Diploma of Children's Services (Early Childhood Education and Care)

Course overview

This qualification covers workers in children's services who are responsible for planning, implementing and managing programs in early childhood services, in accordance with licensing, accreditation and duty of care requirements. At this level:

Workers have responsibility for supervision of other staff and volunteers

In most states it is the highest qualification required at director or service manager level for children's services centre-based care.

Enrolling in first aid units of competency

If you are seeking to enrol in a First Aid unit of competency such as HLTFA301B Apply first aid, you are advised that to complete the unit you must be able to perform basic life support skills, for example control bleeding and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). If you have a disability that would prevent you from performing required basic life support skills you are advised that you will not be able to achieve the unit of competency.

Requirements and advice for students participating in work placement

Some or all of the following advice will apply to you, depending on your course and the type of organisation where you will be undertaking work placement.

NSW Health Work Placement Requirements and Advice

National Criminal Record Check

Before you undertake clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility you will be required to undertake a Criminal Record Check (CRC) to obtain a National Police Certificate, either through a state or territory police service or through the Australian Federal Police. If you have any criminal records, you will be subject to a risk assessment and must obtain an authority to undertake clinical placements from the Department of Health, Corporate Governance and Risk Management Branch.

You will only be exempt from undertaking a CRC if you are under 18 years of age at the commencement of your course.

NSW Health Student Undertaking

In addition, you will be required to sign the NSW Health Student Undertaking, agreeing to notify NSW Health if you are charged or convicted of any criminal offence after the date of issue of your National Police Certificate or during the completion of your course.

Volunteer/Student Declaration

Before commencing each clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility you will be required to sign and provide a NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration. This form declares that you are not prohibited from working with children and young people.

Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Infectious Disease NSW Health also requires students to undertake Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Infectious Diseases. Before commencing work placement you will have to provide NSW Health with your Health Care Worker/Student Vaccination Record Card.

Please note that these requirements may take several months to complete and you will be required to pay for your Criminal Record Check screening and any necessary immunisations.

NSW Health Code of Conduct

Finally, before you undertake clinical work placement in a NSW Health facility, you will be given the NSW Health Code of Conduct and be required to sign a form stating that you have read and understood it.

For more information visit the NSW Health website at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/ and type 'clinical placement' in search area.

Community and Children's Services Work Placement Requirements and Advice

Volunteer/Student Declaration

Before commencing each work placement where you will come into contact with children, you will be required to sign and provide a NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration. This form declares that you are not prohibited from working with children and young people.

NSW Working with Children Check

Depending on the organisation's work placement policy and procedures, you may also be required to complete a NSW Working with Children Check.

For more information visit the NSW Commission for Children and Young People website at: http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/

Student responsibilities in work placement

To help you understand your responsibilities in the workplace, you will be given a Student Code of Conduct which indicates expected standards of behaviour in the workplace. Students who have committed a breach of discipline or who are assessed as presenting a significant risk to themselves or others during work placement may be prevented from undertaking or continuing work placement. This may mean they will not complete the course. If you require any further information talk to your teacher.

In many TAFE NSW courses, some of the learning and assessment occurs in the workplace or a simulated workplace. A simulated workplace is very similar to a real workplace and may have clients, but is usually within a TAFE NSW campus.

TAFE NSW has a responsibility to protect members of the public (and the students themselves) from being harmed by students taking part in workplace or simulated workplace learning. If there is evidence that your skills or behaviour could present a risk to yourself or other people in the workplace, you may not be allowed to participate in a work placement, at least for a period of time.

To help you understand your responsibilities in the workplace, you will be given a code of practice which indicates expected standards of behaviour. Your teacher will explain to you and your workplace supervisor the range of duties for which you have the skills and knowledge. You must not carry out duties other than those indicated by your teacher.

You need to take particular care if workplace clients are people who may be in vulnerable circumstances - for example, people who are frail, children, young people, people with a disability or people who are receiving a type of service which may put them in vulnerable circumstances (for example, massage therapy or nursing care).

A NSW Commission for Children and Young People Volunteer/Student Declaration must be signed by students in courses where contact will be made with children and young people. This form declares that the student is not prohibited from working with children and young people. In some circumstances students may be required to undertake a criminal records check or a Working with Children Check. Your teacher will give you more information about this.

Students who have committed a breach of discipline or who are assessed as presenting a significant risk to themselves or others during work placement may be prevented from undertaking or continuing further work placement. This may mean they will not complete the course.

Your teacher or an enrolling officer can provide you with more information about this policy. If you are unsure about whether it may prevent you from completing a course you could discuss the matter with a staff member of TAFE NSW Counselling and Career Services.

Student readiness for work placement

Generally, work placements will only occur after there has been a reasonable amount of student/teacher contact. Wherever possible, an assessment event will be undertaken by students to determine work placement readiness. Based on the evidence provided, the teacher will form a judgement as to the student's readiness to benefit from workplace learning and perform workplace duties with:

The required level of expertise

Due regard to ethical conduct

Avoidance of behaviour posing an unacceptable level of risk to themselves, workplace employer/employees or clients/customers, including those in vulnerable circumstances.

