Together We Can Put an End to Understaffing in ECEC
EArly Education Needs a Better Staffing Standard
The ECEC Quality & Safety Census revealed that 77% of Early Educators in Australia are facing consistent understaffing in their centre. If we want things to improve, we need legislation that holds centres accountable and properly addresses the problems.
Educators can’t provide a safe and high-quality learning environment when they’re faced with overworking, understaffing, and under-the-roof ratios.
Hundreds of United Workers Union Educators met to discuss the changes that need to happen in Early Education. The result is our Safer Staffing Action Plan, a set of policies and legislative recommendations designed to create a sector where children can thrive.
UNDER-THE-ROOF RATIOS NEED TO END IF WE WANT A SAFER SECTOR!
Under-the-roof ratios are a staffing loophole that allows centres to get away with only meeting educator-to-child ratios across the whole building instead of each room.
This puts both children and educators at risk by failing to provide the resources needed to create a safe and high-quality educational environment.
In August, Education Ministers announced a national review of staffing and Under-The-Roof Ratios in the sector. Well done to the over 2,000 educators who sent a message to the regulator describing your experiences with understaffing and Under-The-Roof ratios so the ACECQA can understand just how much of an impact it makes.