Childcare & Early Years

Promote nutrition and hydration in early years and childcare settings

This element explores the essential principles of providing balanced nutrition and adequate hydration for babies and young children in early years settings. It covers planning and promoting healthy diets, understanding infant feeding and special dietary requirements, preventing malnutrition, and monitoring nutritional intake to support children's growth and development in line with professional standards.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

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Promoting learning and development in the framework for early years foundation stage

This subtopic focuses on the practical application of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework to promote children’s learning and development through play-based activities, systematic observation, and assessment-informed planning. Practitioners must understand the seven areas of learning and development, use observational evidence to tailor experiences, and ensure that planning meets individual needs and statutory requirements while fostering the characteristics of effective learning.

City & Guilds Level 3 Award For Implementing the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (QCF)

Understand aspects of playwork practice

This subtopic explores the core principles and practical skills required for effective playwork practice, focusing on facilitating children's self-directed play in a safe, inclusive environment. Learners will examine how to support play needs, build positive relationships with children, families, and the wider community, embed equality and diversity, and fulfil safeguarding responsibilities, all within the playwork ethos of empowering children and valuing their choices.

City & Guilds Level 3 Award In Transition to Playwork (From Early Years)

Understand Models of Disability

This element explores contrasting models of disability, primarily the medical and social models, and their profound influence on how disabled individuals are perceived and supported. Understanding these models enables childcare practitioners to foster inclusive environments that respect identity and shape person-centred service delivery.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand Health, Safety and Security in the Play Environment

This element focuses on the essential principles and practices for maintaining health, safety, and security in play environments for children. It equips learners with the knowledge to identify legal requirements, implement robust procedures, conduct dynamic risk assessments, respond effectively to incidents, and uphold stringent hygiene standards to safeguard children’s well-being and promote a safe, stimulating play setting.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Contribute to effective team working in health and social care or children and young people’s settings

This subtopic focuses on the critical role of effective teamwork within health, social care, and early years settings, emphasizing how collaborative practice directly safeguards and promotes the welfare of children and young people. It explores key theoretical frameworks such as Tuckman's stages of group development and Belbin's team roles, alongside the practical principles of communication, mutual respect, and shared accountability. Learners will develop the skills to actively contribute, support colleagues, and engage in reflective review processes to continuously improve team performance and outcomes for service users.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Child development from conception to 7 years

This subtopic examines the typical patterns of child development from conception to age seven, emphasizing the interconnectedness of physical, cognitive, emotional, social and neurological domains. It explores brain development pre- and post-natally, highlighting critical periods and plasticity, and evaluates how genetic, environmental and socio-economic factors shape developmental trajectories. Understanding these principles is essential for practitioners to support optimal outcomes in early years settings through observation, planning and partnership with families.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Professional practice in early years settings.

This element focuses on the foundational aspects of professional practice within the early years sector in Northern Ireland. It explores the scope and purposes of early years provision, including statutory and voluntary services, and examines how current legislation, policies, and frameworks shape practice. A significant emphasis is placed on promoting diversity, inclusion, and participation, requiring practitioners to critically reflect on their own practice to ensure equitable and anti-discriminatory environments for all children and families.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Develop Positive Relationship with Children, Young People and Others Involved in Their Care

This element focuses on the foundational skills needed to establish and sustain constructive, respectful bonds with children, young people, and the key adults in their lives, including parents, guardians, and multi-agency professionals. Effective relationship-building relies on consistent, warm, and authentic communication tailored to individual needs, promoting trust and emotional security that directly underpins children’s holistic development, resilience, and willingness to engage in learning. In practice, this means demonstrating empathy, maintaining professional boundaries, and actively collaborating with all stakeholders to create a unified, child-centred environment.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understanding professional supervision practice

This subtopic explores the role of professional supervision in early years settings, emphasizing its purpose in supporting staff development, ensuring quality care, and managing performance. Practitioners learn to apply supervision principles to foster reflective practice, address challenges, and enhance outcomes for children and families.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Early intervention models and programmes

This subtopic explores the rationale and frameworks for early intervention in children's lives, emphasizing proactive support to prevent developmental delays and mitigate risks. It examines how targeted programmes align with national policy goals in education, health, and economic wellbeing, and evaluates the evidence-based impact of such interventions on improving long-term outcomes for children and families.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Context and principles for early years provision.

