarily workplace-based, part-time course will equip you with the skills to implement an improved learning framework, support children's well-being, learning, and development, enhance your leadership capacity and reflective practice, and understand your legal and ethical responsibilities.
To qualify for workplace-based enrolment in the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, you must be employed as an early childhood educator for at least 15 hours per week under a permanent employment contract in a regulated early childhood education and care service.
Online classes are held every four weeks.

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care prepares you for a rewarding career as an educator in regulated early childhood education and care services, designing and implementing curriculums that meet approved learning framework standards while ensuring compliance in all aspects of service operations.
To enrol in this qualification, you must hold one of the following:
* CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, or
* CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Did you know: The Victorian Government has now made Free TAFE courses even more accessible for new students enrolling for study in 2024. All Free TAFE courses at TAFE Gippsland are now available to people with higher-level qualifications and those who have completed a previous Free TAFE course and are looking to continue in their selected training pathway. Conditions and eligibility rules apply. Check out our Free TAFE information page for further details.

Early Childhood Educator in a long day care service
Nanny
Family Day Care provider
Early Childhood Director

You will gain 120 credit points in the TU5 Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) (Federation University)

Acquire the skills to collaborate with fellow early childhood educators, create a welcoming environment for families, and build professional and respectful relationships. You’ll learn to document children’s learning and develop developmentally appropriate curricula, demonstrating your understanding of the Early Years Learning Framework, National Quality Framework, and child development.
Throughout the course, you'll have opportunities to prepare a variety of learning experiences and resources, and learn to identify and plan for children with additional needs.
Key theory components covered:
* Legislation, work health and safety, mandatory reporting, policy, and procedure
* Providing children with a safe and healthy environment
* Responding to grievances
* Holistic development in early childhood
* Catering to children's individual care needs
* Developing positive relationships with children through meaningful interactions
* Understanding child development and the importance of play and creative experiences
* Maintaining health and safety in a service
* Developing emotional intelligence
* Documenting observations and creating age-appropriate programs
* Providing engaging learning environments
* Promoting environmental responsibility
* Practicing reflective leadership and management skills.

Are there specified requirements for entry into the course/qualification?: Yes

Mandatory entry requirements:

Students must have completed either the CHC30113 or CHC30121 Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care to be eligible to enrol in the Diploma of Eary Childhood Education and Care.
Students must obtain a Police Check and Working with Children's Check to be eligible to complete the required placement hours in an Early Childhood Service.

Recommended entry Requirements:

Early Childhood Services will not hire anyone under the age of 18. This information is relayed to prospective students during the enrolment process. The recommendation is that students should be a minimum of 17 years of age to undertake the course.
Students must have a laptop and access to the internet to complete the additional independent online studies.
It is recommended that students have good digital literacy skills and be confident using the Microsoft Office suite.

Limitations to course Entry:

Inherent requirements for working in the Early Childhood Education sector
Physical activities: The work requires a certain amount of physical activity, such as:
Standing - often for long periods of time
Sitting - down at a child's level, on the floor and in small seats/stools
Bending - lifting and setting up play areas, changing nappies, making cots
Walking - supervising children in both the indoor and outdoor environments
Heavy lifting (>15kg) - sometimes lifting children or moving furniture
• Providing a child safe environment, (being able to move quickly if a child is in danger)
• Providing basic physical and emotional care for students (assisting with toileting and nappy changes/managing behaviour
• Supervision of indoor and outdoor environment
• Lifting of children, nappy changes etc.
• Set up and put away materials both indoor and outdoor where required
• Standing for long periods of time, being able to get down to a child’s level and engage in activities which may be at a table or floor level

• Working with children check
• Police check

Will this course/qualification or a constituent unit provide a pathway to an industry licence or regulated outcome: No