Children's Services Authorised Officer

Ongoing/Full-Time

VPSG4 - $97,955 - $111,142

**About the Department**

The role of the Department of Education is to support Victorians to build prosperous, socially engaged, happy and healthy lives. It does this by supporting lifelong learning and healthy development, strengthening families and helping to equip people with the skills and knowledge for a 21st century economy and society. The department supports a culture of leadership, learning and renewal in all workplaces with opportunities for career development and advancement.

**About the Division**

The Department of Education is the Victorian Regulatory Authority for early childhood education and care (ECEC) services under delegation from the Secretary. The Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD) in the department regulates and quality assesses Victorian ECEC services. It drives the delivery of high-quality services and ensures the safety, health and wellbeing of Victorian children attending those services.

QARD regulates approximately 4,900 services including family day care, outside school hours care, long day care and kindergarten programs, as required by the Education and Care Services National Law 2010 (National Law). QARD also regulates around 180 services operating under the Victorian Children's Services Act 1996 (Children's Services Act); these include occasional care and limited hours services.

QARD is responsible for:

- approving providers and services as required by the National Law and Children's Services Act
- monitoring service compliance and conducting investigations in response to notifications and complaints
- assessment and rating of family day care, outside school hours care, long day care and kindergarten programs against the National Quality Standard for Early Childhood Education and School Age Care
- supporting legislative policy development.

QARD is also the integrated sector regulator of the Child Safe Standards for all early childhood services in Victoria.

**About the Role**

An exciting opportunity is available for a highly motivated individual with strong attention to detail and a passion for meaningful work to support the Southern Metro Area (SMA) team within QARD with the compliance and quality assessment of ECEC services.

As a Children's Services Authorised Officer, you will play an active frontline role in promoting quality improvement in ECEC services by visiting a variety of services across regional and metropolitan areas to actively monitor compliance, undertake investigations and conduct assessment and rating visits in adherence with the National Law, Children's Services Act and Child Safe Standards. This dynamic and rewarding role will give you the opportunity to promote quality improvement and support practice outcomes, while working in a supportive team-based environment that provides training and upskilling opportunities.

Key accountabilities will include:

- undertaking the assessment and rating process for approved education and care services against the National Quality Standard
- managing and reporting on approved education and care services' compliance with the National Quality Framework
- supporting and undertaking investigations following notifications of incidents or complaints and, where necessary, preparing evidence to determine the action to be taken based on the nature of the non-compliance
- managing systems and processes for the collection and reporting of information relating to service quality and regulatory issues
- preparing detailed letters, briefings and reports relating to policy and operational issues
- communicating legislative and regulatory requirements across licensed and approved education and care services
- implementing quality assurance frameworks, systems and processes to give effect to legislative and regulatory requirements.

This is a full time, ongoing VPS 4 position based in the SMA of the South Eastern Victoria Region, reporting to the SMA Area Manager. The SMA team office is based in Dandenong and Moe office.

The role involves travel (usually by car) across the SMA, and to metropolitan and regional areas such as Bass Coast Shire, Inner Gippsland and Outer Gippsland. In this active frontline role, you will be visiting multiple ECEC services in a day and across the week. Typical work arrangements involve a balance of working offsite independently while visiting ECEC services, with time in an office environment working as part of a bigger inclusive team. The role will at times include planned overnight stays. There may also be some flexible start and finish times to accommodate service visits.

**Attributes**

To be successful in this role, you will:

- be able to work independently and take accountability for achieving outcomes, including by prioritising your work and seeking assistance when required
- have strong planning and organising skills, including the ability to meet timelines and respond flexibly to changing priorities at short notice
- have knowl