Gowrie South Australia Certificate III in Children s Services CHC30712 Course Overview
Certificate III in Children s Services One of the key changes with the introduction of the National Quality Framework (NQF) is to have more qualified educators. All educators working in child care or preschool services will need to have (or have completed units of study towards) a minimum of Certificate III in Children s Services by 1 January 2014. Gowrie SA encourages learners from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners to apply. Gowrie SA also supports learners with a disability to access this course. Entry Requirements There are no entry requirements to undertake this qualification. Gowrie SA currently delivers Certificate III in Children s Services to existing educators who are currently working or volunteering within children s services setting. This could include long day care, family day care, outside school hours care, student support officer, early childhood worker, creche worker, etc. Career Pathways Career pathways include early childhood educator, playgroup supervisor, *outside school hours care educator, family day care educator, childhood educator, childhood educator assistant, mobile assistant, nanny or *recreation assistant. (*some jurisdictions may required CHC41208 Certificate IV in Children s Services (Outside School Hours Care) for these work roles. Recognition of Prior Learning In recognition of current experience, learners can apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfers. An individual learning plan will be developed for each learner identifying RPL and Credit Transfer options and gap training required. Course Fees & Traineeship Incentives Course fees for students is only $270 with training subsidised by the Government of South Australia s Skills for All initiative. There is also a requirement to undertake First Aid Training for learners who do not already have this certification which is at an additional cost to the learner. For information about Skills for All including eligibility criteria go to www.skills.sa.gov.au. Educators who have been recently employed at an early childhood or OSHC service may also be eligible for a traineeship subsidy to support the costs of course fees and release time for networking sessions and study leave. For more information, contact your local Traineeship and Apprenticeship Centre.
Study Skills Support All Gowrie SA learners undertaking qualifications have access to a free Study Skills session offered as a 3 hour workshop or webinar. Dates are scheduled throughout the year and learners can choose a date that suits. This session is not compulsory, however it aims to support learners in undertaking research, writing assignments and completing assessments. Course Structure The Gowrie SA Certificate III in Children s Services (CHC30712) qualification is delivered part time over approximately 12 months. This program is delivered with a combination of online units, workplace assessment and a requirement to attend a full day networking event every six weeks, including an initial orientation session. The program includes online study, workbooks, practical assessments, written assignments, an on-site visit and support for learners currently working in education and care services. Employers who have a number of learners undertaking this qualification will be supported to develop study groups and peer networks to enhance and share learning and development. To gain CHC30712 Certificate III in Children s Services, learners are required to complete fifteen (15) units of competency (11 core units and 4 elective units) as follows: Core Units: UNIT CODE CHCCS400B CHCCHILD401A CHCPR303D CHCCN301B CHCCN303A CHCIC301E CHCPR301B CHCCN302A CHCFC301A HLTOHS300B HLTFA301C UNIT TITLE Work within a relevant legal and ethical framework Identify and respond to children and young people at risk Develop understanding of children s interests and developmental needs Ensure the health and safety of children Contribute to provision of nutritionally balanced food in a safe and hygienic manner Interact effectively with children Provide experiences to support children s play and learning Provide care for children Support the development of children Contribute to OHS processes Apply first aid Elective Units (chosen by Gowrie SA): UNIT CODE CHCORG303B CHCRF301E CHCCHILD301A CHCCN305B CHCPR302A UNIT TITLE Participate effectively in the work environment Work effectively with families to care for the child Support behaviour of children and young people Provide care for babies (elective for early childhood educators) Support sustainable practice (elective for outside school hours care educators)
INDICATIVE ALLOCATION OF HOURS PER UNIT UNIT Total hours per unit Learner Guide Networking Events Assessment Workplace Work within a relevant legal and ethical framework (C) 50 34 7 5 4 Identify and respond to children and young people at risk (C) 30 17 8 5 - Participate effectively in the work environment (E) 20 10 7 3 Ensure the health and safety of children 30 20 3 3 4 Contribute to provision of nutritionally balanced food in a safe and hygienic manner 20 13-4 3 Interact effectively with children 70 38 16 6 10 Support behaviour of children and young people 40 18 8 10 4 Work effectively with families to care for the child 25 10 7 4 4 Support the development of children 40 14 16 6 4 Provide care for children 70 42 16 6 6 Provide experiences to support children's play and learning 40 12 16 8 4 Provide care for babies 40 14 7 6 6 Develop understanding of children's interests and developmental 20 7 7 3 3 needs Support sustainable practice 30 15 7 4 4 Apply first aid 18-14 4 - Contribute to OHS processes 30 10 4 8 8 Total hours 573 Delivery Methods Gowrie SA has integrated all learning and assessment activities, bringing together a number of units that reflect real sector outcomes and processes. As all learners will be working or volunteering within an education and care environment, the assessments and activities will be linked to requirements in their current role and will support enhancing their practice. A significant aspect of this qualification is implementing concepts explored within the workplace. Attendance Requirements To meet assessment requirements of this qualification, a minimum of 80% attendance is required at all networking events.
Assessment The expected completion time through part time study is 12 months. Some assessments will be conducted during the networking events, through practical work application, learner guides and online training or any combination of these. At the end of each networking event, learners need to submit their completed learner guide and any additional assessment tasks for assessing. Support will be provided at the networking events, as well as via workplace visits, phone and email to support learners throughout the course. Course Materials For each unit participants are provided with comprehensive learner guides as well as reference materials. Upcoming Course Dates and Enrolment For details of upcoming courses, download our Course Schedule - Certificate III in Children s Services from www.gowriesa.org.au or contact Gowrie SA. The Course Schedule includes enrolment forms which need to be completed and submitted to Gowrie SA using the contact details below. An enrolment pack can also be downloaded from www.gowriesa.org.au. Benefits of studying with Gowrie SA: Course Overview - Certificate III in Children s Services CHC30712 Access to Skills for All subsidised training, pay only $270 per person Access to a free Study Skills session offered as a 3 hour workshop or webinar Course focuses on requirements under the National Quality Framework, Early Years Learning Framework and Framework for School Age Care Free access to Gowrie SA study centre with computers, resources, internet access and learner support services Regular networking sessions exploring core concepts such as Attachment Theory, brain development, play based learning, curriculum development, cultural diversity and inclusion and behaviour guidance Opportunity to observe theory in practice from the observation booths at Thebarton Children s Programs Facilitators are experienced early childhood educators and leaders with current practical experience All course materials, learning guides, assessments, student handbooks are provided. Contact Gowrie SA for more information Phone 1800 129 606 Email train@gowriesa.org.au Fax 08 8234 5850 Gowrie South Australia Visit us at 39a-43 Dew Street Thebarton SA 5031