EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS 2012 - REG 135

EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS 2012 - REG 135

135 .         Illness or absence of early childhood teacher or suitably qualified person

        (1A)         In this regulation —

        approved education and care qualification means —

            (a)         an approved certificate III level education and care qualification; or

            (b)         an approved diploma level education and care qualification; or

            (c)         an approved early childhood teaching qualification.

        (1)         If an early childhood teacher who is required under regulation 132(1), 133(1)(a) or 134(1)(a) to be in attendance at a centre‑based service is absent from the centre‑based service because of a circumstance specified in subregulation (6), the following persons may be taken to be an early childhood teacher during that absence —

            (a)         in any case —

                  (i)         a person who holds an approved diploma level education and care qualification; or

                  (ii)         a person who holds a qualification in primary teaching;

                and

            (b)         in the case of an early childhood teacher who is required to be in attendance under regulation 133(1)(a) or 134(1)(a), a suitably qualified person.

        (2)         If a second early childhood teacher or a suitably qualified person who is required under regulation 133(1)(b) or 134(1)(b) to be in attendance at a centre‑based service is absent from the centre‑based service because of a circumstance specified in subregulation (6), the following persons may be taken for the purposes of regulation 133(1)(b) or 134(1)(b) to be a second early childhood teacher or suitably qualified person during that absence —

            (a)         a person who holds an approved diploma level education and care qualification;

            (b)         a person who holds a qualification in primary teaching.

        (3)         An early childhood teacher required to be in attendance under regulation 132(1), 133(1)(a) or 134(1)(a) may be replaced in accordance with subregulation (1) for a maximum of 60 days in any 12 month period.

        (4)         A second early childhood teacher or a suitably qualified person required to be in attendance under regulation 133(1)(b) or 134(1)(b) may be replaced in accordance with subregulation (2) for a maximum of 60 days in any 12 month period.

        (5)         For the purposes of subregulations (3) and (4), in relation to a part‑time early childhood teacher, part‑time second early childhood teacher or part‑time suitably qualified person (as the case requires), 60 days is to be calculated on a pro rata basis.

        (6)         For the purposes of subregulations (1) and (2), the following circumstances are specified —

            (a)         short‑term illness;

            (b)         the resignation of the early childhood teacher, the second early childhood teacher or the suitably qualified person (as the case may be);

            (c)         a practicum placement required to be undertaken by the early childhood teacher or the second early childhood teacher (as the case may be) for an approved education and care qualification;

            (d)         a practicum placement required to be undertaken by the suitably qualified person for an approved education and care qualification;

            (e)         leave.

        [Regulation 135 inserted: Gazette 24 Dec 2019 p. 4424‑5; amended: SL 2023/71 r. 14.]