Mixed Ratio/ Family Grouping Example

Centre-based ratio requirements

An approved provider must also ensure the maximum number of children is not exceeded during events held within the service’s usual operating hours and excursions. Children are considered as being educated and cared for by a service if they are enrolled at the service and have been signed in. For events held outside the usual operating hours, the approved provider should make sure that families are invited on the condition that children remain in their care, and are not being educated and cared for as part of a service.

From https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/educator-to-child-ratios.

Across the service, not per room.

Ratios are calculated across the whole service (not by individual rooms).

This gives providers the flexibility to respond to ensure educators are allocated appropriately based on the age and needs of children in the service. In a mixed age group of children, maintaining the ratio for each age range of children does not mean the educator to child ratio for the youngest age range must be applied to all children in an older age range. An educator who is caring for one age range of children can also be counted against another age range of children, as long as the ratio for each age range is maintained and adequate supervision is maintained at all times.

Educators must be work directly with children to count

Educators must be working directly with children to be counted in the educator to child ratios. Therefore, educators who are not working directly with children (e.g. on break) will not be counted in ratio.