How to roster childcare staff
A complete guide to rostering childcare and early learning staff in Australia, including educator-to-child ratios, NQF compliance, qualification tracking, 4-week roster patterns, and attendance forecasting for optimal staffing.
Written by
Georgia Morgan
Free childcare payroll cost calculator
Calculate true educator costs including super, leave loading, and Children's Services Award penalty rates for accurate roster budgeting.
General information only – not legal advice
This guide provides general information about childcare rostering for Australian businesses. Employment conditions vary by award and state. Always verify your specific obligations with Fair Work Ombudsman and ACECQA. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Why childcare rostering matters
Childcare rostering is fundamentally different from other industries. You're not just scheduling staff—you're maintaining legally mandated educator-to-child ratios that must be met every minute your service operates. This guide builds on basic roster creation with childcare-specific compliance requirements. A single miscalculation can lead to ratio breaches, regulatory action, and potential service closure.
The National Quality Framework (NQF) sets strict requirements: specific educator-to-child ratios for each age group, 50% of educators must hold or be working towards Diploma qualifications, a Responsible Person must be present at all times, and an Educational Leader must oversee the program. Miss any of these requirements, and you're non-compliant.
Beyond compliance, effective childcare rostering directly impacts your financial viability. With mandatory ratios, labour costs typically represent 50-60% of revenue—far higher than most industries. Without proper forecasting and rostering software, centres either overstaff (losing profitability) or understaff (breaching ratios).
This guide shows you exactly how to create compliant childcare rosters that maintain ratios, track qualifications, forecast attendance, and control labour costs—using both proven strategies and specialized childcare workforce management software.
Educator-to-child ratios
Minimum ratios that must be maintained at all times children are present. Set by ACECQA under the National Quality Framework .
| Age Group | Ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Birth to 24 months | 1:4 | National requirement - all states |
| Over 24 to under 36 months | 1:5 | National requirement - all states |
| 36 months to preschool (NSW) | 1:10 | NSW requirement |
| 36 months to preschool (VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT) | 1:11 | Varies by state |
| Family Day Care (all ages) | 1:7 | Max 4 children preschool age or under |
Important: Ratios must be maintained at ALL times children are present - during activities, meals, rest times, transitions, and excursions. Educators on break cannot be counted. Use real-time ratio tracking software to prevent breaches.
6 steps to childcare staff rostering
Follow these steps to create compliant and effective childcare rosters that maintain ratios and control costs.
Map your educator-to-child ratio requirements
Understand the mandatory ratios for each age group in your service.
Key considerations:
- Birth to 24 months: 1:4 ratio
- Over 24 to under 36 months: 1:5 ratio
- 36 months and over (not preschool age): 1:10 or 1:11 (varies by state)
- Ratios must be maintained at ALL times children are present
- Use real-time ratio tracking to prevent breaches during transitions
Plan for qualification requirements
Ensure you meet the NQF qualification mix on every shift.
Key considerations:
- 50% of educators must have or be working towards a Diploma
- Remaining educators need Certificate III minimum
- Responsible Person must be present at all operating times
- Educational Leader required (can be part-time role)
- Track qualification expiry dates and progression
Forecast attendance and design shifts around peaks
Use historical data to predict attendance and align staffing levels throughout the day.
Key considerations:
- Morning peak: 7:30-9:00am (drop-off period) - increase staffing
- Afternoon peak: 3:30-6:00pm (pick-up period) - full coverage
- Quieter periods: Mid-morning to early afternoon - optimize staffing
- Use attendance forecasting to predict casual bookings
- Stagger educator breaks to maintain ratios
Build in non-contact time
Schedule programming time for educators to plan and document.
Key considerations:
- Educational Leader needs dedicated programming time
- Room Leaders require time for documentation
- Consider 2 hours per week non-contact time per educator
- Schedule during lower attendance periods
- Bring in relief staff to maintain ratios during non-contact time
Apply the Children's Services Award correctly
Ensure pay rates and conditions align with the award.
Key considerations:
- Children's Services Award 2010 covers most centres
- Check classifications: Support Worker, Educator, Director
- Minimum 2-hour shift engagement
- Apply correct penalty rates for weekends/public holidays
- Use payroll software with built-in award interpretation
Create contingency plans
Prepare for staff absences while maintaining compliance.
Key considerations:
- Maintain a casual pool of qualified educators
- Have backup Responsible Person arrangements
- Know your state's ratio waiver processes
- Document any temporary ratio breaches
- Use shift broadcasting to fill urgent gaps quickly
Simplify childcare rostering
RosterElf helps childcare centres maintain ratio compliance while managing complex shift patterns. Built for Australian small businesses.
