This course will enable you to:

• Plan and prepare broad-phase learning environment and stimulating activities that meet the holistic needs of all children in centre-based or non-centre-based settings.

• Facilitate and mediate all aspects of the daily programme in a centre-based or non-centre based setting.

• Observe, assess and record each child's progress according to the age and stage.

• Compile a report of each child's progress.

• Maintain and promote the well-being, health, nutrition, safety and protection of children.

Course rationale:

The Occupational Certificate: Early Childhood Development has been designed to meet the needs and interests of the early childhood development sector in a variety of settings and contexts with an inclusive focus on education, health and safety issues, amongst others. There is a vast need for early childhood development services and it is critical that the field must be served by competent practitioners. In order to meet the needs at early childhood development level, it is important to be able to identify and recognise competent early childhood development practitioners who are able to work in centre-based and non-centre-based early childhood development settings.

This qualification will provide a means to give recognition to practitioners at an entry level, thus making it possible for practitioners to increase their employment prospects within the Department of Basic Education. The Department of Social Development, through the registration of early childhood development centres and/or sites, may also provide business opportunities to successful practitioners who may wish to establish early childhood centres and/or sites. It will also provide access to a recognised career path and at the same time provide the field with suitably qualified professional practitioners.

The qualification will provide opportunities to people who wish to enter and/or continue learning in the early childhood development field, which include the employed, under-employed but not qualified, and school leavers. Every child has the right to high-quality, holistic education and care which forms the critical foundation for further development and learning from childhood into adulthood.

This necessitates the universal availability of high-quality early childhood development and education as a vital strategy to yield personal and long-term benefits to individual children, their families and the society at large.

Early childhood development is an essential component of economic development within the framework of child care services. Changing social and economic needs require parents to enter the labour market. Therefore quality early childhood development service provision is required to meet growing demands in the country, both in urban and rural settings.

Learning assumed to be in place and recognition of prior learning

The minimum requirement for entry into this qualification is:

• National Certificate Vocational (NCV) at NQF Level 3.

• OR Any other NQF Level 3 qualification.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):

RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment: Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result or certifying a work experience record.

RPL for access to the qualification: Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements.

Exit level outcomes

1. Plan and prepare broad-phase learning environment and stimulating activities that meet the holistic needs of all children in centre-based or non-centre-based settings.

2. Facilitate and mediate all aspects of the daily programme in a centre-based or non-centre based setting.

3. Observe, assess and record each child's progress.

4. Compile a report of each child's progress.

5. Maintain and promote the well-being, health, nutrition, safety and protection of children.