Children’s Care, Learning and Development - Level 3 Diploma (Fast-track)
Start Date: 10th September 2025
Code: YFPN2054A1
- Part-Time
- Newtownabbey
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Essentials
Duration: 1 Year Part-time
Number of weeks: 33
Start date: 10th September 2025
End date: 3rd June 2026
Day: Wed
Time: 14:00-21:30
Course fees for each year.
| Year 1 | Total Fee | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | £561 | £561 |
| Reduced Fee | £426 | £426 |
Find out more about eligibility for reduced course fees, payment options and financial support available in our fees and funding page.
Course Content
This CACHE Level 3 qualification is designed to build the knowledge and skills needed when working with children and young people from birth to 5 years 11 months of age. It covers a diverse range of job roles and occupational areas in children’s settings, including early years. It is suitable for anyone who works or wants to work at a supervisory level in children's care, learning and development.
To achieve this qualification students are required to successfully complete 70 overall credits, 56 credits from the mandatory units and 14 credits from the optional units.
Mandatory Units include:
- Context and principles for the early years sector
- Communication and partnership working
- Safeguarding children
- Keeping children safe, healthy and well
- Support children’s personal care and nutrition
- Supporting children’s development
- Supporting children’s play opportunities and experiences of play
- Contribute to the support of children with disabilities and/or special needs
There are a range of optional units to choose from to make up the remaining 14 credits. Examples include:
- Enable parents to develop ways of handling relationships and behaviour that contribute to everyday life with children
- Support children with physical disabilities
- Support families who have a child with a disability
- Support children with autistic spectrum conditions
Do you need to be working to take this qualification?
All learners MUST have access to either employment or work experience in a real work setting to support them to develop and practice their skills, and apply their knowledge at an appropriate level. This ensures that learners are able to demonstrate consistent competence at Level 3 to meet the requirements of the Level 3 Diploma in Children’s Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland). This course includes between 600-700 hours mandatory work placement where the applicant is not employed in a registered childcare setting.
Assessment Methods
It will be assessed by your lecturer and/or assessor using a range of methods. This will include direct observation in the workplace, an online portfolio of evidence and written assignments, other evidence gathering methods may also be used. Students will be required to undertake work placement in a registered childcare setting – with children aged 0 – 5 years 11 months for 1-2 days per week for the duration of the course and block placement weeks across the year to complete the required number of placement hours (where the student is not employed in a registered childcare setting).