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Children’s Care, play, learning and development: Practice Level 3

At a glance

  • Part Time

  • 1 Year

  • Aberystwyth & Cardigan Campus

Working with children can be a rewarding and fulfilling career choice for individuals who have a passion for shaping and nurturing young minds.

The qualification is practice-based, assessing learners’ knowledge and competence to practise.

It is primarily for those working, or seeking work in:

  • Regulated childcare settings with families and children under the age of 8 years
  • NHS children’s services for those working with families and children aged 0-19 years

It is suitable for:

  • Learners undertaking level three roles and responsibilities
  • Learners with level two Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development: Core or Practice
  • Those working in Flying Start/delivering the curriculum for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales
  • Learners with a level two legacy qualification (see Qualifications Framework).

It is strongly encouraged that learners will have completed the core qualification as this will be a requirement for practice set by Social Care Wales.

Programme Features

This qualification is practice-based and assesses learners’ knowledge and practice. It is designed for learners in work based learning.

This is a flexible course, designed to suit learners who prefer to continue working alongside the qualification.

Progression and Employment

Completion of this qualification enables learners to work as a qualified level three childcare worker unsupervised and, in many work settings, in a leadership role.

The qualification prepares learners to progress to:

  • Level 4 Professional Practice Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development
  • Level 4 Preparing for Leadership and Management in Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development.

Learners may also want to progress to:

  • Level 3 Health and Social Care: Practice (Children and Young People)
  • Advanced GCE/Advanced Subsidiary GCE in Health and Social Care

Learners must meet additional age and experience related requirements for some leadership roles in this sector.

Programme Content

The qualification will assess learners’ knowledge and practice as they demonstrate that they:

  • Understand, and apply in practice, the underpinning principles and values
  • Understand, and apply, in practice, child-centred approaches
  • Promote and support child development
  • Are aware of key policies and how these affect service development and delivery
  • Work in partnership with children, their families, carers, other professionals
  • Reflect on practice to continuously improve
  • Apply a range of problem solving techniques
  • Use literacy, numeracy and digital competency skills as appropriate
Method of assessment

The level three Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development: practice qualification is assessed through a combination of internal and external assessment. Learners must successfully complete:

  • An externally set, internally marked set of tasks
  • A portfolio of evidence
  • A professional discussion.
Entry Requirements

You will be required to undertake a successful interview and be formally assessed using the WEST toolkit.

You will also require a satisfactory enhanced DBS check.

Additional Costs

You will need to provide your own stationery. Sufficient time must be permitted by the workplace to allow regular meetings between assessor, learner and manager.

Inspiring Learners

Get in Touch

Park Place
Cardigan
SA43 1AB
01239 612032
enquiries@ceredigion.ac.uk

Get in Touch

Llanbadarn Fawr
Aberystwyth 
SY23 3BP
01239 612032
enquiries@ceredigion.ac.uk

Coleg Ceredigion is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 08725643 and is a registered charity No. 1154557.
The registered office is at Park Place, Cardigan, Ceredigion, SA43 1AB