Childcare is one of the burning concerns of 21st century Ireland. With more and more families having both parents working outside the home, and commuting longer and longer distances to work, childcare and childminding options and facilities have jumped into the national consciousness in a big way.

This means that there are many opportunities for people considering childcare as a career or part-time work option. Crèches, nurseries, play-schools, pre-schools, in home childminders, babysitting agencies etc all need qualified staff to look after children in a responsible and appropriate manner. Childcare nightcourses are specifically designed to help people gain the experience, skills and training required to look after children in a variety of situations and circumstances.

Lots of different people from all backgrounds and of all ages decide to take childcare nightcourses, not just people looking to get into childhood as a career. Soon-to-be parents or grandparents, for example, can benefit from short introductory or refresher courses. Other people decide to gain extra training in a specific area such as ‘language acquisition’ or ‘special needs education’.

There are no formal professional qualifications necessary to work in childcare as there are no strict government regulations (unlike in teaching or nursing), but anybody looking to make a career in the childcare area now needs some kind of qualifications or certification. Parents are understandably very concerned with the skills and experience of the people to whom they are entrusting their children for hours every day, and employers are looking for qualified and trained staff who can provide a top quality service.

Being able to understand a child’s social, emotional and physical development is vital for anybody interested in childcare. Children need a caring and nurturing environment to aid each stage in their development. A reputable and professional childcare course can teach the skills and knowledge needed for childcare workers to deal with awkward situations that may arise while working with children.

The qualifications and course types available at Irish colleges and other educational institutions range from short introductory courses to year long courses leading to FETAC (Further Education) Certificates. FETAC qualifications are especially useful as preparation for a full time career in the area or as a stepping stone to third level study in childcare related subjects. Some organisations provide in-house training to childcare centre staff, and there are also distance and online courses available. So most people with an interest in childcare shouldn’t find it too hard to find a course or qualification route which suits them.

Skills taught at childcare nightcourses can range from nappy changing to developmental psychology. There are a variety of courses available which concentrate on different stages as the child grows up. “Beginners” courses can teach you how to notice when a child is ill or unwell, help stimulate the child to aid their growing up, and help children interact together as a group. Training in other specific areas such as ‘child behaviour’, ‘child psychology’, ‘arts and crafts for children’, ‘first aid’, ‘IT for children’ and ‘nutrition and diet’ are also available at different institutions and schools around Ireland. There is also a growing selection of courses available to enable childcare workers to deal sensitively with the wide range of cultural and language factors they might encounter while looking after children from various backgrounds.

An example of an important childcare area where extra training is generally useful and necessary is the area of special needs education. Special needs childcare courses can include classes in areas such as ‘emotional and social development’, ‘dealing with challenging behaviour’, ‘specific learning disabilities’ and ‘language development’. Anyone with an interest in this most challenging and rewarding area will benefit from the specialised training and experience that a special needs childcare course can provide.

No childcare course can really prepare a person for the challenges and experiences involved with caring for children. Each child is obviously unique, and no one class could ever prepare you fully for every eventuality. However a childcare nightcourse can teach useful skills and knowledge, as well as providing experience and confidence, which can be of great use to someone planning on caring for children in the future.