Child Care Home Practitioners Course

The culture of long hours and the fact that more and more women are returning to work after having children, have brought about something of a mini-revolution in childcare. In today’s busy world, the need for quality childcare has never been greater.
And that’s why this exciting Childcare Home Practitioners course is such good news.  If you have ambitions to work in the childcare sector – as a childminder or nanny, or in a nursery or crèche, for example – this is the course for you.  You’ll find it interesting, challenging and highly rewarding, and it could lead to a whole new exciting career playing a vital role in the care, development and education of children.
Your chance to have an enjoyable and rewarding new career.

As any parent knows, the early years of a child’s life are absolutely crucial in his or her future health and happiness. So whether you simply wish to enjoy a rewarding career in childcare, or have ambitions to eventually run your own childcare business, this course would provide the first step on a highly worthwhile and fulfilling career.
Now you can learn important childcare skills.

Our Childcare Home Practitioners course gives you a valuable insight into understanding the role of learning and development in childcare settings. The course deals with the legal requirements for setting up a childcare business from your own home and covers the frameworks of early education including Birth to Three, Every Child Matters and The Early Years Foundation Stage. You will also gain a full understanding of the personal and interpersonal skills you will need to develop your career in childcare.
THE COURSE – YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What subjects does the course cover?

UK Open Learning’s Childcare Home Practitioners course consists of nine key components:

Unit 1:  The key factors of child development and developmental needs of children 0-8 years, inclusive of individual and special needs

The main development of a child from birth to 8 years
Social, economic and environmental factors influencing development
Genetic and hereditary factors affecting development
Children’s overall development needs
Defining special needs
Supporting children with special needs
Key transitions
Supporting children through transitions

Unit 2:  Diversity and inclusion issues within the childminding environment

Policies to meet diversity within the childminding setting
Inclusion within the childminding setting
Effects of discrimination
Unit 3:  Providing for children’s physical needs, inclusive of health and safety

Meeting children’s nutritional needs
Meeting children’s rest and sleep needs
Maintaining appropriate hygiene procedures
Exploring consequences as a result of the failure to meet appropriate hygiene procedures
Signs and symptoms of common childhood illnesses
Informing parents of illness and documenting illness
Maintaining a safe and secure environment

Unit 4:  Learning through play for child development

Types of play and their importance in relation to:
(a)  Development
(b)  Age
Observation and planning
Every Child Matters and Birth to Three Matters Framework
The Early Years Foundation Stage
Available resources in relation to:
(a)  Health and Safety
(b)  Diversity and Inclusion
Unit 5:  Behaviour Management

Stages of behaviour in children
Encouraging appropriate behaviour
Informing parents of inappropriate behaviour and its documentation
Behaviour attributed to specific special needs
Unit 6:  Child Abuse

The main types of child abuse
Signs and symptoms of child abuse
Documentation relating to:
(a)  Confidentiality
(b)  Reporting and recording incidents of child abuse
Contacting professionals in the case of child abuse
Procedures to follow in the case of child abuse
Sources of support
Unit 7:  The legal responsibilities of the childminder

Childminders’ legislation
Legal responsibilities of the childminder
Procedures for admission and collection
Legal implications of childminding
Policies and procedures to meet OFSTED requirements
Unit 8:  Promoting positive working relationships

Working in partnership with parents and other professionals
Accessing childminding services
The childminder’s responsibilities for building positive relations with parents and other professionals in relation to:
(a)  Confidentiality
(b)  Complaints and documentation procedures
Unit 9: 
The statutory, voluntary and private support available for childminders

Explore the contacts for support for the childminding service

Who can take the CHILDCARE HOME PRACTITIONERS course?

No prior knowledge is required and the course is open to anyone. The course provides a valuable route to the formal qualifications needed to work in the childcare sector.
How does the Childcare course work?

The great thing about distance learning is that you can study from home or work, at your own pace and in your own time. You will also have your very own professional personal tutor offering support via email and post, seven days a week.  He or she will be happy to answer any questions you may have and give you advice as to how to complete the course successfully. The course does have to be completed within 12 months from the date you purchased it. 
The course is divided into nine self-contained units and students are asked to complete nine assignments which will be marked by your tutor. The overall grade from these assignments will lead to the awarding of yourcertificate.
Qualification
 Level 3 Award as a Childcare Home Practitioner plus a UK Open Learning Diploma.
At the end of this course successful learners will receive a Level 3 NCFE Award certificate of achievement. That means that it is independently accredited at a level of learning equivalent to level 3 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland'

Awarding Body Information
NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.
Further information
www.ncfe.org.uk
The outcomes of this course will satisfy current OFSTED requirements for people working in, or planning to work in, a child care environment in a wide variety of roles.
Does your course map to Every Child Matters? 
Yes. This course has been written to meet the new Government initiative.
Every Child Matters  see www.everychildmatters.gov.uk
Every Child Matters: Change for Children is a new approach to the well-being of children and young people from birth to age 19.

The Government's aim is for every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, to have the support they need to:

• Be healthy


• Stay safe


• Enjoy and achieve


• Make a positive contribution


• Achieve economic well-being

This means that the organisations involved with providing services to children - from hospitals and schools, to police and voluntary groups - team up in new ways, sharing information and working together, to protect children and young people from harm and help them achieve what they want in life. Children and young people have far more say about issues that affect them as individuals and collectively.
Over the next few years, every local authority will be working with its partners, through children's trusts, to find out what works best for children and young people in its area and act on it. They will need to involve children and young people in this process, and, when inspectors assess how local areas are doing, they will listen, especially to the views of children and young people themselves.
Our course is mapped to National standards for Under 8s day care and childminding, Surestart, 2003, and to Every Child Matters Outcomes
How long do I have to complete the course?
Any time up to 12 months. We suggest that you read through the entire course initially to familiarise yourself with the contents. After this, please work your way through the units in numerical order. If we update the course, the information will either be posted on our supporting website or sent to you free of charge. We est