BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

JULY 9, 2022

Numbers are a big part of early learning, and we’re not just talking about your child’s 1, 2, 3s, or your family’s fees.  

Numbers matter when we look at things like session lengths, notice periods and available places, and some numbers are integral to the quality of education and care being provided.  

Your service must have a certain percentage of qualified educators to keep teaching standards high, and educator to child ratios are another key way that numbers help to ensure quality. 

These ratios set out the minimum number of educators that must be working directly with groups of children.  

Whether there are seven kids at a service, or 77, the ratios ensure that educators aren’t spread too thin, and that every child gets quality time with their teacher, carer and confidante (because educators wear a lot of hats!).  

Under-fives need this special attention. 

Babies, toddlers and preschoolers are a lot less self-sufficient than older kids, and they require close supervision to feel safe and stay safe. 

The educator to child ratios also recognise how influential the early years are for learning and development.  

Ninety per cent of a child’s brain develops before they turn five, and Starting Blocks explains that the interactions that happen, or don’t happen, in the early years, “Have a significant and lasting effect on all the development and learning that follows.”  

The ratios help to ensure that your child – and every child – gets the attention they need to build their brain in healthy ways, and develop learning and social skills at this critical time.  

All in all, the ratios allow educators to dedicate themselves to children and form real bonds in their days together, and this bodes well for a positive and responsive early learning experience that’s tailor-made for each child – including yours!  

Numbers-wise, there isn’t a one-figure-fits-all approach to ratios.  

Educator to child ratios are part of the National Quality Framework for children’s education and care services, but figures vary, depending on where you live, how old your child is, and what type of service they’re enrolled in.  

In family day care, things are relatively simple.  

The ratio is 1:7, which means one educator can care for up to seven kids, but no more than four children under school age.  

If the educator is looking after their own kids, they get counted in the 1:7 ratio if they’re under the age of 13 and there’s no other grown-up caring for them.  

In centre-based care (hello long day care, preschools and kindergartens), things are a little more complicated.  

There are many more kids being cared for under one roof, and educator to child ratios are calculated across the entire service, not room-by-room. 

To be counted in the ratio, educators must be ‘working directly’ with children. This means being physically present, and educators must be directly involved in providing education and care to the children (rather than just being vaguely ‘around’). 

The different ratios are as follows: 

• For babies and toddlers, from birth to 24 months old, the ratio is one educator to four children (1:4) in all states and territories. 
   
• For toddlers, over 24 months and less than 36 months, the ratio is one educator to five littlies (1:5), except in Victoria, where it’s 1:4. 
   

• For kiddies 36 months, up to and including, preschool age, the ratio is one educator to 10 children (1:10) in New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania (though the Tassie ratio is 2:25 for children who are in a preschool program).  
   
  In Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, the ratio is one educator to 11 kids (1:11).  
   
• For children over preschool age, the ratio is one educator to 15 kids (1:15) in all states and territories, except two.  
   
  In the Australian Capital Territory, the ratio is 1:11.  
   
  And in Western Australia, if there are no kindergarten kids being counted, the ratio is 1:10 for the first 12 children, then 1:13 if there are more kids. Two staff members are still needed if there are 11 or 12 children present and you can drill down on the detail in Regulation 369 of the current law, if you’re so inclined!).  
   
• In a mixed age group (for example, where 23 and 25 month olds are being cared for together), maintaining the right ratio for each age bracket doesn’t mean that the youngest age range has to be applied to all ages in the group.  
   
  The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) explains that, “An educator who is caring for one age range of children can also be counted against another age range of children, as long as the ratio for each age range is maintained and adequate supervision is maintained at all times.”  

 

If maths isn’t your strong suit, then don’t stress.   

Your service is well aware of its responsibilities around ratios, and ACECQA has come up with an Educator to Child Ratio Calculator to help them crunch the correct numbers. 

All you really need to know is that a higher level of attention and care from an educator helps to yield great results for your child.  

It’s important to find educators who are genuinely invested in your under-five’s learning and care, and this means finding people – not just numbers – you can count on. 

This KindiCare article helps you know high-quality care when you see it, and finding a great service is as easy as 1, 2, 3 – search, compare and then simply enquire or apply with the centres on your shortlist that are the right fit for your family.