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 with children from birth to five years in Australian early learning services. You study how children grow and learn, how to plan and run a program that suits each child, and how to keep them safe and well. Expect units on child development, curriculum and pedagogy, health and safety, working with families, and the legal and ethical side of the job. You also learn to observe children, document their learning, and use those records to shape what you do next.

Australian diplomas sit at Level 5 on the AQF. This one is delivered over one year, and providers usually structure it into study periods such as semesters or trimesters, with each unit carrying a set number of credit points. You complete a mix of theory units and practical units. Because early childhood is a hands-on field, the course includes work-integrated learning: you go into a registered early childhood service and complete supervised hours with real children, under the guidance of qualified educators. That placement is where the theory clicks. You practise setting up experiences, guiding behaviour, talking with families, and keeping the room running. Assessment is a mix of written tasks, projects, observations and your placement performance.

The skills you finish with are practical. You can plan and deliver a play-based program, support children with additional needs, follow child protection and workplace health and safety requirements, and work as part of a team. You learn to communicate with families from different backgrounds and to keep accurate records. The diploma also prepares you for the responsibilities that come with being a room leader or working towards that role.

This course suits people who like working with young children and want a qualification that gets them into the sector without a three-year degree. It suits career changers, people already working in services who want to formalise their skills, and school leavers who want a direct path into early childhood. If you plan to study in Australia on a student visa, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and after you finish you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Check the CRICOS register for the current tuition and delivery details, and confirm English and entry requirements with SGSCC International before you apply.

• Early childhood educator in long day care, preschool and occasional care services
• Room leader or lead educator in an early learning centre
• Family day care educator running your own approved service
• Outside school hours care assistant or coordinator
• Education support worker in kindergartens and community programs
• In-home nanny or au pair with a formal qualification

These roles are found across Australia in private and community early learning centres, local government children's services, family day care schemes, and school-based early years programs. The diploma is the standard qualification for working as an educator and for meeting the staffing requirements of Australian early childhood services.