Compulsory Training

Childminders in England are required to complete the mandatory course. At the time of writing this book, the course was entitled Introducing Childminding Practice (ICP). However, early in 2006 this course was altered to include all home based child carers such as nannies as well as childminders. The units which make up the Certificate in Childminding Practice are still recognised and it may be that you are already part way through one of the units so we will look at these in a little more detail in this chapter.

Introducing Childminding Practice was a mandatory course which childminders were required to undertake. ICP could be taken either as standard in a classroom or through a distance learning college. In January 2006 this course was amended to take into account all child carers working in a home based setting not just childminders. The new level three qualification is called the Diploma in Home-based Child Care.

First Aid

In addition to the ICP all childminders in both England and Wales must take a pediatric first aid course. First aid courses for childminders have changed significantly over the years and it is now compulsory for childminders to be trained, in depth, in all areas of childcare first aid. Your local authority will be able to give you details of the requirements in your area together with dates and venues for suitable courses.

It is essential that you do not underestimate the importance of a first aid course, and to ensure that you keep your training up to date. This is also a compulsory requirement of Ofsted. First aid qualifications usually expire after three years. A first aid course will ensure you are fully prepared for any accident or emergency which you may encounter and it will give you the necessary training and confidence to deal with a situation professionally and proficiently. The National Childminding Association stipulates that a suitable first aid course for childminders should be at least 12 hours long in order to successfully cover all aspects of accidents and emergencies.

Certificate In Childminding Practice

The Certificate in Childminding Practice, or CCP as it was generally known, was made up of three separate units. The units could be completed individually but you would not achieve the CCP award unless you completed all three units. The units were:

• Unit One: Introducing Childminding Practice (ICP). This is the introductory course which we have just looked at.

 

• Unit Two Developing Childminding Practice (DCP).

 

• Unit Three Extending Childminding Practice (ECP).

 

The units followed on from one another and become more involved as they progressed. The complete certificate (CCP) was a level 3 qualification and was designed specifically for childminders. The award was developed by CACHE (Council for Awards in Children’s Care and Education) and the National Childminding Association, and it is nationally recognised.

ECP is aimed at experienced childminders and, like DCP, to study for this course you had to be registered and caring for children in a home-based setting. The course covered topics such as child development, working with professionals, supporting parents, and working with children affected by disability, behavioural or emotional difficulties, HIV, Aids or abuse.

The full CCP course was widely available throughout England and Wales at centres approved by CACHE. In addition to colleges and adult education centres, the National Childminding Association also offered the course in areas where funding for childminders’ training was available.

It is also possible to complete the CCP as a distance learning course and was invaluable to childminders who work very long hours or shift patterns and found it difficult to attend classes. The National Extension College offers the complete CCP course and can be contacted by visiting www.nec.ac.uk/courses or telephoning 0800 3892839 for a prospectus.

As I mentioned earlier in this chapter the Certificate in Childminding Practice is in the process of being changed. At the time of writing, plans were being made for two new qualifications to come into effect from January 2006, namely the Level 2 Award/Certificate in Approved Child Carers and the Level 3 Diploma in Home-based Child Care. These courses differ from the Certificate in Childminding Practice as they take into account all individuals working with children in a home based setting such as nannies, as well as childminders.

The two new qualifications offered by CACHE are as follows:

Level 3 Diploma in Home-based Child Care – this course is made up of five units which are as follows:

Unit 1 Introduction to childcare practice (home-based)

Unit 2 Childcare and child development (0–16) in the home-based setting

Unit 3 The childcare practitioner in the home-based setting

Unit 4 Working in partnership with parents in the home-based setting

Unit 5 Meeting children’s individual learning needs in the home-based setting.

In addition to this Diploma, CACHE are also offering a Level 2 qualification which will be called the Award/Certificate in Approved Child Carers (subject to QCA approval).

For more information about these new qualifications contact CACHE on 0127 847636 or look at their website www.cache.org.uk