Occupational Certificate: Early Childhood Development Practitioner (Level 4)

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.