This element explores the foundational frameworks governing early years provision, including the statutory requirements and pedagogical principles that shape high-quality childcare. Learners will examine how to create enabling environments and build collaborative relationships with carers to support holistic development. Practical application involves critically reflecting on how these principles can be implemented in real-world settings to improve outcomes for children.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Promote communication in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings

This element focuses on the pivotal role of communication in ensuring high-quality care and learning for children and young people. It covers understanding principles of effective communication, identifying and meeting individual communication and language needs, overcoming barriers such as sensory impairments or language differences, and upholding confidentiality in line with data protection and safeguarding policies. Practitioners must demonstrate these competencies to foster trust, support development, and maintain professional standards.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Promoting children’s safeguarding, health and wellbeing in the framework for early years foundation stage

This element focuses on the critical aspects of safeguarding, health, and wellbeing within the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, ensuring practitioners can create safe environments and promote children's welfare. It covers understanding statutory requirements, conducting risk assessments, and responding appropriately to illness or injury, all essential for meeting the diverse needs of children from birth to five years.

City & Guilds Level 3 Award For Implementing the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (QCF)

Understand the theories underpinning playwork practice

This element explores the core theories and principles that underpin playwork, emphasizing the critical role of free play in children's holistic development. Learners examine how theoretical frameworks from playwork pioneers inform practice, enabling them to create environments that honor children's rights to play. Applying this knowledge ensures play settings are inclusive, responsive, and developmentally appropriate.

City & Guilds Level 3 Award In Transition to Playwork (From Early Years)

Observation and assessment in the early years sector

This element explores the fundamental role of systematic observation and assessment in monitoring children's development and shaping high-quality early years practice. Learners critically examine a range of formal and informal methods, understand the ethical and inclusive principles underpinning effective assessment, and develop practical skills in conducting and interpreting observations to plan individualised support and evaluate their own professional impact.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand Playwork Principles

This element explores the fundamental principles of playwork, emphasizing the intrinsic value of play for children's development and well-being. It covers the legislative and rights-based context, particularly the UNCRC Article 31, and examines how playworkers facilitate self-directed play, manage risk, and create inclusive environments. Practical application involves observing and supporting children's play without imposing adult agendas, ensuring that play settings empower children to explore, create, and take age-appropriate risks.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand How to Plan for and Support Children and Young People’s Self-Directed Play

This element explores how practitioners can facilitate rich, self-directed play experiences by designing flexible environments, providing open-ended resources, observing sensitively, and enabling children to assess and navigate risks independently. It underpins holistic development, fostering creativity, decision-making, and resilience in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Developing effective study skills

This element focuses on equipping learners with the essential study competencies required for success in the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development. It explores a spectrum of practical strategies tailored to vocational learning, enabling students to manage time, research effectively, and critically reflect on their progress. Mastery of these skills underpins professional practice, ensuring practitioners can engage with continuing professional development and evidence-based practice throughout their childcare careers.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Working Together for the Benefit of Children and Young People.

This subtopic explores the principles and practices of integrated working among early years professionals and multi-agency teams to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It covers effective communication strategies, information sharing protocols, and the legal frameworks that underpin collaborative practice. Learners will apply these concepts to real-world scenarios, ensuring they can contribute meaningfully to partnership working in the sector.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Promote children in early years settings acquiring a new language through immersion

This subtopic equips learners with the skills to foster new language acquisition in early years through immersion, a method where the target language is used naturally throughout daily routines and interactions. Learners will explore how to assess children's and families' needs, create supportive environments, implement strategies, and critically evaluate their own practice to enhance bilingual development. Practical application involves planning activities that embed the new language seamlessly, ensuring children develop communicative competence in a holistic, play-based context.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support children’s physical development through activities

