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 learn how children grow and develop from birth to five, how to plan and run a play-based curriculum, how to keep children safe and well, and how to work with families from many different backgrounds. The course includes units on child development, curriculum planning, health and safety, legal and ethical requirements, and working inclusively with children who need extra support.

Australian diplomas sit at Level 5 on the Australian Qualifications Framework. That means the study is practical and job-focused, with a strong emphasis on supervised work in a real service. You will spend time in a registered early childhood centre or preschool, working alongside qualified educators and being assessed on what you actually do with children. This is how the sector trains its workforce, so placement is a core part of the diploma, not an add-on. Assessment combines written tasks, observations in the workplace, and a portfolio of your practice.

Graduates come out knowing how to document children's learning, follow the National Quality Framework and the Early Years Learning Framework, respond to accidents and illness, and communicate with parents and colleagues. You also learn about child protection responsibilities, workplace health and safety, and the business side of running a room or a small service. The skills are hands-on: setting up experiences, guiding behaviour, observing and recording, and reflecting on your own practice.

This diploma suits school leavers who want to start working with children quickly, career changers who have cared for their own kids or worked in related roles, and people already in the sector who need a formal qualification to move into a lead educator position or to meet regulatory requirements. It is also a pathway to further study, such as a bachelor degree in early childhood education, if you later want to teach in a school or take on a teaching role in a kindergarten. English requirements for international applicants follow the institute's standard published levels, and you should confirm the exact score and any visa-related English rules on the official course page before applying.

• Early childhood educator in long day care centres, preschools and kindergartens across Australia.
• Lead educator or room leader responsible for planning and supervising a room.
• Family day care educator running your own approved home-based service.
• Outside school hours care assistant in before and after school programmes.
• Nanny or in-home carer employed directly by families.
• Education support worker in early intervention or inclusion services.
• Pathway to further study towards a bachelor degree in early childhood education or teaching.

International graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia after finishing. While you study, your visa allows up to 48 hours of work per fortnight. Check current visa rules and course details on the official CRICOS and institute pages.