Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development: Practice

Qualification overview

The qualification is practice-based and assesses learners’ knowledge and competence to practice in employment.

This qualification is primarily for those working, or seeking to work in regulated childcare settings with families and children under the age of 8 years and NHS children’s services for those working with families and children aged 0-19 years.

This qualification is practice-based and assesses learners’ knowledge and practice. It is designed for learners in work based learning. The qualification will assess learners’ knowledge and practice through their work who will be able to demonstrate that they:

• understand, and apply in practice, the principles and values which underpin children’s care, play, learning and development
• understand, and apply, in practice, child-centred approaches to care, play and learning
• promote and support child development through their own practice
• are aware of key policies within the sector and how these affect service development and delivery
• work in partnership with children, their families, carers and a range of professionals
• reflect on practice to continuously improve
• apply a range of problem solving techniques
• use literacy, numeracy and digital competency skills as appropriate within their role

It is suitable for:

• learners working in a childcare setting undertaking Level 3 roles and responsibilities
• learners who have achieved the Level 2 Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development: Core or Practice qualification
• those working in Flying Start, and those delivering the curriculum for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales
• learners who hold a Level 2 legacy qualification as listed in the Qualifications Framework for Social Care and Regulated Childcare in Wales.

It is strongly encouraged that learners will have completed the core qualification prior to, or alongside Level 3 Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development: Practice as this will be a requirement for practice set by Social Care Wales.
It is also a feature of the Level 3 Apprenticeship in Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development (Wales).

The mandatory content of the qualification is aligned to the All Wales Induction Framework for Early Years and Childcare with a specific practical focus on children under the age of 8yrs supported by knowledge and understanding of child development up to the age of 18yrs. Learners. The following topics are featured as mandatory:

• principles and values
• health, well-being, learning and development
• professional practice
• safeguarding children
• health and safety
• child development
• speech, language and communication
• supporting children (nutrition and hydration).

The qualification contains both mandatory and optional units. The mandatory units provide the essential knowledge, understanding and skills needed to be able to respond to the needs of children up to the age of 8yrs.

The optional units enable the learner to focus their learning and skills develop on key areas of interest relating to the children’s needs, including language immersion, supporting families to develop parenting skills and supporting children with additional needs.
A range of healthcare units have been included to reflect the complex needs of some children who are accessing community based services

To achieve the Level 3 Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development: Practice learners must achieve a minimum of 50 credits in total

• 30 credits must be achieved from the mandatory group
• A minimum of 20 credits must be selected from the suite of optional units.

Learners must successfully complete:

• an externally set, internally marked set of tasks
• a portfolio of evidence
• a professional discussion.

Completion of the Level 3 Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development: Practice qualification enables learners to work as a qualified Level 3 childcare worker in an unsupervised capacity 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.

Opportunities for further study and professional training are being explored with universities across Wales, including Certificates in Higher Education.

Learners may also be interested, and want to progress to:

• Level 3 Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development: Practice and Theory
• Level 3 Health and Social Care: Practice (Children and Young People)
• Advanced GCE and Advanced Subsidiary GCE in Health and Social Care, and Childcare

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