Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is for those who are interested in working in the early childhood services sector, or who are already working in the field and are responsible for planning, implementing and managing programs in early childhood services.

At this level, workers have responsibility for the supervision of staff and volunteers.

In most states this is the highest qualification required at director or service manager level for early childhood service centre-based care.

The course includes on-campus and online classes, as well as multiple work placements.

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This course reflects the role of early childhood educators who are responsible for designing and implementing curriculum in early childhood education and care services, within the approved learning framework requirements of the Education and Care Services, national regulations and the National Quality Standards.

International students in Australia who hold student visas are required to study full-time and on campus. Courses that are taught entirely online are only available to international students studying outside Australia or those in Australia who are not on a student visa. Online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa.

To successfully complete the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, students must complete 28 units (23 core and five elective units).

• On-campus classes combined with work placement.
• Current work placement is 360 hours over the course duration.
• Current work placement for students holding an international student visa, who have completed Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30113), is approximately 240 hours.
• Students may be required to attend one Saturday workshop to complete the compulsory First Aid unit.

• Variation of above.
• Students may be required to attend one Saturday workshop to complete the compulsory First Aid unit.

*Students holding an international student visa are required to study full-time and on campus.

Units of study

Develop cultural competence (CHCECE001)

Ensure the health and safety of children (CHCECE002)

Provide care for children (CHCECE003)

Promote and provide healthy food and drinks (CHCECE004)

Provide care for babies and toddlers (CHCECE005)

Develop positive and respectful relationships with children (CHCECE007)

Use an approved learning framework to guide practice (CHCECE009)

Establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment for children (CHCECE016)

Foster the holistic development and wellbeing of the child in early childhood (CHCECE017)

Nurture creativity in children (CHCECE018)

Facilitate compliance in an education and care service (CHCECE019)

Establish and implement plans for developing cooperative behaviour (CHCECE020)

Implement strategies for the inclusion of all children (CHCECE021)

Promote children's agency (CHCECE022)

Analyse information to inform learning (CHCECE023)

Design and implement curriculum to foster children's learning and development (CHCECE024)

Embed sustainable practices in service operations (CHCECE025)

Work in partnership with families to provide appropriate education and care for children (CHCECE026)

Identify and respond to children and young people at risk (CHCPRT001)

Provide emergency first aid response in an education and care setting (HLTAID004)

Maintain work health and safety (HLTWHS003)

Support the holistic development of children in early childhood (CHCECE010)

Provide experiences to support children's play and learning (CHCECE011)

Use information about children to inform practice (CHCECE013)

Lead the work team (CHCMGT003)

Reflect on and improve own professional practice (CHCPRP003)

A prerequisite for many courses, the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) can now be done on campus in Hawthorn at Room 132, Building TD. Book now or call +61 3 9214 3584 for more information.

Australian Year 12: Completion with a ‘satisfactory’ in English or English as an Additional Language (EAL).

Assess your eligibility for entry to Swinburne.

English language requirements

Satisfactory completion of one of the following:

• Swinburne's English for Academic Purposes (EAP 4 Upper Intermediate level) with overall 65%, all skills 60%
• minimum IELTS overall band of 5.5 (Academic Module) with no individual band below 5.0
• TOEFL iBT (internet-based) minimum score of 65 with no band less than 15
• Pearson (PTE) minimum score of 42 (no communicative skills less than 36)
• any other equivalent assessment of English language proficiency.

Find out more about English language requirements.

Prerequisites

Additional information

• Please note all students must have a valid Australian Police Check and a valid Australian Working with Children Check or be prepared to obtain these prior to placements.
• It is essential that each student is able to perform all physical activities linked to the unit, provide emergency first aid response in an education and care setting (HLTAID004). This is a required unit that must be completed to qualify for the award. To complete this unit students must be able to perform life support skills such as administering CPR for two minutes to a mannequin on the floor on more than one occasion. It is mandatory to be able to do this task in order to achieve this unit.

The qualification enables early childhood education and care workers to operate at a qualified level in early childhood education and care, and graded assessment will assist with entry into early childhood degree courses.

Free TAFE! You could have your tuition fees for this course covered in 2020 thanks to the Victorian Government's Free TAFE for Priority Courses initiative. Find out about your eligibility for Free TAFE.