Do you love being around children? Are you always your friends’ first choice babysitter because children simply love being around you? Perhaps you are just naturally good with children or maybe you are a fun-loving child at heart who enjoys sharing in the vibrant and dynamic world of children? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions you could be made for a career in childcare!

There are many reasons for wishing to start a career in childcare – often the most compelling of these is the rewarding nature of the job. Childcare workers are usually passionate about caring for children and genuinely love spending time with them. Their interest in learning all about child-related initiatives and practices normally means that they thoroughly enjoy any study they have to undergo in order to gain the necessary qualifications for a career in childcare. Course topics vary depending on the level of qualification but they usually cover child development from birth upwards, early childhood education, caring for children, and occupational first aid.

For those seeking to pursue a career in childcare there are various different courses and levels of certification available, depending on which area of childcare they wish to enter. For example, the College of Progressive Education offers a distance learning course called Foundation Studies in Childcare which lasts 6 months and is graded by continuous assessment. There are no specific entry requirements and the course can lead to a career in childminding or playgroup assistantship. Limerick Senior College offers a FETAC Level 2 Certificate in Childcare evening course that lasts for 24 weeks. St Joseph’s College, Newport also provides a Certificate in Childcare – awarded by the National Framework of Qualifications. The course comprises of one 2-hour evening class per week for a total of 10 weeks.

To find courses in your area and to explore the range of distance learning options go to the National Education Database section of our website.