The primary barrier has been identified as the restrictive entry requirements that were introduced in July 2021.
Enrolments in the Diploma and the number of students who actually complete the course have been declining for several years. This means there are not enough graduates to fill current workforce shortages or meet future demand for qualified early childhood education and care workers.
The national shortage of suitably skilled workers directly impacts on the number of available places for children, quality of service and the ability of providers to meet regulatory requirements.
In consultation with key stakeholders, this project seeks to amend the Diploma entry requirements to recognise previous versions of the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and/or similar qualifications combined with workforce experience.
The project will also develop tools to support two recognition pathways into the Diploma.
Project fact sheet
A project Technical Committee has been established to provide expert advice for this project. Committee members were selected for their relevant expertise in relation to the project.
View the Terms of Reference and membership.
Project development is underway and draft materials will be made available in the Consultation stage. The development of these materials will be based on initial research and targeted interviews focused on a new recognition pathway for entry to the Diploma.
The new pathway seeks to recognise the two versions of the Certificate III in Early Childhood and Care that preceded current entry requirements.
A skill set will be drafted to address any critical skill gaps identified between the CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and earlier versions of the qualification.
A pre-entry assessment kit will also be drafted to support the new recognition pathway.
The draft training products have been submitted to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations Assurance Body for assessment and an endorsement recommendation to the Skills Ministers.
We appreciate the enthusiastic and positive engagement from the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector during the national consultation workshops. We specifically sought input on improving accessibility to the qualification, addressing barriers to entry, and discussing tools to support pathways into the diploma including an entry skills set, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) funded recognition of prior learning kit, and the companion volume.
Over 300 participants attended workshops and provided invaluable suggestions. All workshop and survey responses have been carefully considered, analysed and integrated into the final materials. These are submitted to the DEWR Assurance Body for assessment and an endorsement recommendation to the Skills Ministers.
Consultation Log Diploma of ECEC Entry Requirements Analysis
The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care Entry Requirements project aimed to broaden the qualification’s entry requirements.
Entry to the CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care required a CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care or CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.
Following wide consultation, the diploma’s entry requirements have been amended so earlier Certificate III qualifications in early childhood education and care or children’s services are recognised.
Final training products were endorsed by the Skills Ministers on 26 August 2025 and published on the National Training Register on 5 September 2025.
CHC50125 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
Before being submitted for endorsement, the training product underwent an anti-discrimination assessment process and consideration and support by the Senior Responsible Officers and the Training Package Assurance Body.
A Consultation Log was submitted alongside the draft training products, which includes evidence of industry support for the changes made. The CHC Companion Volume Implementation Guide will also been updated to assist industry and registered training providers deliver the units of competency and qualification.
Professional development workshops will support the implementation of these new training products so please ensure you are registered for project updates to be notified or workshop times and locations.