Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

44A Spare capacity for children under 2 can in certain cases be set off against number of children 2 or over in determination of adult-child ratios

(1)

In subclause (2),—

service affected means a licensed early childhood education and care centre, or licensed hospital-based education and care service, attended by 3 or more children, of whom at least 1 is under 2 years old and at least 1 is 2 years old or older

spare under-2 capacity, in relation to a service affected where the number of children under 2 years old attending is not a threshold number, means the difference between the number attending and the nearest higher number that is a threshold number

threshold number means 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25.

(2)

For the purposes of regulation 44(1)(b), a licensed service provider to which regulation 44 applies that does not otherwise comply with the applicable minimum staffing requirements of Schedule 2 in relation to a service affected must be treated as complying with those requirements in relation to the service if—

(a)

the number of children under 2 years old attending the service is not a threshold number; and

(b)

the staffing is equal to or greater than the sum of—

(i)

the applicable minimum staffing requirement for the number of children under 2 years old attending the service; and

(ii)

the applicable minimum staffing requirement for the number of children 2 years old and over who would be attending the service if the number actually attending were reduced by the service’s spare under-2 capacity.

Regulation 44A: inserted, on 24 September 2009, by regulation 5 of the Education (Early Childhood Services) Amendment Regulations (No 2) 2009 (SR 2009/231).