This subtopic focuses on the critical role of physical development in children's overall learning and well-being, equipping practitioners with the skills to design and facilitate activities that enhance motor skills, coordination, and healthy lifestyles. It addresses the theoretical underpinnings of physical growth, the creation of stimulating environments, and the importance of reflective practice to continuously improve outcomes for children aged 0–5 years.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support children’s mathematical development

This element focuses on the practitioner's role in fostering children's mathematical development from birth to 8 years. It explores how mathematical concepts emerge through hands-on, playful experiences and how early years professionals can design and evaluate activities that build foundational skills such as number sense, shape, space, measures, and problem-solving. Effective support requires observing children's current understanding, planning differentiated learning opportunities, and critically reflecting on practice to enhance outcomes.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support the development of positive behaviour in children

This subtopic focuses on the proactive strategies and child-centred approaches practitioners use to promote self-regulation, social skills, and a positive sense of self in children. It covers the theoretical foundations of behaviour management, the collaborative establishment of clear, developmentally appropriate boundaries, and the practical techniques for guiding children to reflect on and modify their actions. In practice, this translates to creating nurturing environments, modelling respectful interactions, and using consistent, fair responses that help children learn to make positive choices, ultimately preparing them for healthy social integration and lifelong learning.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Promote learning and development in the early years.

This element focuses on equipping early years practitioners with the knowledge and skills to effectively promote learning and development in line with the requirements of the statutory early years framework (e.g., Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education in NI). It addresses the purpose and interdependency of the areas of learning, the importance of child-centred and play-based approaches, and the practitioner's role in planning, facilitating, and reviewing high-quality learning experiences.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand Child and Young Person Development.

This subtopic examines the holistic progression of children and young people from birth to 19 years, encompassing physical, cognitive, language, emotional, and social domains. It critically evaluates internal and external influences on development, and the role of practitioners in monitoring, supporting, and intervening when patterns deviate from expectations, with particular emphasis on early speech, language, and communication needs and the impact of life transitions.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Work with babies and young children to promote their development and learning.

This subtopic focuses on the holistic development and learning of babies and young children, emphasizing the crucial role of secure attachments and sensitive interactions. It equips practitioners with strategies to create enabling environments and build strong partnerships with carers, ensuring that care and learning are seamlessly integrated and tailored to each child's unique needs and stage of development.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support positive practice with children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.

This subtopic focuses on implementing positive, child-centred approaches to support children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). It covers collaborative working with specialists, applying targeted strategies, and addressing social, emotional and cognitive development. Practitioners learn to place the child’s voice and rights at the core of professional practice, ensuring inclusive and effective support.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand Children and Young People’s Self-Directed Play

This subtopic explores the characteristics and significance of freely chosen, self-directed play in children and young people's development. It examines key theoretical concepts underpinning play and the practical challenges of creating environments that balance safety with the inherent need for risk and challenge. Practitioners must be able to critically reflect on observed play to enhance their practice.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Engage parents in their children’s early learning

This element focuses on the critical role of parents in early childhood development and the strategic approaches practitioners use to foster meaningful engagement. It examines policy drivers and research evidence that underpin effective partnership, explores practical methods for collaboration, and addresses common obstacles practitioners face. The ultimate goal is to enable reflective practice that continuously improves support for parental involvement in children's early learning.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Theories which underpin practice in the early years sector

This element explores the foundational theories of child development that inform contemporary early years practice, including cognitive, psychosocial, and attachment theories, and their practical application in fostering secure relationships and rich play environments. It critically examines the significance of attachment in emotional well-being and how practitioners can promote it, alongside the essential role of play in holistic learning. Additionally, it addresses the purposes and principles of early years pedagogy, referencing key systems and frameworks that shape sector-wide approaches.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Promote young children’s physical activity and movement skills.

This element focuses on the critical role of physical activity and movement skill development in young children's overall health, learning, and well-being. Learners will explore how to create safe, stimulating environments and embed physical opportunities into daily routines, alongside planning and evaluating purposeful activities to support children's physical competence and confidence.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand How to Support Positive Outcomes for Children and Young People.

