Early Years

You can work with children and young people in a range of careers from Early Years Practitioner to Social Services.  

Early year's provision has changed significantly over the years. Today effective early learning and childcare experiences are recognised as playing a key role in future life chances and achievement for children and young people.

Social Service workers provide support and help to people who need it, helping them to live full and valued lives in the community. They help make sure children have the best start in life, so they grow up to be happy, healthy and secure. 

This course will help you gain the knowledge and understanding you’ll need to work successfully in early learning and childcare. It will also develop your knowledge, practical skills and qualities for working with children and young people

This course gives you an insight into what a career in social services would be like - and if it’s right for you.

The NPA Units include:

• Safeguarding Children and Young People
• Play for Children and Young People
• Communication with Children and Young People
• Development of Children and Young People
• Promoting Wellbeing of Children and Young People

For a place on this course, you’ll need:

• to have at least 4 National 5 qualifications including English or Literacy.
• to be capable of working at SCQF Level 6 (Higher level), your Guidance Teacher can advise you on this.

Working in a Social Services setting means you also need to be able to:

• interact and communicate respectfully with children and staff
• work with others
• problem solve

A commitment to appropriate values is very important. If you’re interested in a career in social services, you can use the interactive resource A Question of Care: A Career for You. Here, you’ll answer a series of questions and receive a detailed personal profile at the end. A commitment to appropriate values is necessary and you can demonstrate this partly through responses in this resource.

Unit assessment, Continuous Assessment

In the NPA Social Services Children and Young People, you will immerse yourself in theory - you will develop knowledge and skills that will prepare you for pursuing further study in a related field. You will learn about the importance of your role in promoting the wellbeing and safety of children, safeguarding and explore the developmental theories that underpin early childhood practice. You will plan, evaluate and deliver play experiences for children through a stay and play session and learn how to meet their communication needs.

The course is an excellent first step for those wishing to pursue a career in Early Learning and Childcare or progress to further study in a related field. 

Once you’ve achieved this National Progression Award, you’ll have a qualification that will help in your future career progression. It will support your progress whether you plan to study at college on the HNC Childhood Practice or enrol on a Modern Apprenticeship.

Learners who choose to enter further or higher education on leaving school with the National Progression Award may follow other pathways into the early learning, childcare and playwork workforce such as completing the HNC in Childhood Practice in College.