Early Childhood Education and Care Assistant

We need two Early Childhood Education and Care Assistants to help run the playgroup at our weekly gathering for mums and bubs who are members of the local Aboriginal community. One position is a parental leave replacement position, while the other is of potentially longer duration, subject to funding etc.

You must be available to work on Wednesdays, starting at 9.00 a.m. for five hours. This is a five-hour-per-week position that would suit somebody who has capacity to work part-time on Wednesdays.

Up to about 12 young mums, mostly Aboriginal, attend Baabayn’s Centre for about 4 hours during the school day on Wednesdays during the school terms. They bring their children, including babies. While the babies usually stay with Mum throughout the session, the other children are cared for by a small team of educators. You will  join that team.

Your main duty as a Baabayn Early Childhood Education and Care Assistant will be to help with running the playgroup and caring for the children while the mothers participate in their weekly group sessions. Your main responsibilities will be:

• Assisting with the delivery of culturally-appropriate and engaging activities to the children, in order to:
  • occupy the children during group time;
  • support their intellectual and emotional development;
  • contribute to their cultural education, including development of pride in their identity & culture.
• Building respectful relationships with all the children, nurturing their confidence and self-esteem;
• Gauging and responding to the children’s needs and reasonable requests;
• Ensuring that healthy snacks and water are always available to the children;
• Helping to keep the children safe at all times, monitoring indoor and outdoor environments to ensure safe and healthy conditions for the children;
• Attending appropriately to each child’s individual health needs and providing first aid as required;
• Watching for and appropriately responding to any signs that a child is facing difficulties or complex issues outside Baabayn, in accordance with Baabayn’s Child Protection and Child Safety Policies;
• Helping to set the children’s space up before group starts and to clean and tidy it after group ends.
• Contributing to the selection, design and/or preparation of materials and activities for the children;
• Abiding by Baabayn’s policies and your professional code of ethics at all times.

You may also be asked to do some of the following, especially during the school holidays:

• Planning the program of activities for the children;
• Recommending the purchase of culturally appropriate play equipment and learning resources;
• Assisting with program outreach activities;
• Helping supervise the children during outings and excursions;
• Attending team meetings, planning meetings and relevant staff training sessions;
• Contributing to the development of our Early Childhood Education program, e.g. by participating in discussions with other program staff;
• Contributing to monitoring and evaluation of the program by keeping records and other documentation;
• Contributing to the preparation of reports to funders;
• Performing incidental administrative duties;
• If appropriately qualified, providing dedicated support to children with disabilities / special needs.

Your pay, conditions and length of employment with us

If your application is successful, we shall pay you at Level Three of the Social, Community, Home Care & Disability Services Award scale. The Pay Point will depend on your qualifications and experience. Other conditions will be in accordance with the National Employment Standards and that award. Salary packaging can be negotiated with our financial manager.

The position is available from Wednesday 5 February 2025. Your initial contract will be until 4 July 2025. At that time, subject to funding, performance and on-going need for the position, we hope to extend the employment of the person appointed to the parental leave position until our usual worker returns to work in August. We hope to offer a new contract lasting potentially until the end of June 2026 to the other appointee, subject to funding, excellent performance, on-going need for the position, and applicable legislation.

SELECTION CRITERIA AND ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

All of the below are essential. You will need to be able to show us that all of these are true of you if you want to be considered for this job:

A. Successful completion of Certificate III or Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care or equivalent qualification plus evidence that you have kept your professional knowledge up-to-date since obtaining your qualification;

B. At least one year of experience of working with preschool children—preferably Aboriginal preschool children—in an Early Childhood Education and Care role;

C. Ability to draw on the resources of Aboriginal culture in working with small children;

D. Friendly, approachable, sensitive personality;

E. Resourcefulness in keeping small children appropriately engaged;

F. Excellent skills for communicating appropriately with small children;

G. Basic knowledge of food hygiene and nutrition for young children;

H. Ability to work as a member of a team;

I. Understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of work health and safety, cultural safety, child protection and safety, and maintaining appropriate boundaries.

Suitably qualified Aboriginal women are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

ALSO ESSENTIAL: It will be a condition of employment that you hold a current, valid NSW Working With Children Check clearance.

Any offer of employment will also be subject to:

(1) the provision to Baabayn of evidence of your completed training, especially your Certificate III or Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care;

(2) evidence that you hold a current, valid “Provide an Emergency First Aid Response in an Education and Care Setting” statement of attainment before your first day of employment;

(3) a certificate showing that you have been vaccinated against COVID-19; and

(4) a satisfactory National Police Check certificate.

Baabayn Aboriginal Corporation considers that being a woman is a genuine occupational requirement for this position under Section 31 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

OTHER THINGS THAT WE MAY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION

Here are some other qualifications that would stand you in good stead for working effectively with our youngest community members:

1. A more advanced or more specialised qualification in Early Childhood Education and Care, e.g. a qualification in working with small children with disabilities / special needs;

2. Knowledge of the Aboriginal community of outer Western Sydney, especially the Mt Druitt area;

3. Ability to maintain appropriate records;

4. Basic IT skills, including a very basic knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel;

5. Successful completion of a formal program of study in Aboriginal/Indigenous Studies.

HOW TO APPLY

Complete applications will include the following:

• A covering letter explaining your interest in the position
• A separate statement that explains why you think that you are the right person for this job. In writing this statement, please remember that we are going to go by the selection criteria and essential requirements in making this appointment. Please do your best to tell us how you meet each of the requirements A to I listed above.
• Your CV (resumé), preferably including the names and contact details of two professional referees.

Please provide these 3 documents in a single computer file if possible. However, we will also accept separate files.

We reserve the right not to consider incomplete applications, and we won’t respond to applications from people who are clearly not qualified for this position.

Please upload your application materials as instructed by the job board.

Review of applications will commence on 15 January and continue until the position is filled. Baabayn reserves the right to re-advertise the position, not to make an appointment, and/or to correct any errors in this advertisement.