Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (Teacher Education: Early Childhood)

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is a two-year qualification delivered by Lawson College Australia. It prepares you to work with children from birth to five years in long day care, family day care, preschools and kindergartens. The course is listed on CRICOS (course code 110411K), so it is available to international students. You will study how children grow and learn, how to plan and run a play-based curriculum, how to keep children safe and healthy, and how to work with families and communities. You will also learn about Australian early childhood frameworks, including the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standard, because these guide what actually happens in services across the country.

How the course is structured

Australian diplomas are made up of units of study, each with a set number of credit points. Most institutions run two semesters or three trimesters a year, and you enrol in a full-time load of units each semester. The exact unit list and credit points are set by Lawson College Australia, so check the official course page for the current structure. The course includes a practical placement component, usually called work-integrated learning or professional experience. This is where you go into a real early childhood service and work alongside educators, completing tasks such as setting up learning experiences, observing children, and contributing to programming and documentation. Placement is a required part of the diploma because you cannot learn to work with young children from a textbook alone.

Skills you will build

By the end of the diploma, you will be able to plan and implement a curriculum that matches children's interests and development. You will know how to support children's language, literacy, numeracy and social skills through play. You will learn to identify children who may need extra support and work with families and other professionals to help them. You will also practise the day-to-day skills of an early childhood educator: keeping records, communicating with parents, following regulations, and working as part of a team. Many students also gain confidence in speaking with families from different backgrounds, which matters in Australia's diverse communities.

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. It is a good fit if you are starting out in the field, changing careers, or returning to study after some time away. If you are an international student, you should know that a Student visa lets you work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and after you finish you may be able to apply for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. That gives you time to gain Australian work experience in early childhood services. Entry requirements, English proficiency and tuition are set by the college and the Australian government, so confirm all details on the official CRICOS listing and the Lawson College Australia website before you apply.

• Early childhood educator in long day care centres, preschools and kindergartens
• Family day care educator running your own home-based service
• Room leader or lead educator responsible for a group of children
• Outside school hours care assistant working with primary-aged children
• Inclusion support worker helping children with additional needs participate in mainstream services
• Nanny or private in-home carer employed by families

These roles are found across Australia in private and community-run childcare centres, local government preschools, and not-for-profit organisations. The early childhood sector is one of the largest employers of diploma-qualified staff in the country, and demand for educators is steady in both cities and regional areas.