Early Childhood Education and Care Program — General Staff Essentials
A concise, practical course for general staff in Australian early childhood education and care services covering how to recognise concerns, meet mandatory reporting duties, raise concerns safely, and understand your legal protections as a whistleblower.
Working in an early childhood education and care (ECEC) service means you play a vital role in keeping children safe and maintaining a culture of honesty and accountability. This short course gives you the essential knowledge and confidence to recognise when something is wrong, understand your personal obligations to report it, and know exactly how to speak up — both inside your service and through external channels — without fear of reprisal.
This program is designed specifically for general staff including educators, assistants, cooks, administration and support staff working in Australian ECEC services. It uses plain, everyday language and focuses on what you personally need to know and do. You will learn about Australia's whistleblowing protections, the role of key regulators such as ASIC and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), and the specific obligations that apply in the early childhood sector under national law.
This course is a companion to the full Early Childhood Education and Care Program and is intended to be completed in a single sitting. On completion you will have a solid foundation in speak-up culture, your rights, and the practical steps to take when you have a concern — helping to make your service a safer, more trustworthy place for children, families, and colleagues alike.
Course content
1. Module 1: Recognising Concerns in Your Workplace
- What Does 'Reportable Conduct' Look Like in an ECEC Service?
- Mandatory Reporting: Your Personal Legal Duty
- Module 1 Knowledge Check
2. Module 2: How to Raise a Concern
- Reporting Internally: Using Your Service's Speak-Up Channels
- Reporting Externally: Regulators and Other Bodies
- Module 2 Knowledge Check
3. Module 3: Your Protections as a Whistleblower
- Legal Protections: What the Law Says
- What If You Experience Retaliation?
- Module 3 Knowledge Check
4. Module 4: Supporting a Speak-Up Culture
- What a Speak-Up Culture Means — and Why It Matters
- Putting It All Together: Your Personal Action Plan
- Module 4 Knowledge Check
5. Final Assessment
- Final Assessment
- 13 lessons
- Pass mark: 80%
- Completion certificate
You'll need a learner account to enrol.
Pay for 2–500 seats in one purchase. You'll receive an access code to share with your team.
Total: $75.00 + GST
Completion requirements
- Lessons and modules must be completed in order — each unlocks when the previous one is finished.
- Quizzes must be passed (pass mark 80%).
- Your certificate is issued automatically when every lesson is complete.
Unlock this course for free with a code from your organisation.