Childcare jobs

[erin-x]

I know I could have just asked my tutor but I wanted to see if anyone out here knows :)Anyway, i'm currently doing my HNC Early Education and Childcare at college and was wondering if i could just get job at the end of it or if i had to do a HND and get further qualifications. I want to know so I can start looking now.. they're so hard to find!!!!

[Buenchico]

It's entirely up to employers. Unless they're barred by the CRB's 'Vetting & Barring ' scheme, anyone can work in childcare with absolutely no qualifications whatsoever. A private individual could (if they were mad enough to do so) employ a totally-unqualified person, with a substantial criminal record and no references, to look after their child.

For work within nurseries and other pre-school environments it's an Ofsted rule that all employees must be CRB-checked but not that all employees have any form of qualifications. (There are plenty of totally unqualified staff working in such environments).

More reputable employers will only accept staff with relevant qualifications. Most would probably not require anything beyond an HNC, so you may well not need to pursue your HND studies. But if you're seeking a career where you can later move on to managing some form of pre-school provision it might be wisest to aim for the highest qualifications available.

Chris

[tigwig]

I'm not sure what level of qualification this is. If you want to be classed as a qualified nursery nurse you need to have at least a level 3 qualification. This is usually a NVQ 3, BTEC Nat Dip (which I have) or what used to be the NNEB which I think is CACHE now. I would have thought what you are doing is, best to ask your tutor too. How long has your course been and what exactly do you want to do at the end of it?