From 1 January 2025, providers may engage In Home Care (IHC) educators who don’t meet minimum qualification requirements to work in remote or very remote areas.
Generally, IHC educators must hold, or be working towards, at least a Certificate III in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Providers will soon be able to engage IHC educators who don’t meet minimum qualification requirements to work in remote or very remote areas.
Providers may do this if the educator:
- has access to and utilises the experience of a qualified educator at least 20% of the time care is provided, or
- has been continuously employed in an ECEC service in a remote or very remote area for at least 15 years.
This exemption recognises the difficulty in attracting and retaining educators in remote and very remote areas. Where possible, providers should support unqualified educators to complete the minimum qualifications.
Find out more about IHC qualification exemptions.