There are so many exciting options for you to choose from and we are here to help you to make the right career choices and provide you with all of the information and support you may need.
Working with children is an important, rewarding, and fun career that you can be proud of. You will play an incredibly valuable role in supporting the lives of future generations. Watching babies and young children grow and develop overtime and knowing you have helped to educate, care and nurture them as they move on in life is extremely satisfying.
The main sectors employing people to work with children are education, social work and early years and childcare; but there are many other professions where, once qualified, it is possible to specialise in working with or for children. For example; Counsellor, Speech and Language Therapist, Play Therapist, Psychologist, Nurse. There are also many volunteering opportunities that may help you to gain experience and find out what you enjoy most.
Discover the real stories from early years educators making a difference.
Do I enjoy looking after children?
Can I offer children a happy and stimulating environment, with sufficient toys and equipment to meet their needs?
What hours am I prepared to work? What effect will this have on my own family?
What age group would I like to work with?
How do my spouse/partner and my own children feel about me looking after other children?
Do I feel capable of respecting the individual needs of children who have different family, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to my own?
Will I be able to get on with parents and share information about their children?
Am I prepared to commit towards my professional development as a childminder?
Am I clear on respecting families confidentiality?
Do all family members aged 16 or over understand they must complete an Enhanced DBS disclosure?
If you want to be paid to look after children under eight, you may need to register with Ofsted. Visit our Registration information pages to find out everything you need to know about pre-registration training, how to register and further training for registered childminders.
Full day care
Care provided at any time (day or night) for children under eight on premises otherthan domestic premises for more than a total of two hours a day.
Day care providers mustbe registered with Ofsted.
You must normally register on the Ofsted Early Years Register if you want to care for children from birth to five.
You must register on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register if you want to care for children from five to seven.
Sessional day care
Normally take children for sessions lasting less than 3 hours in length per day.
Sessional day care includes the following types of provision: pre school playgroup and out of school provision for school aged children.
You will still need to apply to join the early years register as 'childcare on non-domestic premises' (the same category as full day care), if you are caring for children within the early years foundation stage, however theannual registration feewill be less.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, theDisclosure and Barring Service(DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children.
The Integrated Early Years Service also offers atraining programmefor the early years and childcare workforce in Dudley.
Completing a qualification will help you to understand more about your role, improve confidence in your knowledge and skills and increase job satisfaction.
We recognise that being properly trained and qualified is probably more important today than it has ever been and there is a direct correlation between higher qualifications and better outcomes for children.
Please contact your chosen provider to find out more about individual courses, costs, support provided plus careers advice.
National and local funding opportunities to support qualifications provided by training providers change regularly.
If you are currently working, or volunteering on a regular basis, in a registered childcare setting within the Dudley borough, and are interested in undertaking a relevant qualification, you are advised to contact your training provider to discuss funding opportunities.
If the training provider cannot support you with finance you may wish to consider student loans. Alternatively:
If you are aged 24 or above and you intend to study at levels 3 or 4 loans are available. Visit the24+ Advanced Learning Loans websitefor further information.
