Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Course Delivery

Inspire Education (RTO# 32067) delivers this online, and through Mixed Mode Delivery, which means it will be self-paced and completed via distance education using Inspire’s online student portal. Delivery includes face-to-face webinars, self-paced study, directed research and online learning and assessment materials and activities.

It is the most popular and effective method of delivery for this course. Students are able to complete their training from anywhere in Australia, from remote areas and small towns to major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane or Adelaide.

This allows students to work at their own pace and at times most convenient to them.

Course Duration

You will have up to 12 months to complete this course from your commencement date.

You will consolidate your skills and knowledge through undertaking a minimum of 120 hours of vocational placement in a regulated Child Care service (must be registered with ACECQA).

Please find our student policies and procedures on the Inspire Education student handbook by clicking here.

This CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care course will prepare you for a rewarding career in the early childhood sector.

You will learn critical skills and knowledge on how to be an effective early childhood assistant, and help look after, care for, and educate babies and young children in a range of community facilities and settings.

This online early childhood course will teach you a range of skills designed to help you give young children the best start in life possible. You’ll learn how to ensure children’s health and safety, provide healthy food, work effectively using learning and ethical frameworks, and to support children’s play, and the physical and emotional well being of young people.

Additionally, this Cert III Child Care course will also teach you ways to provide experiences that support their play and learning using an approved learning framework, and help the holistic development of children. Furthermore, you will learn how to identify and respond to children at risk, work with diverse people, develop cultural competence, and enhance and model cultural safety.

Life is too short… so why not start a career doing what you LOVE?  Get qualified with first-class child care training, today!

There are no formal prerequisites required to enter this qualification. However, it is preferred that eligible students:

• Are 18 years or older (Note: Students below 18 years old will need to investigate potential work placement options prior to enrolment, as some placement centres will not accept underage students)
• Have sound language and literacy skills (at least Year 10 English and Math, or equivalent)
• Have basic computer skills

Eligible Students are also required to:

• Obtain a Unique Student Identifier (USI)
• Provide a valid ID with his/her picture and signature
• Undertake a Language, Literacy and Numeracy Evaluation
• Undertake a Personal Learning Plan Evaluation before accessing the course materials and commencing studies
• Obtain a positive National Criminal History Check
• Obtain eligibility for relevant Working with Children Check (state-based)

All students considering a self-paced, online course should give consideration to the following, prior to enrolment:

• Ability to access any required technologies
• Information technology skills in accessing and using online programs
• Experience and self-motivation to learn on their own
• Competing pressures, such as work and family commitments, that may impact self-paced study time

Take our “Online Study Readiness Survey” to do a self-assessment! Visit the Inspire FAQ page for more info.

Australia’s accredited Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care CHC30113 supersedes the older Certificate III in Children’s Services – CHC30712 qualification.

This course is suitable for anyone looking to begin or formalise their education in the children’s services industry under an approved learning framework, and seeking entry-level employment in the child care industry.

After completing this course, learners can continue their child care studies with the CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (superseded by CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care). The Diploma qualification is suitable to pursue roles as a group leader, family day care coordinator or centre manager.

Once enrolled in this course you may also consider additional training to compliment your child care skills:

• CHC30213 – Certificate III in Education Support (superseded by CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support) – Ideal for anyone wanting to provide teacher aide support in schools.

The CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is comprised of 15 core units, and 3 electives. This qualification includes elective units which have been carefully selected to ensure they meet the needs of a wide range of child care professionals.

Unit Clustering

Inspire Education has clustered this course into just 6 easy-to-follow theory workbooks and 1 practical skills journal – this is to help you successfully complete your course faster by reducing duplicate content and assessing any learning objectives that overlap across units just once!

CORE UNITS:

CHCLEG001 – Work legally and ethically

CHCECE001 – Develop cultural competence

CHCECE002 – Ensure the health and safety of children

CHCECE003 – Provide care for children

CHCECE004 – Promote and provide healthy food and drinks

CHCECE005 – Provide care for babies and toddlers

CHCECE007 – Develop positive and respectful relationships with children

CHCECE009 – Use an approved learning framework to guide practice

CHCECE010 – Support the holistic development of children in early childhood

CHCECE011 – Provide experiences to support children’s play and learning

CHCECE013 – Use information about children to inform practice

CHCPRT001 – Identify and respond to children and young people at risk

HLTAID004 – Provide an emergency first aid response in an education and care setting *

HLTWHS001 – Participate in workplace health and safety

CHCDIV002 – Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety

ELECTIVE UNITS:

CHCECE006 – Support behaviour of children and young people

CHCECE016 – Establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment for children

CHCDIV001 – Work with diverse people

*The HLTAID004: Provide an emergency first aid response in an education and care setting unit is NOT delivered by Inspire Education, students must organise the completion of this unit via an external provider.

Units from this course are included in the CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care qualification. This means you can now enrol directly into the Diploma qualification if you wish to work in the child care industry at a supervisor or manager level. Alternatively, you can complete the Certificate III qualification separately and apply for credit for those units if you wish to continue on to Diploma training at a later date.

The CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, which supersedes this course, was released on 19 July 2021.  What we offer, the CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care, has a teach out period until 20 January 2023. As such, eligible students will still gain this qualification, provided they successfully complete course requirements within this period.

