The Tasmanian State Government's plan to offer childcare courses in its new polytechnic colleges has left early childhood professionals worried as to the maturity and capability of potential graduates.

Proposal for early childhood diploma

A diploma in children's services is currently being considered by the Tasmanian Education Minister, David Bartlett. The proposed diploma would mean that graduates, if over 18, would be qualified to work in childcare centres, long day care and outside school hours care for children from birth to 12 years old.

The Secretary of the Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union Tasmanian Branch, David O'Bryne, said he would discuss the issue with the Education Minister before commenting.

Effectiveness of diploma debated

Early Childhood Australia's Deputy National President, Ros Cornish, has expressed concerns about the proposed childcare diploma, saying that 18-year-old carers were acceptable in centres as long as they were supervised, but there was a danger that, in some circumstances, they would be given too much responsibility without the necessary life experience and maturity.

'It's not okay to have children looking after children. Working in a childcare centre you have a really close relationship with parents, you are their second carer, and with the pressures and the role that we do it's really important that we have people there with life experience.

'Child care is not an industry, we don't make sausages or manufacture boots, we are talking about children.'

President of the Tasmanian State Schools, Parents and Friends, Jenny Branch, defended the new diploma, stating that polytechnic graduates would have the requisite skills and training to fill childcare positions.

Read the Mercury's 'Immature carers fear'.

Further reading

View these related news items on the Early Childhood Australia website:

• October 2007 - Call for 'paradigm shift' in early childhood care and education
• July 2006 - Results of national survey into long day care
• Jan 2006 - Child care in Australia needs an overhaul

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