Ancillary or support staff roles in South Australian government schools and preschools include:

• Aboriginal community education officer (ACEO)
• school services officer (SSO)
• early childhood worker (ECW)
• government services employees (GSE)

See the DECD ancillary major functions for more information. 

Requirements

To undertake an ancillary or support role, you must:

• have a current ‘register interest for ancillary work’ online application
• be an Australian resident either with Australian birth certificate, residency permit or current work visa
• undertake Responding to Abuse and Neglect - education and care training 
• provide evidence of a current relevant history screening
• obtain an authority to work letter.

Early childhood certification

In addition to the requirements above, the department requires all early childhood workers (ECW) and school support officers (SSO) who are 'primary contact staff' within early childhood programs to have an approved early childhood qualification.

Primary contact staff are the staff employed to maintain the student staff ratios. 

The minimum approved qualifications include a Certificate III in Children's Services or Education Support, or the employee must be actively working towards an approved qualification.

All primary contact ECWs and SSOs in DECD preschool occasional care or rural care programs must have a minimum qualification of a Diploma in Children's Services, Education and Care.  

Further information about approved qualifications is available on the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) website. 

Optional first aid training

Although first aid training is not a requirement for ancillary employment, if you are looking for work as an early childhood worker or school services officer in a school based preschool program you should consider getting the ‘HLTAID004 provide an emergency first aid response in and education and care setting’ certification or alternatively combining the provide first aid HLTAID003 and approved anaphylaxis and asthma certification.

Approved RTOs can be searched by entering the required unit of competency code at the Australian Government website.

Not having this training may limit employment opportunities.

Swimming and aquatics instructors

Swimming or aquatics instructors follow a different process. See working in swimming and aquatics for further information.

Vacancies and registering for employment

You can apply for specific ancillary and support vacancies or register your availability for work on DECDjobs.

You can be recommended for a position, but will not be cleared to take up that position until you have met and verified all employment requirements.

Non-permanent staff must:

• maintain a current completed online registration for employment on DECDjobs.
• update minimum requirements as expiry dates are reached
• submit a new application each year.

Contact