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, and how to keep children safe, well and engaged. Expect units on child development, curriculum planning, health and safety, nutrition, and working with families and communities. You also cover legal and ethical requirements, including the National Quality Framework and the Early Years Learning Framework, which set the rules and expectations for Australian early childhood services.

How the course is structured

This is a diploma, so it sits below a bachelor degree on the Australian Qualifications Framework. It is delivered over one year of full-time study, usually across two or three study periods depending on the provider's calendar. You complete a set of units of study, each with a credit point value, and you need to pass all of them to graduate. The course mixes classroom learning with practical placement in a registered early childhood service, where you work with children under supervision and complete tasks that show you can apply what you have learned. Assessment is a mix of written work, projects, observations and your performance on placement.

What you actually learn

You learn how to observe children and use those observations to plan experiences that match their interests and stages. You practise setting up indoor and outdoor environments, guiding behaviour in positive ways, and supporting children with additional needs. You also learn how to work with families from different backgrounds, communicate clearly with colleagues, and follow workplace health and safety and child protection procedures. By the end, you should be able to take responsibility for a group of children within a service and contribute to the educational programme.

Who it suits

This diploma suits people who want to start working in early childhood education reasonably quickly, or who already work in the sector and want a recognised qualification. It also suits students who prefer hands-on learning and want to be in a service rather than a lecture theatre. If you are an international student, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is running, and 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. English requirements for entry are set by the provider; check the official page for the exact score accepted for this course. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register. Always confirm current details, including placement arrangements and start dates, with Riverdale Institute or on the official CRICOS listing.

• Early childhood educator in long day care, preschool or kindergarten services
• Room leader or lead educator in an early learning centre
• Family day care educator
• Outside school hours care assistant or coordinator
• Education support worker in early years settings
• Nanny or in-home child carer
• Playgroup facilitator or community programme assistant

These roles are found across Australia in privately run and community-managed early learning services, local councils, and not-for-profit organisations. The diploma meets the qualification requirements for work as an educator in most Australian early childhood services, though you should check with the relevant state or territory regulator about any additional requirements.