Childcare & Early Years
Through our courses, learn how to support and promote positive behaviour in childcare and early years settings. We provide courses covering safeguarding, child development, health & safety and the importance of play.
Gain a highly sought-after qualification at Westminster’s premier Adult Learning Service that can take you down many different career paths.
Qualification courses and courses at intermediate or advanced level require guidance or an interview prior to enrolment. You can apply online on the course details page or contact us for help with your application.
If you are planning to work with children and young people, there is a requirement to obtain an enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Some of our courses also have this requirement as you will be attending a work placement as part of your assessment. Please review the information on the Government’s DBS Guidance Page and ask your tutor for more information.
For the following courses, you may be eligible for full or partial government funding or a loan, depending on factors like your age, location, residency status, employment situation, or income.
This qualification encourages an understanding of the knowledge and the skills needed to care for young children. It covers children’s growth, learning and development. There are also units to help with self-development.
Please note: this course is not available to learners in many areas of England with devolved adult skills funding, like Greater London. Please view the Level 2 Distance Learning page for details on eligibility
The course has a duration of 12 weeks and the purpose of this qualification is to develop knowledge of: children and young people's mental health in context; mental health problems commonly associated with children and young people; the impact of mental ill-health on children and young people; support available to maintain mental wellbeing in children and young people.
>The content of this course will provide you with the essential knowledge and skills needed to provide a safe and stimulating environment for children. It will enable you to support child development and understand how to safeguard children. You will learn about legislations, policies and procedures that influence the childcare provision and ways of implementing them in your practice.
This qualification will develop the knowledge and awareness of the types of provision in the Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s sectors. It includes the roles played by workers, from principles and values through to health and safety and working with others. There is the option to take units in more specialised areas such as learning disability, sensory loss or mental health.The qualification:• is aimed at learners who wish to develop an understanding of these settings before deciding whether working in the sector is for them• allows learners to gain the knowledge, understanding and skills required for employment and/or career progression in the sectors• allows learners to tailor their learning to their interests through the provision of a broad range of optional units• provides opportunities for the development of transferable skills• supports progression to Level 2 qualifications in health, social care or children's settings• provides learners with the opportunity to progress to employment, in due course, in a range of job roles in the care sectors.In addition you will complete an English Functional skills course alongside.
- Highly qualified and professionally experienced tutors
- Accessible Central London centres with bespoke facilities and great transport connections
- A wide range of in-person, online, distance learning and community-based courses
- Unique work experience opportunities through partnerships
- Guest speakers offer introductions to career pathways in a variety of sectors
- Excellent progression to employment, apprenticeships or further learning including university
