Careers in Childcare and Early Years

Nurseries provide full day care, early years education and play for children aged between 0-5 years.

Pre-Schools provide early years education, care, and play for young children aged from 2 to 5 years. Both follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.

There are opportunities to work full-time, part-time, term-time and on a voluntary basis.

What would I do?

To start with you would typically be working as an Assistant (Practitioner or Educator) and would be working under the supervision of a Leader or Supervisor.

Daily tasks could include:

• encouraging children to develop social skills
• supporting learning through play
• creating a safe and secure environment for children to learn
• feeding, preparing bottles, bathing and dressing babies, changing nappies
• responsibility for a small group of children as a Key Person
• building relationships with parents and carers
• observing, assessing and planning the child’s learning and development
• consulting and liaising with teams and other health professionals (i.e., Health Workers, Social Workers)
• attending training and team meetings

In a managerial role you would also be supervising staff and looking after the business side of things including finance, recruitment, training and development of staff, working closely with parents/carers and promoting the childcare setting.

What skills and experience do I need?

• have a genuine interest in the care and development of young children
• have patience
• be motivated and enthusiastic
• be committed to safeguarding
• be warm and friendly
• have a positive approach to training and development.

Volunteering is an excellent way to get experience of working in an early years setting. The Hampshire Family Information and Services Hub directory has details of early years childcare settings in your area.

What qualifications do I need?

Depending on the setting you are working in as an Assistant you will need to work towards achieving a Level 2 childcare qualification. All Level 2 early years practitioner qualifications will need to meet the minimum criteria. It is possible to start without a specific childcare qualification if employers know that you are willing to attend training.

As a Manager, Supervisor or Leader you would need to have a minimum Level 3 qualification such as the Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification or equivalent and would need to have demonstrable experience of working in a similar setting.

Progression

You would be encouraged to develop your skills and qualifications through regular continued professional development and training. This could be via work-based qualifications, short courses and e-learning. You could progress from a Level 2 to the Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification. This would enable you to apply for a Leader, Supervisor or Managerial post. You could then work towards a Foundation Degree or Degree in Early Childhood Studies and/or Early Years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT). [Please note, to undertake a Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification and work in an Early Years setting, you must also have GCSE grade 4 or above (or equivalent) in English and mathematics.]

Please ensure you check the qualification is full and relevant - Check early years qualifications - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Schools and other organisations can offer extended childcare such as breakfast clubs, after school clubs, and holiday play schemes for children up to 14 years old. These clubs help children grow, stay healthy, and have fun through exciting activities and opportunities. These roles can require qualified playworkers however there are many routes into working in wraparound.

What would I do?

You'd start as a playworker under the supervision of a play leader or supervisor.

Roles you might take on each day:

• Activity mastermind
• Adventurer/Adventure leader
• Confidence coach
• Fun facilitator
• Safety superhero
• First aid friend
• Problem-solving pro
• Clean up captain
• Healthy eating hero
• Parent partner
• Playground architect
• Creativity champion
• Energy enthusiast

Play leaders have a more senior role. As a play leader you would manage the day to day running of the out of school provision including supervising staff and looking after the business side of things such as finance, recruitment, training, development of staff, working closely with parents/carers and promotion of the club.

What skills and experience do I need?

• Creativity and imaginative
• Enjoy being active
• Teamwork skills
• Enjoying working indoors and outdoors
• Motivation and enthusiasm
• Have an awareness of health and safety issues
• Have a positive approach to training and development
• Be committed to safeguarding

Volunteering is an excellent way to get experience of working in playwork. The Hampshire Family Information and Services Hub directory has details of out of school provision in your area.

What qualifications do I need?

You do not need formal qualifications to work in a wraparound setting, however you will be required to undertake relevant training such as safeguarding, first aid and inclusion. Some providers may require qualifications for certain roles, such as Level 3 Diploma in Playwork.

