COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Deliver Quality Care in Early Childhood Settings course. This program has been designed to deepen your understanding of what high-quality care looks like in practice and to build your confidence in providing nurturing, respectful and developmentally appropriate care for babies, toddlers and young children. Throughout the course you will explore how everyday routines, relationships and interactions can promote children’s wellbeing, learning and self-reliance, while also meeting health, hygiene and safety requirements in a calm, child-centred way.

The central importance of care and caring for children is explored by examining how consistent, warm, responsive care underpins every aspect of early development, from attachment and emotional security through to curiosity, resilience and social skills. This section highlights how the way adults hold, feed, comfort, talk with and respond to children communicates powerful messages about their worth and safety, and shows how genuine caring relationships are the foundation for all quality early childhood practice.

How ‘care’ and ‘education’ are equally important is examined by looking at the traditional split between “care” and “learning” and showing why this distinction does not match what we know about child development. This section explains how routines such as meals, toileting, nappy changes, sleep times and play supervision are rich opportunities for language, thinking, problem-solving and social learning, and how educators can intentionally plan, observe and interact so that care and education work together rather than being seen as separate tasks.

Why care matters so much is considered by exploring the long-term effects of early relationships and daily experiences on children’s brain development, mental health and capacity to form positive relationships later in life. This section shows how predictable, sensitive care builds a sense of safety and competence, while rushed, inconsistent or task-focused care can undermine children’s trust and self-confidence, and emphasises the ethical responsibility adults have when they are entrusted with children’s everyday care.

Support for children’s emotional and social development is addressed by examining how care routines and daily interactions can be used to coach children in naming feelings, managing frustration, taking turns, empathising with others and solving conflicts. This section highlights the importance of tuning in to children’s cues, acknowledging emotions, modelling calm responses and creating group routines that promote belonging, inclusion and positive peer relationships.

The sources of concerns about physical contact with children are explored by looking at community attitudes, professional boundaries, child protection responsibilities and organisational policies that can make educators anxious about appropriate touch. This section examines how fear of complaints or allegations can lead to overly distant care, and discusses how clear guidelines, reflective practice and team support can help staff provide the warm, reassuring physical contact children need while staying within safe, professional boundaries.

Helping children learn about appropriate touch is examined as a key part of both care and safeguarding. This section considers how everyday care moments can be used to model consent, body autonomy and respectful touch, for example by asking permission, explaining what you are doing and encouraging children to say “stop” or “no” when they are uncomfortable. It shows how simple language, stories, role play and routines can help children distinguish between safe and unsafe touch in a calm, non-frightening way.

Promoting self-reliance through routines and sharing care is explored by showing how children can gradually take on small, achievable tasks within daily care activities, such as helping to wipe tables, choose clothes, wash hands or pack away toys. This section explains how involving children in their own care builds problem-solving, persistence and pride, and how educators can balance support and guidance with opportunities for children to “have a go” and learn from experience.

The value of care routines is examined by looking at how predictable patterns for meals, rest, toileting, play and transitions help children feel secure, understand what is happening next and behave more calmly. This section explains how routines support group management and reduce challenging behaviour, while also providing reliable opportunities for one-to-one attention, observation and assessment of each child’s needs and emerging skills.

Good practice for the physical care of children is addressed by outlining the principles of safe, respectful and developmentally appropriate care across areas such as feeding, toileting, nappy changing, bathing, lifting and settling. This section emphasises the importance of slow, explained, child-focused care that protects children’s dignity and comfort while also meeting regulatory and health requirements, and discusses how to adapt physical care to children of different ages, temperaments and cultural backgrounds.

How to support and encourage children is considered by examining the language, tone, body language and attitudes that adults bring to everyday care situations. This section highlights the power of specific, strengths-based encouragement, patient guidance and realistic expectations, and shows how educators can build children’s confidence by noticing effort, validating feelings, offering choices and scaffolding new skills rather than criticising or doing everything for them.

Why adult attention to children’s skills of self-reliance can be an effective way to promote other areas of their development is explored by connecting practical independence tasks with cognitive, social and emotional learning. This section shows how supporting children to dress themselves, tidy up, serve food or manage simple hygiene routines promotes planning, memory, language, fine and gross motor skills, cooperation and resilience, making self-reliance a powerful driver of holistic development.

Why young children need to feel positive about being more self-reliant is examined by considering the link between independence, self-esteem and motivation. This section explains how children who see themselves as capable and helpful are more likely to attempt new challenges, persist when tasks are difficult and bounce back from setbacks, and discusses how adults can avoid shaming or rushing children in ways that make independence feel stressful rather than rewarding.

The impact of disability is considered by exploring how developmental delays, physical disabilities, sensory differences and health conditions can affect children’s participation in care routines and their pathway to self-reliance. This section emphasises the importance of individualised expectations, collaboration with families and specialists, and the use of adaptations, assistive devices and differentiated support strategies so that children with disability experience both safety and genuine opportunities to be as independent as possible.

How children can be partners in helping out in the daily routines is examined by looking at age-appropriate ways for children to contribute to the shared life of the group, such as setting up activities, caring for materials, assisting peers or helping prepare snack times. This section highlights how giving children meaningful responsibilities fosters a sense of belonging, ownership and community, and shows how educators can structure routines so that every child has a chance to be a helper and experience success.

