Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
CHC50121
Duration: 24 Months
Price: TBA up front | TBA per week (payment plan)
How it works: Study online. With a difference.
Start date: Immediately, or whenever you're ready.
Entry requirements: Available in Victoria only | Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (or equivalent) | RPL available | Work Placement required
Qualification type: Diploma
Monarch's Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is available exclusively in Victoria. It's designed for qualified educators ready to step into leadership — and built by ECEC professionals who know exactly what that takes.
Monarch's Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is available exclusively in Victoria. It's designed for qualified educators ready to step into leadership — and built by ECEC professionals who know exactly what that takes.
Multi-award winning training provider
Latest qualification
Simulated learning environment
Nationally recognised
Course Summary
Working with children is one of the most meaningful careers you can choose. Whether you're leading a room of curious three-year-olds, mentoring a team of educators, or designing curriculum that shapes how children learn and grow — your work has a lasting impact on the lives of the families you serve.
Monarch's Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is built by ECEC professionals who understand what it takes to step into a leadership role in a regulated service. From day one, you'll be learning from people who've worked in the sector and know exactly what's expected of you when you get there.
You'll study online at your own pace, with access to the Little.ly Early Learning Centre — a simulated ECEC setting that prepares you for the workplace before you set foot in one. Flexible trainer support, knowledge-check quizzes, and 200 hours of real work placement mean you'll graduate job-ready.
Key opportunities include:
Early Childhood Educator
Education Leader
Family Day Care Coordinator
Childcare Centre Manager
Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) Leader
This course is designed to be completed within 24 months, delivered across three blocks: Block 1 (9 months), Block 2 (12 months) and Block 3 (3 months). You can work through at your own pace — students with extensive ECEC experience may complete sooner. You're expected to submit assessments by the unit due dates within each block.
More than online
You’ll get:
Easy-to-follow digital lessons
Knowledge-check quizzes throughout
Access to the Little.ly Early Learning Centre — a simulated ECEC setting
Support from your trainer (email, phone, Zoom via Calendly)
Dedicated support team on hand to guide you
Online assessments
Access to a closed student Facebook group
How does it work?
This course has been developed to give you absolute flexibility. Study on your couch, on public transport, on your break at work, out in the park – wherever and whenever you like. The best part is, with Monarch Institute, ‘online’ doesn’t mean ‘alone’. You’ll be backed by our trainers at every step along the way.
What support will I get?
Your trainer will be happy to contact you via phone, video call, or email (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm). So you definitely won’t feel alone. You’ll also have access to our student Facebook groups, so you can discuss the material with other students. It’s a handy way to stay in touch with trainers and others in the same course.
Assessments are completed unit by unit across 12 modules
Assessment types include short answer questions, projects, case studies, role plays, portfolio tasks, journals, and interview questionnaires. Work Placement assessments include direct observation by an assessor, third-party reports, and workplace practice verification. You must complete all theoretical and practical assessment requirements before being deemed competent in a unit.
You can start immediately — or whenever you're ready. There are no fixed intake dates. Once enrolled, your 24-month training plan begins and you work through at your own pace.
Get in touch about enrolling
Work Placement is a core part of this course, and like all early childhood education and care programmes, you'll need to source an approved placement in a regulated ECEC service.
The good news? Most students find a placement themselves through their current workplace, a local centre, or word of mouth. Once you've identified a placement, Monarch handles everything else, we'll assess and approve the host organisation, onboard your supervisor, and make sure everything meets the regulatory requirements before you set foot through the door.
If you get stuck, we've got you covered. Our Placement Matching Service guarantees to find you an approved placement for a small administrative fee of $300. We do the searching, you do the learning.
*Get in touch for more details
"Excellent support from tutors. They even reply afterhours and on weekends too. Highly recommend Monarch Institute."
- Pushpinder Singh, Monarch Institute graduate
Entry Requirements
To enrol in the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, you'll need to hold a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30121 or CHC30113), or an equivalent qualification with relevant work experience. Once we receive your enrolment, our course consultants will be in touch to complete a pre-training review and confirm the course is right for you. We'll also assess your language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy before you begin.
The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is exclusively available to Victorian residents.
Work Placement requirements: Before commencing Work Placement, students must hold a valid Working with Children Check, vaccinations, appropriate clearances, and complete national child safety training (Geccko). It is the student's responsibility to arrange and maintain these prior to placement.
We may be able to take into account relevant knowledge and skills you’ve gained through previous formal or informal training, education and employment. To find out more, refer to our Student Information Handbook by clicking here, or get in touch with one of our friendly course consultants.
A computer or laptop with reliable internet access
A video recording device (e.g. smartphone or webcam) — required for some assessment activities
Microsoft Office or equivalent word processing software
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Pathways
The Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is your pathway into leadership roles across the ECEC sector — and beyond. Upon completion, you may be eligible to apply for credit towards a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education at participating universities. You will generally need to discuss credit arrangements directly with your chosen university.
Study block 1: Compliance in early childhood
Module 1: Maintain a safe and healthy environment for children
CHCECE041 | Maintain a safe and healthy environment for children |
Module 2: Work in partnership with children’s families
CHCECE050 | Work in partnership with children’s families |
Module 3: Cluster - Compliance in childhood services
CHCECE044 | Facilitate compliance in a children’s education and care service |
CHCECE049 | Embed environmental responsibility in service operations |
CHCECE053 | Respond to grievances and complaints about the service (Elective) |
Module 4: Reflect on and improve own professional practice
CHCPRP003 | Reflect on and improve own professional practice |
Module 5: Group 1 Work Placement and Assessment
WP 1 | Minimum 20 hours in approved, regulated ECEC setting |
Study block 2: Working in an early childhood team
Module 6: Cluster - Behaviour and inclusion
CHCECE046 | Implement strategies for the inclusion of all children |
CHCECE045 | Foster positive and respectful interactions and behaviour in children |
Module 7: Foster holistic early childhood learning, development and wellbeing
CHCECE042 | Foster holistic early childhood learning, development and wellbeing |
Module 8: Cluster - Planning and curriculum
CHCECE047 | Analyse information to inform children’s learning |
CHCECE048 | Plan and implement children’s education and care curriculum |
CHCECE043 | Nurture creativity in children |
Module 9: Manage and promote diversity
CHCDIV003 | Manage and promote diversity (Elective) |
Module 10: Group 2 Work Placement and Assessment
WP 2 | Minimum 280 hours in approved, regulated ECEC setting |
Study block 3: Working in an early childhood team
Module 11: Support the learning and development of teams and individuals
BSBHRM413 | Support the learning and development of teams and individuals (Elective |
Module 12: Manage team effectiveness
BSBTWK502 | Manage team effectiveness |
Advance your early childhood education career
This qualification is designed for educators who are ready to move into leadership and coordination roles. Build the skills to lead a team, design curriculum, and take responsibility for the quality of an early childhood service.
Victoria only
This course is currently available exclusively in Victoria, Australia. It is not available to offshore students or Australians residing outside of Victoria.
200 hours work placement included
Gain real-world experience in a regulated early childhood education and care setting. Your placement is supported by Monarch assessors who will guide you through the process and conduct direct observation visits.
Nationally recognised
The CHC50125 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care is nationally recognised under the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and listed as an approved qualification by ACECQA. It also provides a pathway into a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education.
Early childhood education training. For the real world.
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