Careers in childcare

Make a Difference

Do you want a career and not just a job? Do you want to do something that can make a positive difference to young lives? Then childcare may be for you.

Shropshire County Council's Early Years and Childcare Team offers support, advice and training on the wide range of opportunities in the childcare sector for children aged 0 to 19. Whether you are interested in starting your own business as a registered childminder, working as a sessional creche worker, as a teaching assistant, or training to become a qualified leader in a day nursery or pre-school, or becoming a foster carer, the Early Years and Childcare Team can help to find the career to suit you.

"There has never been a better time to consider a career in childcare," said Lorraine Dodsworth, Recruitment Coordinator. "There is every opportunity to train and gain skills in a number of areas and to work in a professional environment which is stimulating, fun and rewarding. No two days are ever the same, and you could find yourself working your way up the career ladder to degree level and beyond."

The DCSF believes that to ensure that children and young people achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes, it is vital to have a children's workforce that is skilled, well-led and supported by effective, shared systems and processes. The five outcomes, which the Government identified, as mattering most to children and young people were:

• Being healthy: enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy lifestyle;
• Staying safe: being protected from harm and neglect;
• Enjoying and achieving: getting the most out of life and developing the skills for adulthood;
• Making a positive contribution: being involved with the community and society and not engaging in anti-social or offending behaviour;
• Economic well-being: not being prevented by economic disadvantage from achieving full potential in life

Information workshops are held throughout the year providing information on the jobs and career opportunities available, career pathways, training and qualifications, essential personal skills and some of the key values and principles of working with children and young people.

Making Choices, working with Children, Young People and Families

Aim of the programme

The aim of the programme is to help people make an informed choice about choosing a career in working with children, young people and families, in order to enable the on going expansion of the children’s workforce.

Limitations of the programme

The programme does not qualify participants for working with children, young people and families. Completion of the programme does however indicate that participants have taken the time to consider their options before choosing to enter the sector and are aware of the importance of undertaking appropriate qualifications. The programme is accredited by SkillsActive and participants who complete the programme will be awarded a certificate.

Objectives

By the end of the programme, participants will have an awareness of:

• The diverse services available to children, young people and families;
• The specific roles and responsibilities involved with working with children, young people and families, in early years education, childcare, playwork and foster care;
• The importance and relevance of training to work with children, young people and families;
• The training and career opportunities available to them, within the children’s workforce;
• Possible sources of the information for supporting career choices.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme participants will have:

• Identified four different types of services available to children, young people and families;
• Identified five benefits of high-quality services for children, young people and families, based on The Every Child Matters agenda;
• Identified at least three specific roles of the children and young people’s worker within early years education, childcare, playwork and foster care;
• Identified at least three important skills and areas of knowledge for children’s workers which are relevant to working with children, young people and families;
• Identified appropriate training and qualification routes within four sectors identified;
• Completed an individual action plan that enables career choice

This new programme will now be 12 hours which can be spread over two 6 hour days or 4 three hour sessions either during the day or in an evening. The 6 hour days can either be in the week or on a Saturday.

For more information select the attachment or links available on this page:

• For current vacancies select 'Links'
• The links in the 'Useful website' will give you more information on qualifications and differing routes into childcare.

If you would like further details, please telephone Shropshire CIS on +44 (0)1743 254400 or text CIS followed by a space and your message to 84010.