Non-Contact Time: Intention vs Reality
By Tammy Lawlor, VSKEA Founder
Reclaiming Space for Sustainable Practice
Most early childhood educators understand the importance of non-contact time those crucial periods when they’re not directly supervising children but instead planning, reflecting, and engaging in professional growth.
The challenge isn’t recognising its importance it’s in protecting it. Official Awards and Agreements may promise a certain amount of non-contact time, yet daily realities often erode it. Setup, pack-up, emails, meetings, and urgent admin tasks creep in until that “protected” time vanishes altogether.
Beyond the Problem: Why Non-Contact Time Demands Leadership Attention
This isn’t just an educator wellbeing issue it’s a leadership and system design challenge. Effective leaders recognise that:
Non-contact time is not a luxury. It’s a pillar of professional practice that sustains quality and wellbeing.
Simply allocating time isn’t enough. Leaders must protect, prioritise, and monitor how this time is spent.
Equity matters. Co-educators often face greater pressure and less planning time despite their essential role. Leadership must address these systemic imbalances.
A Structural Issue with Real Impact
Under the Victorian Early Childhood Teachers and Educators Agreement (VECTEA) 2020, educational leaders are officially responsible for guiding pedagogy and mentoring colleagues. Yet many report receiving minimal non-contact time sometimes as little as one hour per week to fulfil these duties. This gap between policy and practice reflects more than individual time management. It highlights a systemic under-resourcing of leadership roles, with real consequences for educator wellbeing and program quality.
Reframing the Conversation
It’s time to move the conversation from “How much non-contact time do we have?” to “How are leaders enabling meaningful, protected time that drives better outcomes?”
Leaders can:
Set clear boundaries around how non-contact time is used, distinguishing it from setup or pack-up duties.
Create collaborative planning structures that engage both teachers and co-educators.
Prioritise professional development and reflection within this time.
Advocate for policy and funding shifts that reflect the realities of sessional kindergarten staffing and workload.
Making Non-Contact Time Work
Reclaiming non-contact time is not a luxury it’s a leadership act that signals respect for the profession and a commitment to sustainable, high-quality early childhood education.
To make it work, leaders and services need to:
Protect it: Block it out. Make it non-negotiable. Respect it.
Clarify its purpose: Planning, reflection, documentation not just admin.
Recognise equity: Co-educators deserve time if we expect their input.
Separate setup and pack-up: These are operational tasks, not pedagogical time.
Non-contact time should never feel like stolen moments. It should be a signal of trust, value, and professionalism for every educator.
Reclaiming What Matters Most
Non-contact time was never meant to be an extra or an afterthought. It was designed as a pillar of professional practice. When we protect it, we create space for depth, reflection, collaboration, and ultimately, better outcomes for children. Yet the reality often falls short. Educators particularly co-educators are expected to give more than their time allows, blurring the boundaries between planning, preparing, and ‘just getting things done’ until nothing feels protected. This isn’t just a scheduling issue. It’s both a structural and cultural one. As leaders, teams, and professionals, we need to keep asking:
How is non-contact time really being used in our service?
Who has protected time and who doesn’t?
What shifts, big or small, could restore balance and fairness?
Because reclaiming non-contact time isn’t just about workflow it’s about respect.
Leadership Starts Here
When leaders prioritise purposeful, protected non-contact time, they’re saying:
I value the thinking you bring to your work.
Your time matters.
You are a professional.
In a sector where burnout is real and retention is critical, this matters more than ever. Reclaiming non-contact time isn’t a bonus it’s an act of leadership, respect, and sustainability.