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Medical Certificate for Childcare Workers

Need documentation for sick leave or carer's leave? Request your Absence from Work Certificate online for $5, reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist. No appointment required.

Request a CertificateWhen you might need one

Only $5 · Takes less than 5 minutes

Jump to: Sick & carer's leave · When you need a certificate · Can't get a GP appointment · Your employer's requirements · FAQ

  • Only $5, no appointment required
  • Reviewed by AHPRA-Registered Pharmacists
  • Certificate delivered by email
  • No certificate, no charge

Personal leave and carer's leave for childcare workers

Childcare educators, early childhood educators, room leaders, assistant educators and other centre-based staff all play a hands-on role in young children's care and education. Depending on your employment type, whether you're full-time, part-time or casual, you may be able to access personal leave when you're too unwell to work, and carer's leave when you need to care for an eligible family or household member, including your own child. At Sicknotes, we call the supporting documentation an Absence from Work Certificate, though you might know it as a medical certificate or sick note.

Whether you're due for an early centre opening shift or rostered on for a full day in the room, your employer may ask for evidence of your absence. Sicknotes lets eligible Australians request that documentation online, without needing to book a GP appointment.

When might you need a certificate?

A few common situations where childcare workers request a certificate:

  • You become unwell before an early centre opening shift
  • You're too unwell to work your next rostered shift
  • Your child is unwell and you need to stay home to care for them
  • You need to care for another sick family member
  • Your centre has asked for evidence of your absence

Can't get a GP appointment before your shift?

Early centre starts, fixed room rosters and busy days with the children don't always leave room for a GP visit. Booking an appointment just to get paperwork can be hard to fit in around your shift. For eligible requests, Sicknotes is one option: complete your request online and have it reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist, without booking an appointment.

This isn't a substitute for medical care. If your symptoms are severe, persist or worsen, or you need diagnosis, treatment or ongoing care, please see your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.

  • Only $5, no appointment required
  • Reviewed by AHPRA-Registered Pharmacists
  • Certificate delivered by email
  • No certificate, no charge
Request a Certificate

Working with children while you're unwell

Childcare educators work closely with young children, so it's worth thinking carefully about whether you're well enough to be at the centre. If you're unwell, follow your workplace's usual procedures around illness and staying home, rather than pushing through.

An Absence from Work Certificate supports a personal or carer's leave request. It isn't a medical assessment of whether you're fit to work around children, and it isn't infection control advice. If you're concerned about your symptoms or how long you should stay away from the centre, speak with your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.

Check your employer's requirements

Childcare workers can be employed under different awards, enterprise agreements or other arrangements, and centres range from small community services to large national providers, so requirements for providing evidence of an absence can vary between employers.

Under the Fair Work Act, employers can ask employees to provide reasonable evidence to support a claim for personal or carer's leave, and a medical certificate is one example of that evidence, although individual employers, awards and agreements can have their own requirements. If you're unsure what your employer requires, check your workplace policy before submitting your certificate. For more on your leave entitlements, see the Fair Work Ombudsman's guidance on sick and carer's leave.

How Sicknotes works

  1. 01

    Answer a few quick questions

    Tell us about your circumstances to help your pharmacist review your request. It only takes a few minutes.

  2. 02

    Pharmacist review

    An AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist reviews your request. If needed, the pharmacist may ask for some additional information to complete the review.

  3. 03

    Receive your certificate

    If appropriate, the reviewing pharmacist will issue an Absence from Work Certificate and we'll email it directly to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can childcare workers get an online medical certificate?
Yes. Eligible Australians working in childcare, including childcare educators, room leaders and other centre-based staff, can request an Absence from Work Certificate online through Sicknotes. Your request is reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist, and a certificate is only issued where the pharmacist determines it's appropriate.
Can childcare educators get a sick note?
Yes. Childcare educators, early childhood educators and assistant educators can use Sicknotes in the same way as other eligible workers, to request an Absence from Work Certificate for personal or carer's leave.
Can I get a certificate for sick leave from a childcare centre?
Yes. Sicknotes is available for eligible personal leave requests, sometimes called sick leave, whatever your role at the centre, whether you're an educator, room leader or in another childcare position.
Can I use an Absence from Work Certificate for carer's leave?
Yes. If you need documentation to support carer's leave, for example to care for a sick child or another eligible family or household member, you can request a certificate through Sicknotes for eligible circumstances.
What if my child is sick and I need to care for them?
Carer's leave may apply if you need to stay home to care for your own sick child, where the relevant requirements are met. Workplace arrangements can vary, so check your own entitlements if you're unsure. If eligible, you can request a certificate through Sicknotes to support your leave.
What if I work casually?
Sicknotes is available to casual, part-time and full-time childcare workers. Leave entitlements can differ depending on your employment type, so check your own arrangements or workplace policy if you're unsure what applies to you.
What if I work part-time?
Yes, Sicknotes is available to part-time childcare workers as well as full-time and casual staff. As with any employment type, check your own arrangements or workplace policy if you're unsure what leave you're entitled to.
What if I can't get a GP appointment before my early shift?
No appointment is required to submit a request. If you need diagnosis, treatment or ongoing care, or your symptoms are severe, please see your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional instead.
Will my childcare centre accept the certificate?
Requirements can vary between employers, so we can't guarantee that every childcare centre will accept a certificate. Sicknotes provides an Absence from Work Certificate, reviewed by an AHPRA-Registered Pharmacist, through our standard request process. If you're unsure what your centre needs, it's worth checking your workplace policy, award or agreement before you submit it.
How much does Sicknotes cost?
Sicknotes costs just $5. If a certificate can't be issued, you'll receive a full refund.
How quickly will I receive my certificate?
We aim to review your request within one hour of submission. During busy periods, review times may be longer.
What happens if a certificate cannot be issued?
Every request is individually reviewed, and a certificate isn't guaranteed. If a certificate can't be issued, you'll receive a full refund. No certificate, no charge.

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Request your Absence from Work Certificate online today. Simple, affordable and built for a short-term absence from work.

Request a Certificate

Only $5 · No certificate, no charge