BY HEJIRA CONVERY, KINDICARE

SEPTEMBER 13, 2024

There are several key roles (and lots of responsibilities) when it comes to early childhood education and care (ECEC), and if you’re wondering about the difference between an Educator and a Teacher, or a Centre Manager and a Centre Director, then wonder no longer! 

Affinity Education Group has 238 centres around Australia, staffed by thousands of amazing childcare professionals, so they’re a great place to start when you’re learning the ‘who’s who?’ of ECEC.  

Whether you’re at the search, enquiry or tour stage, here are six key roles you’ll find at an early learning centre.  

1. Centre Manager 

The Centre Manager is an administrator, mentor and change-maker all rolled into one, and although they’re the boss of the centre, they are also the person who’s most likely to show you around when you first visit.  

A great Centre Manager will be friendly and responsive, and it’s their job to support families and motivate staff, while managing daily business operations (including finances) and making sure the centre meets and exceeds National Quality Standards.  

If you ever have concerns about your child or their education and care, the Centre Manager’s door will be open. 

And, for the record, a Centre Manager and Centre Director are one and the same!  

Some providers simply use the term ‘Centre Director’ instead of ‘Centre Manager’.   

2. Assistant Centre Manager 

The Centre Manager looks after a lot, but the Assistant Centre Manager is there to share the load.  

They work closely with the Centre Manager and Centre Support Office team to ensure the centre runs well and has a positive and proactive culture.  

The Assistant Centre Manager leads and motivates Educators, helps with the day-to-day operation of the centre, and also works hard to build long-lasting relationships with families and the local community.  

3. Educator 

Although the Centre Manager and Assistant Centre Manager are deeply invested in children’s education and care, it’s the Educators who deliver the early learning program each day, and develop close bonds with every child in their care.  

A quality Educator will tailor the learning program to your under-five’s individual interests and needs to help them reach their full potential in the all-important early years. 

For instance, Affinity’s Educators deliver the research-based Lifelong Learning Curriculum, which focuses on what children learn, how children learn and where children learn at baby, toddler and preschool age.  

Your child’s Educators will keep you up-to-date with daily happenings via an online portal like Storypark.   

They’re also a great support if you’re ever unsure, worried or simply curious about your child’s learning and development – and they have loads of experience with things like separation anxiety, new siblings and dinosaur obsessions!   

When it comes to formal qualifications, at least 50% of Educators at an early learning centre must hold a Diploma level qualification (or higher), and all other Educators must hold, or be ‘actively working towards’, a Certificate III level educator qualification.  

Affinity offers fully funded Training for Early Childhood Educators, which means you’ll find lots of passionate people getting on-the-job experience while completing their studies, and it’s really positive for your child to be around an enthusiastic Trainee Educator and their experienced supervisors.  

4. Teacher 

Although an Educator and a Teacher sound similar, in the early learning context there is difference between these two roles.  

On the whole, Early Childhood Teachers have an approved Early Childhood Teaching qualification, and Affinity’s ECTs have completed a Bachelor of Early Childhood. 

They deliver the Kindergarten /Preschool programs for ages three to five at Affinity’s centres, and as well as being teachers, they are also planners, motivators and leaders in their childcare community.  

ECTs provide pedagogical leadership, with pedagogy being the ‘how’ of teaching.  

They also mentor and supervise staff, while readying children for school with foundational lessons in language, numeracy, motor and social skills.  

5. Cook  

Nutritious food is really important for growing children, and although inclusions and menus differ between childcare providers, Affinity’s Cooks safely prepare meals on-site for all ages, and also involve the children in meal preparation and healthy food education.  

If your child has any special dietary or cultural needs, it’s important to tell your centre about them, so the Cook can cater to them. 

And it’s always nice to see herbs and other edibles growing at a centre, because young children get a lot out of gardening, and centre-grown produce can be incorporated into the menu for the good of everyone.  

6. Quality Advisor 

More than 90% of Affinity’s centres are rated Meeting or Exceeding the National Quality Standard, and Affinity has a whole team of state-based Quality Advisors and Coordinators who help centres achieve great things (and impressive quality ratings). 

You won’t necessarily see a Quality Advisor when tour an Affinity centre, but you will see their guidance and support woven into the quality ECEC being offered; and Quality Advisors do a lot to support each childcare community with staff coaching and best practice strategies.  

There are lots more roles you could learn about, from the hard-working Cleaner to the visionary Chief Exec, but the six roles above give you a good sense of who does what at your prospective centre, and KindiCare makes it easy to connect with these key people.  

You’ll find all of Affinity Education Group’s centres on the KindiCare App or Childcare Comparison Website, under their Milestones, Papilio, Kids Academy and Aussie Kindies brands.  

And when you click that ‘Make Enquiry’ button in a centre listing, KindiCare will connect you with the people who contribute so much to the childcare place.  

They’ll be very happy to answer your questions and offer information, and once you’re settled into one service, you can work together to give your child an amazing start!