Fast-track childcare courses compromise safety standards

Thousands of students are being fast-tracked into childcare roles, raising concerns about compromised safety standards and inadequate training. This is due to a surge in demand and the use of these courses as a pathway to permanent residency. These fast-track programs, some as short as 10 months, are offered by universities like Southern Cross University, often with minimal prior experience required. Regulatory documents reveal gaps in educators' understanding of child protection and safe practices, leading to serious incidents. Experts warn that the focus on quantity over quality, driven by labor shortages and migration rules, is creating a broken system. This is resulting in potentially unsafe practices and a decline in the quality of early childhood education.