If you already hold an Early Years & Childcare qualification (Level 2 or 3), this will enable you to work in a wraparound and out of school club. The Level 3 Award in Transition to Playwork is specifically designed to transition from Level 3 Early Years to Playwork, giving you all the knowledge you need to be successful in this role.

As a Manager, Supervisor or Leader you would need to have a minimum Level 3 qualification in early years and childcare or playwork and would need to have demonstrable experience.

Progression

You would be encouraged to develop your skills and qualifications through training known as Continuous Professional Development (CPD). This could be through work-based qualifications, short courses and e-learning.

As a Leader or Manager there are opportunities to work towards a Level 5 in Playwork or Leadership and Management at Level 4 or 5.

Voluntary work is often the best way to start a career as it allows you to get a feel for the work before you start; you will find out whether you would enjoy that kind of work or not. It is a great way to gain experience in different areas of work allowing you to make contacts which may help build opportunities in your future career.

Voluntary work is very useful to put on your CV as it shows employers that you have a positive approach to developing your skills and gaining experience. Childcare employers will specify in job adverts that candidates will need previous experience of working in a childcare setting (whether in a voluntary or paid capacity).

If you want to work with children you could volunteer at a Nursery, Pre-School, Out of School Club or local Primary School. You would need to contact the setting beforehand to arrange voluntary work.

What would I do?

• If you are volunteering in a Nursery/Pre-School you might be helping staff to provide care to young children and supporting their learning through play
• In an Out of School Club, you might be helping the playworker with activities and games

You can volunteer for an hour or a few days a week, whatever suits. As a volunteer you would be always supervised.

What skills and experience do I need?

Enthusiasm is the key. An interest in the place you will be spending time in also helps. You will need to have a positive approach to learning new skills.

What qualifications do I need?

You do not need to hold any specific qualifications to volunteer. Volunteering is often a good way to access any training that the setting may offer, such as safeguarding children awareness training.

An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required if you intend to volunteer on a regular basis and have regular contact with children and young people. Volunteers will receive a DBS check free of charge.

Progression

As a volunteer you may be able to secure a permanent position within the setting, or the experience you have gained may help you when applying for jobs. You may also be able to access any training opportunities that the setting offers.

Become a specialist in early childhood and prepare yourself for diverse and exciting career opportunities. The first five years of life are pivotal in a child’s development. High quality early years provision can help children achieve their potential and support parents and families.

Early Years Teachers are key to raising the quality of early years provision. To become an Early Years Teacher, you need to gain Early Years Initial Teacher Status (EYITT). Early Years Teacher Status is not a qualification, but a status given at degree level that is achieved by evidencing you meet a set of standards. Early Years Teacher Status allows you to lead in early years settings on delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), to improve and provide the best outcomes for children aged 0–5 years.

What would I do?

As an Early Years Teacher, you would lead practice across the EYFS, support and mentor other practitioners in the setting and model the skills and behaviours that safeguard and support children. You would be leading colleagues who have various levels of qualifications and experience within your childcare setting. The Early Years Teacher role is one that challenges thinking, suggests improvements, and manages change to meet the EYFS and achieve the best Ofsted inspection results.

What skills and experience do I need?

• enjoy working with young children
• work effectively in a team
• have effective leadership skills
• effectively communicate and work in partnership with families, carers and other professionals
• establish fair, respectful, trusting, supportive and constructive relationships with children
• inspire and motivate colleagues to improve their practice
• plan and provide safe and appropriate activities and play opportunities which enable children to develop and learn
• be passionate about improving outcomes for all children
• have up-to-date knowledge and understanding of Early Years practice with children aged 0–5 years

What qualifications do I need?

To become an Early Years Teacher, you need to gain Early Years Teacher Status, which is a graduate level status. To achieve this status, you will need to undertake a training pathway. The pathway for you will depend on your current experience and qualifications and the training provider will help you decide which is the most suitable pathway of study for you. All candidates will need to have GCSE mathematics, English and science at grade 4 or above (or equivalent), and a full degree.

Where can I get more information?

• Early years initial teacher training (ITT): accredited providers
• Early years teacher training