Do you like children? Do they like you back? Do you like spending time with them, play with them, and teaching them the basic things? If your answer is positive for all these queries, then the job of Childcare is definitely for you. Contrary to the other age groups, handling a child is not easy as each one of them is different than the other, requiring special technique and education to handle them properly. However, if you are thinking seriously of taking it as a career option, then first and foremost, a proper certification course will have to be qualified, depending upon the laws of the host country.
The need for childcare education
According to the principles found by researchers and child psychologists, the formative years in the development of a child is the most important. In recent years, the time spared by either of the parents for their child is becoming increasingly less, which is reflected in recent statistics depicting an increase of 21% in families with both the parents working full-time and having a child aged between 0-4 years. This situation can be accounted for by the rise of living standards, an increase in costs in the education sector, and other related causes.
As the parents are unable to impart the basic education for their child’s future framework, they will incline towards a person with proven certification for the early childhood education of their ward. And to get the qualification, an interested party will have to enroll himself/herself at the appropriate courses.
The courses available
There are different types of courses available to complete, which can provide a strong foothold in the childcare industry. According to the qualifications needed for a particular job, the person can choose the childcare courses Adelaide, in its wake. Among the different courses available, the main options that can be pursued by the candidate can be listed as;
- Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care.
- Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care.
The qualifications are designed to provide the necessary level of education and training to the applicant to ensure that they can fit into the posts selected for; both in official and practical aspects.
Certificate III of Primary Childhood Learning
This is the most basic of the courses available for the childcare field. In essence, this course can be pursued to get the basic certification of the childcare industry and get to learn about the workings of the different roles of this concern. This is essential for an entry-level position in the childcare industry.
Children in their early formative years cannot be treated in a general way. Each child is different, and according to the best way a child responds to the educator’s stimulus, the education and knowledge have to be input into the psyche of the youth. This requires extensive creativity and knowledge about the psychology of a child and is found in the methods and curriculum taught at the Certificate 3 in Childcare Adelaide courses. The childcare concerns and nurseries available, therefore look for this particular certification in the resume of a potential candidate.
Essential requirements
For the certificate III courses, the applicant must be aged at least 18 years and have completed year 10 of a formal education system. Some institutes also require a check of whether the applicant is currently working with a child or not.
Diploma in Early Childhood Education
This course serves as the next stepping stone in the jobs available in the childcare industry. In totality, the diploma holder may have to perform the other duties if the need arises, but in case of the available and offered positions, this certification will provide the next boost up. Obviously, the nature and the criticality level of the course are greater in nature, which prepares the applicant to manage more responsible and critical jobs in this sector. Concurrent with the Diploma of early childhood education, the positions and job prospects also become better in this regard.
Essential requirements
For the Diploma courses, the applicant will have to be more than 18 years and will need to complete 12 years of formal education or a certificate II. The checks about an ongoing job with a child may also be performed.
The areas covered
The areas covered under these courses are interlinked and obviously more detailed and intensive in the advanced courses. The main focus of these courses is to arrange for the training and understanding of the children to provide the best care within the ethical and legal boundaries, with special care on the imparting of cultural and creative aspects. The essential capacities these courses nurture and hone in the applicants can be listed as;
- Providing attention and care for children
- Positive and polite connection development with children
- Working in conjunction with relatives to provide suitable education and care.
- Guaranteeing the well-being and safety of children. Organizing particular work importance and developing schedules.
- Developing cultural proficiency.
- Using an appropriate knowledge framework to direct practice
- Supporting the universal development of children in early childhood
- Using data about kids to updating ongoing practices
- Encouraging and providing healthy nourishment habits.
- Maintaining health and safety in the children’s area.
- Starting and preserving an innocent and strong atmosphere for children
- Recognizing and taking actions for children at risk. This service may have to be extended to young teens too.
- Work within legal and ethical parameters.
- Cultivating creativity in children
- Establishing and applying plans for developing supportive traits
- Planning and executing the core curriculum to nurture children’s education and development
- Assisting in the jobs of an education and care center.
- Providing crisis-responsive first aids in educational background.
The future prospects
Depending on the certificates earned, an applicant can apply for different jobs in the childcare industry. Some of the positions that can be applied for are child care worker, nanny or babysitter, family daycare worker, early infancy educator, teaching support staff to an intermittent care coordinator, early childhood center educator, family daycare manager, supervisor/manager of care centers and other related ones. Individuals interested in the childcare industry can pursue these courses to forward their careers.