Staffing a Childcare Centre
The childcare world is a highly regulated one in many areas, including staffing. Specific rules apply and this article explains some of the elements involved.
Advertising and interviews for staff should begin well before the build is completed. An early start in this area affords you time to organise uniforms and personal documentation required on file prior to the open day.
Approved Providers (AP)are responsible for ensuring that appropriately qualified and experienced people are employed. Requirements for qualifications vary according to the role undertaken. The National Regulations stipulate this and other issues around staffing. The total number of staff will depend on the total capacity of the centre and the age groups accommodated.
Childcare regulations require that the ratio is always maintained. So, if someone is absent, they must be replaced with a suitably qualified person for the day.
A staff team normally consists of:
Nominated Supervisor: The first person hired is usually the Nominated Supervisor (also called Director Manager) of the centre. This is a key appointment. This person must have a sound grasp of the legislation and regulations that govern the operation of the service and lead the team to ensure these are always followed.
Educational Leader: This is a relatively new key position, created with the advent of the National Quality Framework (NQF). The next article explains more about this new role in detail.
Lead Educators: These are the people in charge of each room team and must be suitably qualified and experienced to do so.
Educators: Work in the room with the Lead Educators, performing the tasks required to implement the program and interacting with children and families as required.
Float Team: These people usually attend to hygiene and other tasks around the centre. They may replace regular staff if they are absent. They also provide cover during meal breaks/rest pauses and whenever required to ensure the service remains compliant with regulations.
Casual Team: Centres need a regular pool of casual staff available to cover times of illness or staff holiday periods.
Cook/Chef: Their role is obvious and needs no further explanation.
Bus Driver: This can be a regular team member who is rostered for this task, or it can be a separate person, depending on how your service elects to operate.
Maintenance/Garden person: Childcare centres create quite a bit of maintenance work. Most centres have a regular person they count on to manage this side of operations.
Conducting staff interviews can be difficult and thorough sector knowledge is important. A good consultant can help conduct interviews with you to ensure the best team possible. The less disruption you have with changing staff the better settled your children and families will feel and the better start your business will have. The right team will build confidence and trust in the community – two key ingredients for the long term success of a childcare centre.
