Working in early childhood

Roles, responsibilities & qualifications

Roles and responsibilities

Different early childhood service types offer a variety of education and care roles.

Read about working in early childhood including information about:

  • certificate III level educators
  • diploma level educators
  • outside school hours care coordinators
  • early childhood teachers
  • educational leaders
  • certified supervisors
  • nominated supervisors
  • family day care educators and coordinators.

Qualification requirements

You must have appropriate qualifications to work as an early childhood educator or teacher in services captured under the National Law or the Education and Care Services Act 2013 (ECS Act)

Services under the ECS Act, known collectively as Queensland education and care services, include:

  • services funded by the Queensland Government to provide limited hours care
  • occasional care
  • budget-based funded services that do not receive the Australian Government Child Care Benefit
  • early childhood education and care services that are also disability services funded under the Disability Services Act 2006 (Qld)
  • stand-alone services.

Read more information about qualification requirements.

Qualification assessments

Check the approved qualifications lists to see if your current qualification meets minimum requirements. If it doesn't appear on the lists you can apply to have it assessed (there is a fee for this service).

Need help?

Read about financial help for further study to help you upgrade your qualification to meet the National Law requirements.

Phone and email contacts are available to help you find out more information about qualification requirements.

Become an early childhood teacher

There is growing demand for early childhood teachers due to changes in legislative requirements and funding incentives for services to provide an approved kindergarten program.

Find out about becoming an early childhood teacher, including information about courses, qualifications and employment.

Contacts for childcare information

A list of contacts is available to help you find out more about childcare services in Queensland.

Blue card

You must have a blue card to work with children in Queensland. This involves a police check and there is a fee to apply.

Note: a blue card issued by Blue Card Services is the only recognised check for working with children in Queensland. Checks conducted by other states, or other crime checks, are not valid in Queensland.

Teacher registration

Registration is not compulsory for early childhood teachers working in early childhood services, although individual employers may require it as a condition of employment.

However, any teacher employed in a school (including Prep-Year 3 teachers) needs to be registered with the Queensland College of Teachers.

Last updated:
23 January 2018