Qualification requirements
Minimum qualifications required under the National Quality Framework. Learn more from ACECQA qualification standards .
Centre Director/Nominated Supervisor
Early Childhood Teaching Degree or Diploma + 3 years experience
Educational Leader
Diploma minimum (Degree preferred)
50% of Educators
Diploma level (or actively working towards)
Other Educators
Certificate III (or actively working towards)
Responsible Person
Over 18, fit and proper
Track qualifications automatically
Use HR software to track educator qualifications, WWCC, first aid, and certifications with automatic expiry reminders. Read our guide on tracking employee certifications.
Sample daily staffing pattern
A typical staffing pattern for a long day care centre with staggered shifts aligned to attendance.
6:30am-7:00am
Early opening, low attendance
7:00am-9:00am
Drop-off period, breakfast
9:00am-11:30am
Morning program, learning activities
11:30am-12:30pm
Lunch service, sleep transition
12:30pm-2:30pm
Sleep supervision, programming time
2:30pm-4:00pm
Afternoon program, afternoon tea
4:00pm-6:00pm
Pick-up period, late activities
6:00pm-6:30pm
Late closing, low attendance
Adjust staffing levels based on your actual enrolment and attendance patterns. Use analytics tools to track attendance data and improve your roster with predictive forecasting.
Common childcare roster patterns
Choose the right roster pattern for your centre's needs and staff preferences.
4-week rotation
Most popular pattern for childcare centres providing staff consistency
Benefits
- Predictable schedule for educators and families
- Balances opening/closing shifts fairly
- Easier to manage leave planning
- Reduces roster fatigue
Considerations
- Requires advance planning
- Best for permanent staff
- Need casual pool for variations
Fixed roster
Permanent staff work same shifts every week
Benefits
- Maximum continuity for children
- Simple administration
- Staff know their schedule long-term
- Builds strong room relationships
Considerations
- Less flexibility for staff
- Difficult to cover peak demand
- May need casuals for variety
Staggered shifts
Start and finish times align with attendance patterns
Benefits
- Optimal staff-to-child ratios throughout day
- Lower labour costs
- Better coverage at peaks
- Reduces overstaffing during quiet periods
Considerations
- More complex to plan
- Requires accurate attendance data
- Staff prefer consistent hours
Save time with roster templates
Create reusable roster templates for recurring patterns. Apply templates across rooms and adjust for leave or enrolment changes. Download our free weekly roster template or use AI to generate optimized rosters.
Cost management for childcare centres
Track and optimize labour costs while maintaining mandatory ratios. Childcare labour costs are higher than most industries due to ratio requirements.
Labour cost percentage
50-60% of revenueChildcare centres typically spend 50-60% of revenue on staffing due to mandatory ratios
→ Use labour budgeting tools to track costs in real-time as you build rosters
Casual vs permanent mix
70% permanent, 30% casualBalance staff consistency with flexibility for demand fluctuations
→ Track actual attendance patterns to optimize your permanent/casual split
Overtime and penalty rates
Under 5% of total wagesExcessive overtime and penalties indicate rostering inefficiency
→ Plan rosters 2 weeks ahead to minimize last-minute changes and penalties
Childcare rostering best practices
Proven strategies for effective and compliant childcare rostering.
Track ratios live
Use rostering software that shows real-time ratio compliance as you build the roster.
Forecast attendance
Analyze historical patterns to predict casual bookings and adjust staffing proactively.
Stagger shifts
Use staggered start and finish times to match staffing to attendance patterns.
Cross-train educators
Train educators to work across age groups for flexibility.
Build casual relationships
Maintain a pool of qualified casuals familiar with your centre.
Document everything
Keep records of who was rostered, qualifications, and ratio compliance.
Plan for leave
Build rosters with known leave factored in to avoid last-minute gaps.
Use roster templates
Create reusable templates for consistent weekly patterns to save time.
Broadcast open shifts
Fill urgent gaps quickly by notifying qualified available educators instantly.
Common childcare rostering mistakes
Avoid these costly errors in childcare staff rostering.
Counting educators on break in ratios
Consequence: Ratio breach - educators must be working directly with children to count
Solution: Schedule breaks during low attendance or bring in additional staff for coverage
No Responsible Person present
Consequence: Serious compliance breach - RP must be present whenever service operates
Solution: Ensure backup Responsible Persons are appointed and rostered appropriately
Insufficient qualified staff
Consequence: Failure to meet 50% Diploma requirement
Solution: Track qualifications in your rostering system and check before publishing
Not maintaining ratios during transitions
Consequence: Ratios apply at all times including outdoor play, excursions, and transitions
Solution: Plan transitions carefully and maintain supervision at all locations
Ignoring non-contact time
Consequence: Educator burnout, poor documentation quality
Solution: Schedule dedicated programming time and cover with additional staff
No attendance forecasting
Consequence: Overstaffing or understaffing due to booking variations
Solution: Use historical attendance data to predict casual bookings and adjust rosters
Technology solutions for childcare rostering
Modern rostering software solves compliance challenges that spreadsheets can't handle.