If you require any further information about any work placement requirements, talk to your teacher.

Course Structure

The course structure below shows what you must do to complete this course. Units/modules are arranged in groups and sometimes also in subgroups.

You must complete each group as specified as well as following the course completion instructions. If a course contains optional groups there will be a statement at the top of the course indicating how many you must do. At the top of any group containing optional subgroups there will be a statement saying how many you must do.

Course Contents

 Distance study option

A total of 18 units must be completed - 13 core units plus 5 elective units.

CORE UNITS

Module/Unit	Name
CHCCN511A	Establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment for children
CHCFC503A	Foster social development in early childhood
CHCFC504A	Support emotional and psychological development in early childhood
CHCFC502A	Foster physical development in early childhood
CHCFC505A	Foster cognitive development in early childhood
CHCFC506A	Foster children's language and communication development
CHCIC510A	Establish and implement plans for developing cooperative behaviour
CHCIC512A	Plan and implement inclusion of children with additional needs
CHCIC501A	Manage Children's services workplace practice to address regulations and quality assurance
CHCPR502D	Organise experiences to facilitate and enhance children's development
CHCPR509A	Gather, interpret and use information about children
CHCPR510A	Design, implement and evaluate programs and care routines for children
CHCRF511A	Work in partnership with families to provide appropriate care for children

Career Opportunities

Qualified child care worker, team leader, group leader, program leader, service/centre manager, service director, children's adviser, child development worker or special needs inclusive worker.

Under the Children's Services Regulation 2004 you cannot be employed in Children's Services until you are 18 years of age.

Entry Requirements

Achievement of the following units of competency through a recognised training program or recognition process:

Module/Unit	Name
CHCCHILD401A	Identify and respond to children and young people at risk
CHCCN301A	Ensure the health and safety of children
CHCCN302A	Provide care for children
CHCCN303A	Contribute to provision of nutritionally balanced food in a safe and hygienic manner
CHCCN305A	Provide care for babies
CHCCS400A	Work within a relevant legal and ethical framework
CHCFC301A	Support the development of children
CHCIC301D	Interact effectively with children
CHCPR301A	Provide experiences to support children's play and learning
CHCPR303D	Develop understanding of children's interests and developmental needs
HLTFA301B	Apply first aid
HLTOHS300A	Contribute to OHS processes

Computer Skills

Students would need to be able to operate a personal computer  to access:

Web pages

Manage files

Conduct research

Use email (with attachments)

Computer Requirements (Hardware/Software)

Home/Office computer. 

Articulation

The qualification contains units of competency which are common to other sectors. You will gain credit for these units if you choose to enrol in qualifications for other sectors in the CHC08 Community Services Training Package.

When you finish this course you may apply for advanced standing at universities offering early childhood courses.

Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer

Recognition of prior learning (RPL) is the process of assessing a candidate’s competence based on evidence other than a recent testamur listing identical or equivalent units. Evidence that may be used for recognition includes (but is not limited to)

older testamur listing identical or equivalent units together with evidence of currency

current testamur listing similar, but not equivalent, units of competence together with evidence of competence in the gaps between those units and the target units

evidence of competence gained through informal learning and/or work experience

 Credit Transfer is the process of acknowledging  successful completion of one or more units of competence with TAFE NSW or any other RTO. To have those units credited towards the current qualification, the student must be able to provide a testamur with transcript of competencies achieved.

If the date of the testamur is more than three years prior to the current enrolment the candidate will need to demonstrate that their competencies are still current. This changes the process from credit transfer to recognition.

Note: For Credit Transfer and RPL - Units are only considered ‘equivalent’ if the current Training Package lists them as such in the mapping of units from the immediately previous version of that Training Package.

Sub courses
Identify and Respond to Children and Young People at Risk	CHCCHILD401A
Ensure the health and safety of children	CHCCN301A
Provide care for children	CHCCN302A
Contribute to provision of nutritionally balanced food in a safe and hygienic manner	CHCCN303A
Provide care for babies	CHCCN305A
Establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment for children	CHCCN511A
Work within a relevant legal and ethical framework	CHCCS400A
Support the development of children	CHCFC301A
Foster physical development in early childhood	CHCFC502A
Foster social development in early childhood	CHCFC503A
Support emotional and psychological development in early childhood	CHCFC504A
Foster cognitive development in early childhood	CHCFC505A
Foster children's language and communication development	CHCFC506A
Interact effectively with children	CHCIC301D
Manage Children's services workplace practice to address regulations and quality assurance	CHCIC501A
Establish and implement plans for developing cooperative behaviour	CHCIC510A
Plan and implement inclusion of children with additional needs	CHCIC512A
Provide experiences to support children's play and learning	CHCPR301A
Develop understanding of children's interests and developmental needs	CHCPR303D
Organise experiences to facilitate and enhance children's development	CHCPR502D
Gather, interpret and use information about children	CHCPR509A
Design, implement and evaluate programs and care routines for children	CHCPR510A
Work in partnership with families to provide appropriate care for children	CHCRF511A
Apply first aid	HLTFA301B
Contribute to OHS processes	HLTOHS300A