School Based Education Support Qualification Review

Set Up

The school based education support workforce accounts for a large share of the children’s education and care sector. In 2025, there were 134,800 education support workers employed in Australia, compared to 164,300 primary school teachers. These numbers demonstrate the crucial nature of school based education support roles for schools, children and families.

This project aligns with the Commonwealth’s 2025 Review of the Disability Standards for Education which called for stronger implementation of inclusive education and reasonable adjustment across schools and vocational education and training. The review notes that many educators lack awareness and resources to meet their obligations under the Standards. The School Based Education Support qualification review will directly support improved educator awareness of these issues by incorporating person-centred and rights-based  practices, which will strengthen the workforce’s ability to support students with disability to participate like everyone else.

This is an 18-month project that is expected to be completed by January 2028.

Project scope

We will review 2 qualifications and 29 units of competency. There is an expectation that there may be new units required to ensure the qualifications are fit for purpose.

Qualifications and units of competency

• CHC30221 Certificate III in School Based Education Support: supports a single occupation and reflects the role of workers who assist teachers and support student learning in a range of classroom settings. They complete general administrative as well as operational tasks to support students under the guidance of a teacher or other educational professional. Work requires use of discretion and judgement within the boundaries of established policies and procedures.
• CHC40225 Certificate IV in School Based Education Support: reflects the role of workers in a single occupation who assist teachers and support student learning in a range of classroom settings under the guidance of a teacher or other educational professional. At this level, workers may be involved in assisting learning for a range of instructional groupings, including students needing additional support. In these roles, the education support worker finds and analyses information from diverse sources, may work with limited direct supervision and could provide guidance to other workers.

Project governance and consultation strategy

A Technical Committee of industry experts will be established to provide specialised advice for this project. Members are carefully selected based on their relevant expertise and experience in areas critical to the project.

The Technical Committee will work with HumanAbility in this project to:

• identify relevant stakeholders to consult with about the project
• provide insights on proposed communication and consultation strategies
• provide technical knowledge on the skills and knowledge required to meet graduate outcomes and workforce needs.

Our draft Project Consultation Strategy and Technical Committee Terms of Reference will be finalised once the Technical Committee has been formed and had an opportunity to review. Once finalised it will be made available to download.