A Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care is the minimum qualification for centre-based work in Australia under the National Quality Framework. It is also the minimum qualification for in-home childcare work through Nest & Nurture Little Ones. The qualification is identical. The pay is not.
What a Cert III earns in a centre
Under the Children's Services Award as restructured from March 2026 following the Fair Work Commission gender undervaluation review, a Cert III qualified educator at Level 3 starts at $29.52 per hour. This is the legal minimum. Many centres pay above this, but the floor reflects decades of systematic undervaluation of early childhood work.
What a Cert III earns in in-home childcare
Through Nest & Nurture Little Ones, a Cert III qualified carer earns $40 per hour for one child. With two children in the household that rises to $60 per hour. With three children $80 per hour. With four children $100 per hour. The platform takes a flat $15 per hour. The carer keeps the rest.
What the Cert III actually qualifies you to do
A Cert III in Early Childhood Education and Care covers child development across the 0 to 12 age range, safe sleep and health practices for infants, play-based learning, age-appropriate programming, child protection awareness, working with families from diverse backgrounds, and collaborative practice with colleagues and educators. It is a comprehensive qualification that the centre sector has historically undervalued and underpaid.
What in-home childcare work looks like with a Cert III
As a Cert III carer on the Nest & Nurture Little Ones platform you work with one family at a time. Casual sessions (minimum 3 hours), regular part-time bookings or full-time dedicated carer arrangements. You set your available days, hours and suburbs. Families browse your profile, review your qualifications and request an interview before any booking is confirmed.
What you need beyond the Cert III
- Working With Children Check (WWCC) -- current and valid in your state
- HLTAID012 First Aid -- child-specific, not the general HLTAID011
- National Police Check -- issued within the last 3 months
- Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination -- current
- Minimum two years of verified childcare experience
- Active ABN -- you work as an independent contractor
Full-time in-home childcare income with a Cert III
A carer working full-time hours with one child earns $1,520 per week ($40 per hour, 38 hours). With two children that is $2,280 per week. Over a year at two children that is $118,560 -- more than three times what the same Cert III qualification earns in a centre at the award rate.
Ready to Apply?
Applications take around 15 minutes. Upload your Cert III certificate, WWCC, police check, first aid certificate and pertussis record. We respond within 5 business days.
Qualified early childhood educator? Join Nest and Nurture Little Ones
One family at a time. Set your own hours. From 40 dollars per hour. Wednesday pay. We review every application within 5 business days.
See how it works