Trainee Educator requirements in Childcare
What a Trainee Educator needs to work in Childcare in Australia, state by state: screening, qualifications and safety credentials, from Koora's compliance engine.
On this page
A Trainee Educator in Childcare needs: Proof of enrolment (Early Childhood) or Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30121) or Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50121) or Bachelor of Early Childhood Education or Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood); and any one of First Aid for Education and Care (HLTAID012) + CPR (HLTAID009); First Aid (HLTAID011) + CPR (HLTAID009) + Anaphylaxis Management + Emergency Asthma Management. They also need the Working with Children Check for the state where they work (in Victoria, teacher registration can stand in for it), and some states add more. Each state's lines are set out below.
In Childcare, every role needs a current Working with Children Check, and each state and territory issues its own. A worker needs the one for the state where they work. In Victoria, a registered teacher's Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registration covers the Working with Children Check.
What a Trainee Educator needs
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Qualifications | Proof of enrolment (Early Childhood) or Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30121) or Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50121) or Bachelor of Early Childhood Education or Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) |
| Safety | Any one of:
|
Checked against Koora's compliance engine on 7 October 2026. Where a line says “any one of”, one option is enough. A line with a date is listed now so workers can get it early, and is not required until that date.
What changes by state
The table above holds the lines every state and territory shares. Each state below lists what it adds, and links to the facts for its Working with Children Check.
New South Wales
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Compliance | Working with Children Check (NSW) |
| Compliance | Foundations of Child Safety training (NSW) |
| Compliance | Advanced Child Safety training (NSW) (not required until 31 March 2027, or until 3 months after starting for anyone who starts on or after 30 September 2026) |
Victoria
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Compliance | Working with Children Check or Teacher Registration (VIC) |
| Compliance | Child Protection: VIC PROTECT (Early Childhood Sector) |
| Compliance | Foundations of Child Safety training (VIC) |
| Compliance | Advanced Child Safety training (VIC) (not required until 31 March 2027, or until 3 months after starting for anyone who starts on or after 30 September 2026) |
Working with Children Check in Victoria · Teacher registration in Victoria
Queensland
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Compliance | Working with Children Check (QLD) |
| Compliance | Foundations of Child Safety training (QLD) |
| Compliance | Advanced Child Safety training (QLD) (not required until 31 March 2027, or until 3 months after starting for anyone who starts on or after 30 September 2026) |
Western Australia
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Compliance | Working with Children Check (WA) |
South Australia
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Compliance | Working with Children Check (SA) |
| Compliance | Foundations of Child Safety training (SA) |
| Compliance | Advanced Child Safety training (SA) (not required until 31 March 2027, or until 3 months after starting for anyone who starts on or after 30 September 2026) |
Tasmania
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Compliance | Working with Children Check (TAS) |
| Compliance | Foundations of Child Safety training (TAS) |
| Compliance | Advanced Child Safety training (TAS) (not required until 31 March 2027, or until 3 months after starting for anyone who starts on or after 30 September 2026) |
Australian Capital Territory
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Compliance | Working with Children Check (ACT) |
| Compliance | Child Protection: ACT Keeping Children and Young People Safe |
| Compliance | Foundations of Child Safety training (ACT) |
| Compliance | Advanced Child Safety training (ACT) (not required until 31 March 2027, or until 3 months after starting for anyone who starts on or after 30 September 2026) |
Northern Territory
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Compliance | Working with Children Check (NT) |
| Compliance | Foundations of Child Safety training (NT) |
| Compliance | Advanced Child Safety training (NT) (not required until 31 March 2027, or until 3 months after starting for anyone who starts on or after 30 September 2026) |
How Koora uses these requirements
In Koora, the compliance engine tests each worker's records against the lines on this page and shows the gaps. That check is the floor on every plan. Your team reviews each credential in Koora, or Crew does it for you. The provider keeps the legal responsibility for who they engage.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Trainee Educator need a Working with Children Check?
Yes. Each state and territory issues its own check, and a Trainee Educator needs the one for the state where they work. In Victoria, a current Victorian Institute of Teaching registration covers the Working with Children Check.
What qualification does a Trainee Educator need in Childcare?
Koora's compliance engine asks a Trainee Educator for Proof of enrolment (Early Childhood) or Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30121) or Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50121) or Bachelor of Early Childhood Education or Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood).
Do the requirements for a Trainee Educator change by state?
Yes. Each state issues its own Working with Children Check, and the other lines differ between states too. The section for each state on this page lists what it asks for beyond the lines every state shares.
Related
- Working with Children Checks by state
- Early childhood teacher registration by state
- Which worker check do I need?: the same answer for any sector, role and state
- Worker screening policy template for Childcare
- Every role, every sector
This is general information, not compliance advice. Always confirm requirements with the relevant regulator, and remember that providers keep the legal responsibility to sight credentials and decide who can work.
We work hard to keep everything accurate, and our compliance engine keeps up with the rules as they change. Even so, we might get a detail slightly wrong or miss something. No one's perfect. If you think something here needs updating, email us at resources@koora.care. We would genuinely rather know, because we all do better when we help each other get it right.
Put your own records to the test.
Bring a workforce CSV. AI helps match the data, then the compliance engine shows gaps in the records you supplied. Free, with no account needed.
Try the free workforce audit