This subtopic examines the multifaceted influences on children's outcomes, including social, economic, and cultural environments, and the critical role of practitioners in mitigating barriers. It explores how disability and additional needs can affect life chances, and underscores the necessity of embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion into practice to promote positive developmental trajectories.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand the speech, language and communication needs of children and young people with behavioural, social and emotional difficulties.

This subtopic examines the critical relationship between speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) and behavioural, social and emotional difficulties (BSED) in children and young people, highlighting how unresolved communication challenges can lead to frustration, social isolation, or disruptive behaviour. It focuses on equipping early years practitioners with evidence-based strategies to foster positive communication development, adapt behavioural support methods, and collaborate effectively with families and multi-agency teams to create inclusive, language-rich environments. Practical application includes assessing individual needs, implementing tailored interventions, and continuously evaluating their impact on both communication and wellbeing.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support children’s learning in ICT

This element explores the critical role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in early childhood development, focusing on how practitioners can assess children's current ICT capabilities, plan age-appropriate activities to foster skills like using digital devices, interactive software, and programmable toys, and then critically reflect on their own pedagogical approaches to enhance future practice. It underpins the development of digital literacy from an early age in line with curriculum frameworks.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support children’s language, literacy and communication

This element equips practitioners with the skills to foster children's language, literacy and communication development, which is foundational for all learning. Learners will explore the significance of early communication skills, carry out assessments using standardised and non-standardised tools, devise individualised plans, and deliver targeted activities. A key focus is on reflective practice to refine approaches and ensure high-quality, inclusive support in early years settings.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support children and young people to have positive relationships

This element focuses on the practitioner's role in fostering secure, respectful relationships among children and young people, recognising that these bonds are fundamental to emotional resilience and social learning. Learners will explore evidence-based strategies to promote inclusion, model positive communication, and mediate disputes sensitively, always prioritising the child's voice and wellbeing. Practical application extends to designing enabling environments and reflective practice to support every child's unique relationship needs.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Promote creativity and creative learning in young children.

This subtopic delves into the fundamental difference between creativity (the generation of novel ideas) and creative learning (the process of constructing meaning through imaginative exploration). Learners will explore how creative experiences support holistic development—cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical—and how a thoughtfully resourced, open-ended environment can foster children's natural curiosity. Practical assessment requires demonstrating the ability to plan, implement, and evaluate creative opportunities that are child-centred and process-focused, promoting sustained shared thinking and reflective practice within the setting.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Principles for implementing duty of care in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings

This subtopic examines the legal and ethical obligations of a care practitioner to ensure the safety and well-being of children and young people while respecting their autonomy. It explores how duty of care underpins safe practice, the management of conflicts between individual rights and safeguarding responsibilities, and the proper procedures for handling complaints to maintain trust and improve service quality.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Promote Child and Young Person Development.

This element focuses on the holistic promotion of child and young person development through systematic assessment, planning, and implementation of supportive strategies. Practitioners learn to create enabling environments, apply positive behaviour support, and facilitate smooth transitions, all while reflecting on how their own working practices influence outcomes. Mastery of these skills ensures that children and young people achieve their full potential in care and learning settings.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support children’s speech, language and communication.

This element focuses on the critical role of speech, language and communication in children's cognitive, social and emotional development. It explores how practitioners can intentionally support and enhance these skills through planned interactions, environmental design, and collaborative working. The content highlights the benefits of adult-led support and equips learners with strategies to create communication-rich settings that foster every child's progress.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Meet food safety requirements when providing food and drink for individuals

This subtopic focuses on the critical food safety measures required when handling, preparing, serving, clearing, and storing food and drink in childcare environments. It ensures learners understand how to prevent foodborne illnesses and promote safe practices to protect children's health. Practical application includes implementing hygiene protocols, risk assessments, and proper storage techniques in line with regulatory standards.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand the Organisational Framework for Play

