On 28 June 2019, State, Territory and Australian Education Ministers agreed to extend a number of transitional workforce provisions to address the ongoing challenges faced by the children’s education and care sector in building a highly skilled workforce, particularly in rural and remote areas.

The regulations that have been extended are listed in the table below. 

Please note: None of these provisions apply in Victoria and Regulation 242 does not apply in NSW if you are working in a centre-based service educating and caring for 30 or more children preschool age or under.

The decision to extend these provisions also considers the requirement from 1 January 2020 in all states and territories, except NSW, that providers of centre-based services have a second early childhood teacher or a ‘suitably qualified person’ in attendance when 60 or more children preschool age or under are being cared for.

To ensure the consistent application of this requirement, governments also agreed to make a number of technical amendments to the National Regulations, for example including additional ‘suitably qualified person’ guidance in line with existing early childhood teacher guidance. These amendments will be made before the end of 2019.

PUBLISHED: 18 JULY 2019 (SOURCE: ACECQA)