To support your studies Inspire will provide:

• Access to a student account in the Learning Management System (LMS) for submission
• Learning Materials and Assessment Workbooks
• Simulations, where applicable
• Templates for completing Project Documents

To complete your studies you will need to have access to:

• Computer with:
  • Internet access through Google Chrome
  • MS Word, MS PowerPoint, or equivalent applications
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Printer and scanner for use of template documents
• Webcam and headset (for online workshops)
• Video recording equipment (e.g. mobile phone or video recorder) to record role-play activities
• At least one (1) volunteer for the assessment tasks

Inspire Education has adopted a “clustered” approach to this course. This means we have divided our course has been divided into just seven workbooks (instead of 18 separate units). This means you will have only seven workbooks to submit to successfully complete your course! By using this “holistic” approach, our students are able to study at a good pace because information is not duplicated.

You will complete a Personal Learning Plan Evaluation as part of your enrolment. You will then be provided with a training plan that identifies your Cohort, taking into account your existing level of relevant knowledge and skills.

The amount of training and support required for each learner will vary on these 4 Cohorts:

• Beginner (Full Study Model) – Limited relevant knowledge or skill in the competence contained in this qualification. No recent related industry experience. Study hours is up to 1000 hours
• Intermediate (Partial Study Model) – Moderate relevant knowledge and skill with limited recent related industry experience. Study hours is up to 780 hours
• Advanced (Partial Recognition Pathway) – Extensive relevant knowledge and skill with recent related industry work experience of 1 year or more. Study hours is up to 520 hours
• Expert (Assessment only) – Current industry experience of 2 or more years and extensive relevant knowledge and skill. These candidates are recommended to undertake a full recognition pathway. Study hours is up to 460 hours

Expected Study Hours

This child care course has an expected study time of up to 1000 hours (including the work placement), however students can work at their own pace and complete the course faster if they like.

Assessment is conducted using a combination of Questioning (e.g. written/oral questions, interviews, self-evaluation, and questionnaires), Product-based Methods (e.g. reports, displays, work samples, role plays. Presentations, and outputs), Portfolio (e.g. written documents, photographs, videos, and logbooks), Direct Observation (e.g. assessment in real-time in the workplace or in a simulated off-the-job situation that reflects the workplace), Third-Party Evidence (e.g. observation, skills workbook, workplace assessment workbook, logbook, third-party reports), and Direct Credit

To successfully complete this qualification, you will need to initiate contact with a registered Early Education & Care facility (must be registered with ACECQA) under direct supervision to complete workplace-based experience (minimum 120 hours and maximum 240 hours).

This will help give you practical skills and knowledge in working with young people, and allow you to demonstrate your practical competencies in a real workplace. The vocational placement is the only way to demonstrate all necessary skills and knowledge and is required to complete the course.

To view what is required by your Vocational Placement Provider, click here >> Vocational Placement FAQs

Your Vocational Placement Provider must provide access to:

• An approved and registered Child Care Service workplace
• A supervisor
• National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care
• Relevant approved learning framework under the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care
• Access to service policies and procedures
• Materials and equipment to facilitate play and leisure
• Cleaning equipment and materials
• Access to a diverse range of children and parents
  • Gender
  • Race and culture (including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children)
  • Age
  • Interests and preferences
  • Social context and lifestyle
  • Communication style
  • Personality
  • Length of time attending service/child care
• Appropriate opportunities for the following age groups:
  • For infants:
    • Objects to explore by mouth, swinging toys, rattles, toys to encourage sensory exploration, poke, squeeze, push along the floor
    • Outdoor play
  • For 3 to 5-year olds:
    • Opportunities to develop fine motor skills, such as puzzles, peg boards, beads to string, construction sets, crayons, brushes, scissors
    • Opportunities to support children’s indoor and outdoor play to practise large muscle and fundamental movement skills, such as running, jumping, throwing and catching a ball, dancing, and cycling
• A range of experiences in the childcare centre, including:
  • Formally organised activities
  • Time and place for unplanned interaction
  • Meetings
  • Traveling
  • Walks
  • Setting up environment/venue

Note: Eligible students are required to complete a Police Check, Blue Card or Working With Children Check, and additional manual handling training prior to commencing their vocational placement at their chosen facility. Any costs will be shouldered by the student. For students planning to do their vocational placement, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommends immunisation for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and influenza.

Under the Education and Care Services National Law (2011) the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) has set minimum training standards for all educators who are directly working with young people from Birth to Preschool age Long Day Care centres. Educators must hold an approved Certificate III level child care qualification (or higher). All Family Day Care educators must also hold an approved Certificate III level qualification (or higher).

RPL is offered to any Learner who can provide evidence of competency for the units offered in this early childhood course. See the RPL Guide for more information on this process and how to apply.

After successful completion this Cert III Child Care course, you are now qualified for a career in the child care industry.  Career information provided by My Skills says that individuals who successfully complete their Certificate III are most often employed as:

• Childhood Educator Assistant
• Outside School Hours Aide
• Preschool Assistant

You can also search for child care assistant, child care educator, or family day care coordinator to see all the opportunities available right now.