Real-time ratio tracking
See live educator-to-child ratios as you build rosters with automatic alerts for breaches
→ Prevent compliance issues before publishing
Qualification tracking
Monitor educator qualifications, WWCC, and certifications with expiry reminders
→ Ensure only qualified staff are rostered
Attendance forecasting
Predict casual bookings using historical attendance data and seasonal patterns
→ Optimize staffing levels and reduce labour costs
Room-based rostering
Assign educators to specific rooms (babies, toddlers, preschool) with age-appropriate ratios
→ Maintain continuity and ratio compliance per room
Multi-centre management
Manage multiple childcare locations from one dashboard with cross-centre reporting
→ Compare costs and float educators between sites
Award interpretation
Automatic Children's Services Award calculations for pay rates and penalties
→ Eliminate manual award calculations and underpayment risk
Integrated childcare management
The best childcare rostering software integrates with Xero and MYOB for seamless payroll processing. Learn more about transitioning to digital rostering.
How RosterElf handles childcare rostering
Built specifically for Australian childcare centres with NQF compliance, ratio tracking, and Children's Services Award interpretation.
Real-time ratio tracking
See live educator-to-child ratios as you build rosters with automatic alerts for potential breaches before publishing.
Qualification tracking
Track educator qualifications, WWCC, first aid, and certifications with automatic expiry reminders. Ensure 50% Diploma requirement.
Children's Services Award automation
Automatic pay rate calculations for all classification levels with penalty rates and allowances built-in.
Multi-centre management
Manage multiple childcare centres from one dashboard. Float educators between locations and compare costs across sites.
Trusted by childcare centres across Australia
RosterElf manages rosters for hundreds of childcare centres, early learning services, and OSHC providers nationwide with built-in NQF compliance.
Free childcare rostering tools
Free calculators, templates, and tools to help you manage childcare rosters, costs, and compliance.
Payroll cost calculator
FEATUREDCalculate true educator costs including super, leave loading, and penalty rates
AI roster generator
Generate optimized childcare rosters using AI based on your requirements
Free roster builder
Drag-and-drop roster builder for childcare centres. No signup required.
Labour cost %
Calculate optimal labour cost percentage for your childcare centre
Penalty rate calculator
Calculate Children's Services Award weekend and public holiday rates
Roster templates
Free Excel roster templates for childcare centres
Frequently asked questions
- National ratios are: birth to 24 months = 1:4, over 24 to under 36 months = 1:5, and 36 months to preschool age = 1:10 or 1:11 (varies by state). These ratios must be maintained at all times children are present, including during outdoor play, meals, rest times, and excursions. Learn more from ACECQA educator ratio guidelines
. - Ratios must be maintained at all times when the service is operating and children are present. This includes drop-off and pick-up times, meal times, sleep times, outdoor play, transitions between activities, and during excursions. Educators on break cannot be counted in ratios. Use rostering software with real-time ratio tracking to prevent breaches.
- Yes, educators under 18 can be counted in ratios, but they cannot work alone and must be adequately supervised at all times by an educator over 18. They still need to hold or be working towards appropriate qualifications.
- Ratio breaches must be documented and reported to your state regulatory authority. Some states have waiver processes for temporary breaches. Persistent or serious breaches can result in compliance notices, additional monitoring, or sanctions. Always contact your authority if you anticipate a breach.
- Use childcare rostering software that displays live ratios for each room as you assign educators. The system alerts you before you publish a roster that breaches requirements, preventing compliance issues.
Regulatory sources & compliance
This guide is aligned with official Australian childcare regulations and National Quality Framework requirements.
Simplify your childcare rostering today
Join hundreds of Australian childcare centres using RosterElf to maintain ratio compliance, track qualifications, and control labour costs effortlessly.
Related guides & resources
Learn more about childcare workforce management and compliance.
Children's Services Award rates
Current pay rates and penalty calculations for all classification levels.
Track employee certifications
Manage educator qualifications, WWCC, and training with expiry tracking.
Schedule breaks compliantly
Plan educator breaks while maintaining mandatory staff-to-child ratios.
Manage multi-site rosters
Coordinate staffing across multiple childcare centres effectively.
Common roles in childcare
Download free job description templates for your childcare team
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