ELACCA celebrates ‘long awaited’ language overhaul for early learning profession 

The Early Learning and Care Council of Australia (ELACCA) has celebrated the recent Australian Government’s overhaul of the language it uses to describe the nation’s early learning and care professionals. 

The latest release of the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) includes new titles for the early learning and care workforce, replacing outdated terms like ‘Child Care Worker’. 

The new terms applying to long day care services are: 

• Early Childhood Educator 

• Early Childhood Education Room Leader 

• Children’s Education and Care Service Director 

The introduction of these terms is significant, given that the classifications developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), including the titles of occupations, are replicated across government agencies and in reports, websites and national datasets. 

“We are so pleased to see this change, after campaigning for so many years,” ELACCA CEO Elizabeth Death said. 

“As a society, the way we talk about early childhood educators reflects and reinforces the value we place on their work. Language matters when it comes to respecting our profession.”

In a submission to the ABS in 2022 ELACCA explained that ‘Child Care Worker’ was a title that “fails to reflect the pivotal role played by early childhood educators in supporting children’s early learning”, and “perpetuates stereotypes about ‘glorified babysitters’”. 

“We thank the ABS for listening to the early learning and care sector throughout the consultation process,” Ms Death said.  

“We look forward to continuing our work to build a strong early learning and care sector in Australia, delivered by respected, well-remunerated early childhood educators and teachers.”