This subtopic examines the legal and ethical obligations of playwork practitioners to uphold the rights of children and young people, as articulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and national legislation. Learners will explore how to actively embed these rights into organisational strategies, policies, and procedures, ensuring that play environments are inclusive, participative, and respectful of each child's voice. Practical application involves analysing real-world policies and proposing evidence-based improvements to align practice with a rights-based approach.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Promote children's experiential learning

Experiential learning is a hands-on approach where children learn through direct experience, exploration, and reflection, fostering holistic development across all areas of the early years curriculum. This subtopic focuses on understanding its importance, integrating it into curriculum models, creating enabling environments, and using continuous/enhanced provision alongside focused tasks to scaffold children's learning effectively. Practitioners will develop skills to plan, implement, and evaluate experiential opportunities that promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and independence.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support children’s outdoor play

This element focuses on the critical role of outdoor play in promoting physical health, cognitive development, and social skills in young children. Learners will explore how to assess outdoor play opportunities, plan and implement engaging activities, and reflect on their own practice to enhance children's learning experiences. It equips practitioners with strategies to create safe, stimulating outdoor environments that foster curiosity, risk-taking, and a connection with nature.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support children’s knowledge and understanding of the world

This subtopic emphasizes fostering children's natural curiosity about their environment, encouraging scientific exploration, and developing an understanding of the natural and man-made world. It is foundational for later learning in science, geography, and technology, and practitioners must skillfully plan and assess activities that ignite inquiry and reflection.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Promote children’s welfare and well being in the early years.

This subtopic focuses on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in early years settings, ensuring compliance with statutory frameworks and best practices. It covers essential areas such as health and safety, hygiene, nutrition, and physical care, equipping practitioners to create environments where children thrive and develop optimally.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Promote equality and inclusion in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings

This element focuses on embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion within childcare and early years practice. Learners develop the understanding and skills to challenge discrimination, empower all children and families, and create environments where individual differences are celebrated. Practical application includes adapting activities, respecting cultural needs, and using reflective practice to uphold legal and ethical responsibilities.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Engage in personal development in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings

This subtopic equips learners to critically evaluate their own practice in childcare settings, using reflective models to identify areas for growth and inform a personal development plan (PDP) with SMART objectives. Through supervision, feedback, and targeted learning opportunities, learners continuously enhance their competence, directly impacting the quality of care and education for children and young people.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand How to Safeguard the Wellbeing of Children and Young People.

This element equips learners with essential knowledge of safeguarding legislation, policies, and procedures to protect children and young people's wellbeing. It covers multi-agency collaboration, recognising and responding to abuse or harm, addressing bullying, and promoting e-safety. The practical application ensures that early years practitioners create safe environments and take appropriate action when concerns arise.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand Relationships in the Play Environment

This element explores the essential skills required to build positive, respectful relationships with children and young people in a play environment. It covers effective communication strategies, including adapting language and non-verbal cues to meet individual needs, and examines how practitioners can facilitate peer interactions to support social development. Additionally, it addresses the importance of professional communication with adults, such as colleagues and parents, to ensure consistent, holistic care.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Care for the physical and nutritional needs of babies and young children.

This unit focuses on the holistic physical care and nutritional support essential for the healthy growth of babies and young children from birth to 36 months. It emphasizes safe, respectful routines, appropriate exercise, and age-specific nutritional planning to promote development and well-being. Practical application is central, requiring practitioners to integrate current guidelines, individual needs, and safeguarding principles into daily care.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Support Children and Young People's Health and Safety.

This subtopic focuses on the dual responsibility of creating safe environments for children and young people while empowering them to assess and manage risks independently. It covers practical planning, risk assessment, management in settings and off-site visits, and appropriate responses to accidents and emergencies, ensuring practitioners can safeguard health and wellbeing holistically.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)

Understand the needs of children and young people who are vulnerable and experiencing poverty and disadvantage.

This subtopic explores the multifaceted effects of poverty and disadvantage on children’s development, emphasising the role of early intervention and multi-agency partnership. Practitioners learn to recognise indicators of vulnerability, assess holistic needs, and implement supportive strategies to improve long-term outcomes and life chances for disadvantaged children and young people.

City & Guilds Level 3 Extended Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development (NI)