Industry Spotlight: Childcare (including Early Years Foundation Stage – EYFS)

Whatever background or age, a career in childcare or early years can be very rewarding. If you love being around children and are committed to giving them the best possible start in life, a career in childcare early years could be for you.

There will always be demand for good quality childcare, play and early education for young children. Especially now the government offer ‘free’ hours for 3-4 year old’s and the great tax-free childcare schemes.

 

A range of skills and qualities are required to support a child’s learning and development:

• passion and enthusiasm
• commitment, to improve the lives of children and their families
• patience, with children, their families and the early years environment
• flexibility, to deal with change and the unexpected
• respect for others
• creativity
• lots of energy, to keep up with the children and stay motivated
• a sense of humour, to keep learning fun
• love of learning

There are plenty of opportunities to train and work towards qualifications, part-time, full-time or on a work-based learning programme through a local college or university.

All paid and voluntary roles involving contact with children and young people will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

In September 2014 the Government brought in legislation that Childminder Agencies could set up, so prospective childminders could choose whether to register with an agency or with Ofsted. The process of registering as a childminder will vary depending on if you register with Ofsted or a Childminding Agency as all Childminding Agencies will set their own registration criteria and processes.

Your Local Authority may be able to let you know if there are any Childminder Agencies in your area.

Childminders work alone or with no more than two other childminders or assistants.

Friends who care for each other’s children do not have to register if the care is without payment of money or for things like food and electricity.

Childminders care for:

• children on domestic premises – this is in someone’s home; it is usually the childminder’s own home, but it can be someone else’s home; it is not usually the home of one of the children
• at least one individual child for a total of more than two hours in any day; this is not necessarily a continuous period of time

All Ofsted registered childminders have to:

• be registered on the Early Years Register and/or the Childcare Register.
• hold an up to date paediatric first aid certificate (this needs renewing every 3 years)
• be Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked
• complete an introductory childcare course
• have appropriate insurance cover, including Public Liability Insurance.
• deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage for children on the Early Years Register

Acorn Health & Safety can provide the 2 days (12 hour) Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid to help you gain your childcare qualifications

Our trainers employ a wide range of teaching techniques to meet the needs of individual delegates attending courses.  This course programme, accredited by Qualsafe Awards follows a set syllabus and contains the most up to date information available including:

• Planning for, and dealing with, first aid emergencies involving babies and children including meningitis
• Unconsciousness and resuscitation of babies and children
• Choking
• Minor cuts, bites, stings, bleeding and shock
• Anaphylactic shock including the use of epi pens
• Broken bones and sprains
• Head, neck and back injuries
• Burns and scalds
• Poisoning
• Burns
• Effects of extreme heat and cold including febrile convulsions
• Contamination and injury to the eyes and foreign objects in the ears and nose
• Other medical conditions including epilepsy, asthma, diabetes and meningitis

Owing to the practical nature of this course a basic level of general fitness is required, delegates must be physically able to carry out the procedures detailed in the course outline.

We also offer an extended 16-hour Outdoor Paediatric First Aid which includes the Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid – we have available dates in July for this course.

This training is aimed at those working with children in an outdoor setting or who are working towards their Forest School Leader Award and covers additional planning for and dealing with, first aid emergencies in the outdoor environment.

Whatever your paediatric First Aid needs are, contact us now to see if we can help

Nigel Braybrooke, Grad. IOSH Health and Safety Consultant