It is the responsibility of the Australian Early Childhood College (AECC) to ensure that prospective participants (students) are able to undertake their chosen qualification. Clause 1.7 of the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015 requires RTOs to determine the support need of individual learners and to provide access to the educational and support services necessary for the individual learner to successfully meet requirements of the training product (qualification) as specified in the Training Package.. AECC belives that it is an ethical responsibility that no student commences a training program where there are concerns that they will not successfully complete the course with the support that AECC can provide or source. AECC seeks to ensure this is a positive and supportive process that allows AECC staff and students to work together to determine the best outcome for all individuals.

To access subsidised training places in a full qualification in South Australia under Work Ready individuals must demonstrate the capacity to undertake the vocational course they are applying for. To determine this capacity students participate in a formal upfront assessment of need process determined by the SA Government, this occurs during their enrolment and after the individual's WorkReady eligibilty and entitlement has been confirmed (See WorkReady Enrolment Eligibility for more details). The aim of the process is to ensurethat:

• only individuals who have the capacity to undertake a vocational course will have access to a subsidised training place;
• only where there is evidence if need will an individual be provided with access to subsidised brigdging units or foundation skills courses;
• individual learning and support needs are identified early, and strategies are put in place to improve retention and completion outcomes.

The Upfront Assessment of Need is a holistic procedure that assesses:

• a students suitability forthe chosen qualification,
• the Language, Literacy and Numeracy levels mapped to the Austalian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) and
• the support needs that the student may have.

An Upfront Assessment of Need must be undertaken by all individuals seeking to enrol even if AECC has previously completed one, as student's circumstances may have changed in the interum.