Child Development

Child Development is an interesting and exciting subject; during the first 5 years of a child’s life, there is almost unimaginable physical, social, cognitive and emotional change and growth which takes place.  Growth and development continue throughout the child’s early life until maturity at adulthood, however that growth is not as rapid as we see in the early years. In these early years, children work out their place in world. They are part of a family, a community, a social system. They are also an individual being and their foundations of personality are well and truly formed.

This course enables you to develop applied knowledge and practical skills in child development. It is designed with both coursework and examined elements, which will prepare you for further qualifications in Child Care, Health and Social Care, Psychology, Sociology and Biology. During this course you will learn to think critically, make informed choices and manage resources.  The course is split into an examined unit and two non examined units.

GCSE structure – OCR Cambridge National J809

R057 –  Examined unit 40% of the course. Working as a health or childcare professional needs an understanding of the care needs for children of all ages, starting right from the pre-conception stage. It’s important to understand the key factors that impact on becoming pregnant, having a healthy pregnancy and creating a safe and healthy environment for the baby when it is born so that you can help and support those in your care. In this unit you will learn about the importance of both pre-conception health and creating conditions in which a child can thrive, including the prevention and management of childhood illnesses and creating a safe environment.

R058 – Non examined unit 30% of the course.  It is important that childcare settings provide a safe and nurturing environment to care for babies and young children. Childcare settings may include childminders, day nurseries, parent and toddler groups, playgroups, crèches and forest schools. In this unit, you will learn how to create a safe environment for children from birth to five years in childcare settings. You will investigate and choose equipment that is both suitable and safe for use and will learn about their nutrition and dietary needs.

R059 – Non examined unit 30% of the course.  To work with children in nursery and education settings, it’s vital to have a good understanding of how they develop. As well as developing physically, children develop socially and intellectually over time. Play is a key factor in a child’s development process, so being able to plan and complete appropriate play activities with them is essential for working in these settings. In this unit you will learn the expected developmental norms for children from one to five years. You will use observation and research techniques and skills to investigate these development norms and explore your findings. You will also learn the importance of creating plans and providing different play activities to support children in their development.