Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is a hands-on qualification for people who want to work with children from birth to five years in Australian early learning settings. You learn how children grow and develop, how to plan and run a play-based curriculum, how to keep children safe and healthy, and how to work with families and communities. The course covers child development, observation and assessment, inclusion and diversity, legal and ethical requirements, and the National Quality Framework that governs early childhood services in Australia. You also learn how to respond to children at risk, manage behaviour in positive ways, and work within the Early Years Learning Framework.

How the course is structured

This diploma runs for 1.5 years. Australian vocational qualifications like this one are built from units of competency, each with a set number of credit points. You study a mix of core and elective units across semesters or trimesters. Assessment is practical. You are assessed on what you can actually do in a real or simulated workplace, not just on written exams. The course includes a mandatory work placement component, usually called professional experience or vocational placement, where you spend time in a registered early childhood service under supervision. That placement is where you put your skills into practice with real children, real families and real routines.

Skills you gain

You finish with the ability to design and implement a curriculum that follows children's interests and developmental needs. You learn to observe children, document their learning, and use that information to plan next steps. You gain skills in creating safe and inclusive environments, supporting children with additional needs, and communicating professionally with families and colleagues. You also learn about workplace health and safety, child protection, and the regulations that apply to early childhood services in Australia. The placement gives you experience that employers count.

Who this course suits

This diploma suits people who want to work directly with young children and are looking for a practical, job-ready qualification. You might be starting out in the field, changing careers, or already working in early childhood and wanting a formal qualification. It also suits international students who want to study in Australia and gain a qualification that is recognised here. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session. After you finish, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia for a period. English requirements vary. International applicants need to show English proficiency, and IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the common standard for courses at this level, with TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the institution's own English programmes accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs also sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register. Always confirm the exact units, placement hours, English requirements and fees on the official page before you apply.

• Early childhood educator in long day care centres, preschools and kindergartens
• Room leader or lead educator in an early learning service
• Family day care educator running your own home-based service
• Outside school hours care assistant or coordinator
• Nanny or in-home child carer
• Education support worker in early intervention services

These roles are found across Australia in privately run and community-managed early childhood services, local councils, and not-for-profit organisations. The diploma is the standard qualification for working as an early childhood educator in Australia. It can also be a pathway to further study, such as a bachelor degree in early childhood education, which may lead to teacher registration.