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Training Assistance
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A key part of the changes required by the new National Quality Framework are higher qualifications for child care workers.

To assist the early childhood sector meet these requirements the Government implemented a range of initiatives back in 2008-2009 which are still available and make training a lot more cost effective.

Removal of TAFE Fees
The Australian Government has provided $115 million (from 2008-09 to 2013-14) to help child care workers gain a qualification by removing the regulated TAFE fees for Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas in Children's Services. This includes existing child care workers looking to upgrade or obtain qualifications as well as prospective new workers to the industry.

For more information click here.

Additional Early Childhood Education University Places
The Government committed $53.9 million to create additional university places for early childhood teachers, starting with 500 new ongoing university places in 2009 and rising to 1,500 new ongoing university places by 2011.

The additional university places will be four year undergraduate degree courses and postgraduate courses, allowing graduates with an existing degree to gain a recognised qualification in early childhood education.

Part time positions are also available enabling child care workers to work while they study.

For general information about the program click here.

Information on the 2011 allocation of university places is available here.

HECS-HELP Benefit for Early Childhood Education Teachers
The Government committed $12.4 million to reduce the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debt of early childhood teachers who work in regional and remote areas, Indigenous communities and areas of high disadvantage based on postcode location.

This benefit provides eligible early childhood education teachers with a reduction in their debt of up to $1600 per year (for 2008-09 indexed in later years) up to a maximum of 260 weeks (5 years) of eligible employment.

Eligible teachers should apply for the benefit through the Australian Taxation Office and have up to two years to claim for a particular tax year.

For more information on the benefit click here.

HECS-HELP Benefit for Education Graduates
The Government has also provided funding from 2009-10 to reduce the HELP debt repayments of education graduates. An education graduate is a person who has graduated from a course of study that is required for initial entry to teaching, including early childhood education teaching graduates.

The benefit was available from the 2009-10 tax year and the maximum benefit for that year was $1558.50.

The amount of benefit you receive depends on the number of weeks that you have worked as a teacher and it is possible to receive both the benefits described above if you work in an area of need and graduated in the second half of 2009.

For more information on the benefit for graduates click here.

Remember all of these benefits are currently available so if you trying to determine the best way of dealing with the new qualifications requirements then now might be a good time to explore these options further.

A key part of the changes required by the new National Quality Framework are higher qualifications for child care workers.

IMPLEMENTATION TIMETABLE

By 1 January 2014

An early childhood teacher will need to be in attendance all of the time when long day care and preschool services are being provided to 25 children or more.
An early childhood teacher will need to be in attendance some of the time when long day care and preschool services are being provided to less than 25 children.
Within each long day care centre or preschool, half of all staff will need to have (or be actively working towards) a diploma-level early childhood education and care qualification or above, and the remaining staff will all be required to have (or be actively working towards) a certificate III level early childhood education and care qualification or equivalent.
All family day care coordinators will need to have a diploma-level early childhood education and care qualification or above.
All family day carers will be required to have (or be actively working towards) a Certificate III level early childhood education and care qualification, or equivalent.

By 1 January 2020

A second early childhood teacher, or another suitably qualified leader, will need to be in attendance all of the time when long day care and preschool services are being provided to more than 80 children.
A second early childhood teacher, or another suitably qualified leader, will need to be in attendance at least half of the time when long day care and preschool services are being provided to 60 children or more.

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