That ICPA (Aust) work with ICPA Qld to advocate the relevant departments and organisations including, but not limited to the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), Human Ability, TAFE Qld and the C&K College to review the delivery of the CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (C3G Plus), and CHC50121 (Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care) by investigating alternative qualification pathways.
Dirranbandi currently has a C&K Kindy that offers care 2-3 days a week for children aged 3-5. We do not have the facilities to offer placement for 'babies' (under 3). This will not be an option for the foreseeable future. This is also the case for numerous other centres like Dirranbandi. We desperately need new Kindy Teachers, and are fortunate enough to have 2 local women who are interested in the position, who both possess a degree in Primary Education. C&K require their Lead Teachers to possess a Certificate III or a Diploma in Early Childhood. Both women have undertaken training, which has come to a stand still because there is no local facility where they can complete the 'baby' component of their studies.
The nearest location would be a 3 hour round trip for them and require them to find day care for their own young children, and sort logistics for school aged children while they are away. There is also no available day care in St George (where they would have to travel - minimum 100km away) as centres are mostly at capacity. Advice from C&K College is that these families could "have a family holiday at the coast where dad could look after the kids and mum could complete a week of training." This could include the development of a separate stream or qualification for educators who do not work with infants and are unable to meet baby-related placement requirements. Rural and remote course applicants need assurance that qualification pathways support the sustainability of rural and remote kindergarten services and workforce participation.
National legislation states that observation of baby practices need to occur in a registered environment (rightfully so) and so their own personal experience raising children doesn't count for anything. Without these women taking on this role, there is a genuine concern that the centre will close.
We would like to suggest that a separate qualification be developed, omitting the baby component of the course. This would simply require relevant bodies to create a separate course that simply removes the baby units. It would offer a qualification that would fulfil the needs of centres such as Dirranbandi, ensuring our long term sustainability.
