Children’s Care, Learning and Development - Level 3 Diploma

Essentials

Duration: 2 Years Part-time
Number of weeks: 30
Start date: 16th September 2024
End date: 9th June 2025
Day: Mon
Time: 17:15-21:30

Course fees for each year.

Fees are payable annually.
The fees for year 2 may be subject to change.

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). 

Course Update

Please note from September 2025, all Ballymena courses are planned to move to the new Ballymena campus at Farm Lodge.

• Satisfactory Access NI checks   
• Level 2 Diploma in Children's Care, Learning & Development or (equivalent) or one year's experience in a childcare setting.  
• 4 GCSEs at C or above 
• Applicants with Child development, Maths and English at C and above will be given preference (essential skills at level 2 are acceptable in place of GCSE) (for full time applicants) 

In the event of oversubscription, the College reserves the right to increase the entry criteria for this programme to GCSE Maths and English at Grade C or above in preference to Essential Skills or lower graded GCSEs. Applicants will still be reviewed in date order and by order of preference.

This course will provide students with the qualification and a licence to practice that is recognised for work in the following areas:  

• Child Minder  
• Day nursery assistant or supervisor    
• Pre-school or Playgroup assistant    
• After school assistant   
• Nursery school, primary school & special needs school classroom assistant   

Students may also progress onto university or CACHE Level 5 Leadership & Managers Diploma if they are in an appropriate job role and are aged 19 or above.  

Over 95% of students obtain a full-time childcare job by the end of the course.