Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is a one-year qualification for people who want to work directly with young children in Australian early learning services. You study how children grow and learn from birth to five, how to plan and run a play-based curriculum, how to keep children safe, and how to work with families and other educators. The course is practical from the start, because the job is practical. You learn to observe children, document what you see, and use those observations to plan experiences that actually stretch a child's thinking rather than just filling the day.

How the course is structured

This is a diploma at AQF level 5, and it is normally delivered over one year of full-time study. Providers usually split the year into two or three study periods. You complete units of study in areas such as child development, curriculum planning, health and safety, legal and ethical requirements, and working in partnership with families. Each unit carries credit points, and you need to pass all of them to graduate. The course includes a supervised professional placement in a registered early childhood service, where you work alongside qualified educators and take on real responsibilities with a group of children. Placement is not optional. It is how you turn theory into practice, and it is what employers look at when you apply for work.

Skills you build

By the end you can design and implement a curriculum that follows the Early Years Learning Framework, manage a room of children safely, respond to behaviour in ways that support development, identify signs of harm and follow mandatory reporting rules, and communicate clearly with parents and colleagues. You also learn the compliance side of the job: ratios, regulations, service policies, and the National Quality Standard. These are the things that come up every single day in an early learning centre. The placement gives you evidence of your skills, and many students are offered work by the service where they complete it.

Who this suits

This diploma suits people who want to work with young children and are ready for a hands-on, people-facing job. You might be leaving school, changing careers, or coming back to study after time away. You do not need prior childcare experience to start, but you do need to be comfortable with the physical and emotional demands of the work. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, which can help you get experience in the sector while you study. After you finish, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream may be available if you meet the requirements. English requirements for entry are set by the provider; check the official page for the exact score and the accepted tests. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 118655C. Always confirm current details with the provider before you apply.

• Early childhood educator in long day care centres, preschools and kindergartens
• Room leader or lead educator responsible for a group of children and a team of assistants
• Family day care educator running your own approved home-based service
• Outside school hours care educator in before-school, after-school and vacation care programmes
• Inclusion support worker helping children with additional needs take part in mainstream services
• Nanny or in-home carer employed directly by families

These roles are found across Australia in privately run and community-managed early learning services, local government children's services, and not-for-profit organisations. The diploma also gives you a pathway into further study, such as a bachelor degree in early childhood education, if you want to become a registered early childhood teacher. Check the official page for the most current information on course structure, entry requirements and credit.