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| Results of Review into Early Childhood RTOs
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Most registered training organisations (RTOs) offering qualifications in early childhood education and care struggle to comply with assessment requirements according to a review by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).
ASQA, the government body responsible for ensuring training standards are maintained, conducted an audit of a sample group of 77 RTOs, which represents about a third of the organisations delivering training in early childhood education and care, and found that 75 per cent were not able to demonstrate full compliance with the standards required for delivering training in this area.
However, given a period of time to rectify their areas of non-compliance most were able to demonstrate full compliance at the end of the audit period.
ASQA chief commissioner Chris Robinson said all but two of the RTOs that remained non-compliant following ASQA's regulatory action had now either stopped offering training in early childhood education and care or left the training sector all-together.
"Those people working in the early childhood education and care sector play a critically important role in our community helping our youngest Australians to learn and develop new skills. That's why it's so important that those working in the industry have the right skills and training," Mr Robinson said.
This strategic review was initiated by ASQA in response to concerns raised by the Productivity Commission in its 2011 research report Early Childhood Development Workforce about the quality of vocational education and training and assessment being provided.
Mr Robinson said the review found that while three-quarters of RTOs had some problems with their assessment of students, most of them were able to address these concerns and fully meet the required standards by the completion of the regulatory process.
Mr Robinson said the extent of problems experienced in doing assessment properly is hardly surprising given that some 20 per cent of RTOs offer the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care in 25 weeks or less, which is only half the minimum length of time recommended in the Australian Qualifications Framework for such programs.
In response to this and other issues identified during the review ASQA has made 10 recommendations, including the inclusion of minimum training requirements for each unit of competency and qualification across the whole vocational education and training sector.
To read the report in full including the 10 recommendations click here.
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