NCFE CACHE Level 1 Award in Caring for Children

This qualification provides students with the knowledge and the skills needed to care for young children. Learn about a child’s growth, learning, and development. Study the ways in which you can help children to develop their communication and language skills, the health and safety guidance involved in caring for children, and how play can help a child's learning and development. This is a nested qualification, meaning students can choose to study either the award, certificate or diploma. Learners studying this course can go on to top up their level 1 award in caring for children to achieve either a certificate or diploma qualification.

Course Content

Unit 1 Growth and development of young children (F/601/3408, unit level: 1, GLH: 18 hours; credits: 2)

• Patterns and stages of growth for children from birth up to 5 years and 11 months.
• Factors that influence growth and development from birth up to 5 years and 11 months.
• The importance of diet and exercise for children's growth and development.
• Activities that promote children's physical development.
• Ways to help children to develop their communication and language skills.
• Ways to encourage children to play socially.

Unit 2 Practical health and safety when with young children (H/602/2389, unit level: 1, GLH: 27 hours; credits: 3)

• Health and safety guidance, symbols, or instructions on young children’s equipment and toys.
• Health and safety instructions on cleaning materials that may be found in a house.
• Health and safety rules, guidelines, or instructions when taking children out into the street and to the park.
• Potential hazards to young children in the home.
• Safety features to ensure young children stay safe in the home.
• Safety equipment or controls which help to keep young children safe when going out for a walk, when in a car, and when in a children’s playground.
• Fire safety equipment that is recommended to be in the house.
• Possible fire hazards to young children and adults in a house.
• Own actions to maintain a young child’s safety if there was a fire in the house.

Unit 3 Respecting and valuing children (M/601/0116, unit level: 1, GLH: 18 hours; credits: 2)

• Ways to value children as individuals.
• Reasons why children need to be respected as individuals.
• Ways to communicate with children to ensure that they feel valued.
• Behaviour that demonstrates respect and value of children.
• Organisations that promote the rights of children.

Unit 4 Understanding learning and development through play (A/504/0211, unit level: 1, GLH: 27 hours; credits: 3)

• Features of a setting that contributes to a positive learning environment.
• How these features might help children to learn through the use of play activities and strategies.
• Ways in which play can help children’s learning in developmental areas.
• Example of stereotyping in play.
• How a given set of materials, resources, or activities can challenge stereotyping and discrimination.