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CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

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Qualification Description

The CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is designed for those who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of young children. This nationally recognised qualification prepares you for a leadership role in early childhood services, where you will design, implement, and evaluate curriculum that supports children’s learning and development.

Throughout this qualification, you will:

Learn how to apply the Early Years Learning Framework and other approved learning frameworks in everyday practice.
Gain a deep understanding of child development, wellbeing, and inclusive education.
Build practical skills in program planning, observation, and assessment to support children’s individual learning journeys.
Develop leadership skills, including how to mentor and supervise staff, trainees, and volunteers within an education and care service.
Strengthen your knowledge of the Education and Care Services National Regulations and the National Quality Standard, ensuring your practice meets the highest standards of quality and compliance.

This course blends theory with hands-on experience. You will not only study best practice but also apply your skills in real-world early learning environments, preparing you to step confidently into lead educator and other leadership roles.

By the end of the qualification, you will be equipped to create meaningful, play-based learning experiences that nurture children’s curiosity, growth, and development while also inspiring and guiding your team.

Career Opportunities

Employment may include but not limited to the following roles:

Early Childhood Lead Educator
ECE Educational Leader
Family Day Care Coordinator
ECE Centre Director/Nominated Supervisor
Playgroup Coordinator

Modes of Delivery

Blended delivery including:

Self-paced online study
Workplace based training and direct observation
Apprenticeships
Online study groups
TEAMS training

Assessment Methods

Assessment approaches including:

Online knowledge questions
Workplace Tasks
Direct Observation
Recognition of Prior Learning
TEAMS assessment

Duration

This course is self-paced, so you can fit study around your lifestyle. There are no exams.

The Diploma includes 15 units in total:

12 core units

3 elective units (all must be completed)

Most students complete the program in 24 (full time status) – 18 (part time status) months, but the more time you dedicate to study, the sooner you can achieve your qualification.

Our experienced Trainer Assessors will work with you to create a personalised training plan, helping you set realistic timeframes and stay on track to reach your study goals.

Entry Requirements

Entry to this qualification is open to individuals who:

hold a CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care or
CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Proof of completed qualifications is required upon enrolment.

In addition, AIECS requires students seeking enrolment into the CHC50121 qualification:

Are aged 15 years or older by the course commencement date;
Have successfully completed Year 10 (or equivalent) or are of mature age;
Have basic English skills (written and verbal communication).
Completion of a student evaluation on language, literacy and numeracy
All students must satisfy Police and Working with Children checks.
A Unique Student Identifier (USI)

Practical Expectations

To complete this course, students must complete a minimum of 280 hours of workplace experience. The purpose of workplace experience is to give you practical, hands-on opportunities to apply what you’ve learned in real childcare settings. This experience helps you build essential foundation skills such as:

communication
interpreting and following instructions
problem-solving
teamwork

Workplace experience also allows you to demonstrate the practical skills required to achieve competency.
NOTE: Depending on your level of understanding and ability to demonstrate skills competently, you may be required to complete additional hours beyond the minimum 280. This ensures you graduate with the confidence and capability to thrive in your role as an educator.

Student Volunteer Placement

If you are not currently employed or volunteering in the early childhood industry, you will be required to complete a student volunteer placement. This placement gives you the opportunity to practise your new skills in a real-world early learning environment, supported by experienced educators.

We can assist in arranging your placement to ensure you gain the experience you need. Placement availability will depend on the service, so it’s important to understand that we may need to negotiate suitable days and times with the centre. Students should not assume that a service can take them on any day. Placements are arranged in line with the service’s needs and capacity.

Practicum hours can be completed flexibly. Either in blocks or spread out throughout your program. This flexibility allows you to fit placement around other commitments such as annual leave, family, or work.

A minimum of 280 hours of student placement is required for this qualification. However, depending on your level of understanding and your ability to demonstrate competent skills, you may need to complete additional hours to meet competency requirements.

It’s important to understand that a unit of competency cannot be completed or marked as competent until you have undertaken enough practicum hours for an assessor to observe you in the workplace. This means you do not need to complete all 160 hours before progressing in your course, but you must complete sufficient hours for your assessor to directly observe your skills against the unit requirements.

Your assessor will guide you on the minimum hours needed before observation can take place.
This ensures you graduate not only qualified, but confident and job ready.

Units of Competency

Compulsory

CHCECE042 Foster holistic early childhood learning, development and wellbeing

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to foster and enhance the holistic learning, development and wellbeing of children from birth to six years of age. It includes the ability to use detailed knowledge of different developmental domains and developmental theory and how these domains link to support holistic development.

CHCECE043 Nurture creativity in children

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop, implement and evaluate experiences that nurture creativity in children through construction, digital technologies, dramatic play, imaginative play, movement, music and visual art.

CHCECE047 Analyse information to inform learning

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to gather and analyse information about children’s learning to inform practice.

CHCECE048 Plan and implement children's education and care curriculum

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to plan, implement and evaluate curriculum over a period of time to foster children’s learning and development.

CHCPRP003 Reflect on and improve own professional practice

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to evaluate and enhance own practice through a process of reflection and ongoing professional development.

CHCECE045 Foster positive and respectful interactions and behaviour in children

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop guidelines that foster positive and respectful interactions and behaviour, and to monitor and support children’s learning, development and wellbeing in this area.

CHCECE046 Implement strategies for the inclusion of all children

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to promote inclusion and diversity and to plan, implement and monitor individual support strategies.

CHCECE050 Work in partnership with children's families

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to establish relationships with families, connect with the local and broader community and promote opportunities for collaboration and sharing of information with families to support effective education and care for children.

CHCECE041 Maintain a safe and healthy environment for children

The unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge to monitor and maintain health and safety in the areas of individual health, hygiene, infectious disease, supervision, risk management, incident and emergency management. It includes the ability to contribute to the ongoing improvement of workplace health and safety policies and procedures.

CHCECE044 Facilitat compliance in an education and care setting

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to facilitate legislative, regulatory and National Quality Framework compliance in an education and care service.

CHCECE049 Embed environmental responsibility in service operations

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to develop, implement and evaluate a sustainability management plan and support children’s environmental responsibility.

Elective

CHCINM002 Meet community information needs

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work with community groups and individuals to identify and address their information needs.

BSBSTR501 Establish innovative work environments

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to create an environment that enables and supports practice which focuses on a holistic approach to the integration of innovation across all areas of work practice.

CHCPOL002 Develop and implement policy

The assessment tasks within this unit describes the skills and knowledge required to research, develop and implement new policy initiatives.