The step by step learning process is explored by breaking down complex independence skills into small, manageable stages and recognising that children need time, repetition and encouragement at each step. This section explains how to use modelling, demonstration, visual cues, prompts and gradual withdrawal of support so that children can master one part of a task before moving on to the next, reducing frustration and building confidence.

The cleanliness and personal hygiene of children is addressed as a core aspect of health and wellbeing. This section examines how educators can support children to keep their hands, faces, teeth, bodies and clothing clean in ways that are respectful and developmentally appropriate, and how to use songs, games, visual supports and positive reinforcement so that personal hygiene becomes a normal, accepted part of the day rather than a battle.

The appropriate standards of cleanliness in the play area are examined by considering how to maintain safe, hygienic and inviting indoor and outdoor environments while still allowing for creative, messy play. This section discusses how to manage cleaning schedules, storage, surface hygiene and toy rotation, and how to involve children in simple tidying and cleaning tasks so they learn to care for shared spaces.

The hygiene needs of babies and young toddlers are explored by focusing on the extra care required for children who are still in nappies, crawling, mouthing objects and building early immunity. This section examines safe nappy changing, bottle and feeding equipment hygiene, safe sleep practices and the careful cleaning of toys and surfaces in infant and toddler rooms, ensuring that infection risks are minimised while children still experience warm, responsive care.

The strict standards of hygiene in the kitchen and bathroom are addressed by examining how food preparation, dishwashing, bathroom cleaning and waste disposal must meet high regulatory and health standards in early childhood services. This section explains how cross-contamination is prevented, how cleaning and sanitising procedures are documented and monitored, and how staff can work together to ensure that kitchens and bathrooms remain consistently safe and hygienic.

Hygiene procedures and sharing the care on hygiene are examined by looking at how responsibilities for cleaning, handwashing supervision, nappy changes, toileting support and environmental hygiene are distributed across the team. This section highlights the importance of clear procedures, role clarity, communication and rotation of tasks so that hygiene standards are maintained without overloading particular staff members and so that children experience consistent practices.

Setting a good example in hygiene that will promote health without making children over-anxious about bugs and germs is explored by considering the messages adults give when they talk about illness, dirt and cleaning. This section discusses how to model calm, matter-of-fact hygiene behaviours, use child-friendly explanations about germs and health, and avoid fearful or shaming language that could make children excessively afraid of getting dirty or unwell.

Keeping children safe from the sun is examined by reviewing sun protection policies, clothing and shade requirements, and the way educators plan outdoor play to reduce UV exposure. This section explains how hats, appropriate clothing, sunscreen, shade structures and scheduling outdoor activities at safer times of day work together to protect children’s skin, and how to teach children simple sun-safe habits they can use beyond the service.

Hair care of children is addressed by considering hygiene, comfort, cultural practices and the management of issues such as head lice in group settings. This section examines respectful ways to support children and families with hair care routines, how to communicate about lice and treatment without stigma, and how to manage hair in ways that are safe for active play and reduce infection or discomfort.

Clothes and dressing for children are examined by looking at how clothing choices affect children’s comfort, safety, self-expression and self-reliance. This section considers appropriate clothing for weather, movement and messy play, as well as how educators can support children to choose and put on clothes, manage layers and fastenings, and understand simple ideas about modesty and cultural expectations around dress.

How children grow self-reliance is explored by tracing how independence develops over time through repeated opportunities to try, practice and refine skills with supportive adults nearby. This section explains the role of secure relationships, achievable challenges, encouragement and consistent expectations in helping children move from dependence to increasing autonomy in both care routines and play.

Rest and activity for children is examined by considering how daily programs balance energetic play with quiet times, ensuring that children’s physical and emotional needs are met. This section explores how to read children’s cues for tiredness and stimulation, adapt routines for different age groups and temperaments, and create flexible rest and activity patterns that support learning, behaviour and overall wellbeing.

Sleeping patterns of children are addressed by looking at the wide variation in sleep needs, rhythms and preferences across infants, toddlers and preschoolers. This section examines how services can work with families to understand individual sleep patterns, how to create calm, predictable sleep environments, and how to respond when children’s sleep needs differ from the rest of the group.

Bedtime routines and night waking are examined in relation to how daytime care can support families’ efforts at home. This section considers how consistent messages about sleep, comfort strategies and settling techniques can be reinforced between home and the service, and how educators can talk with families about night waking, separation anxiety and sleep associations in a sensitive, respectful way.

Teaching children self-reliance with toileting is explored as an important but sensitive aspect of early childhood practice. This section looks at how to support children to recognise bodily cues, manage clothing, use toilets or potties, wipe, flush and wash hands, all while protecting their privacy and dignity and maintaining a relaxed, encouraging atmosphere.

When children are ready for toilet training is examined by identifying developmental, physical and emotional signs that a child may be ready to start, such as staying drier for longer, showing interest in the toilet and communicating basic needs. This section emphasises the importance of waiting for readiness signals, avoiding pressure or competition, and working closely with families to choose appropriate timing and approaches.

Helping children to become toilet trained is considered by exploring practical strategies such as predictable toileting routines, visual supports, consistent language, positive reinforcement and dealing calmly with accidents. This section explains how to make toilet learning a collaborative, low-stress process in which children feel supported and successful rather than ashamed or rushed.

Constipation and its signs are examined so that educators can recognise when children may be uncomfortable or experiencing difficulty with bowel movements. This section describes behavioural and physical indicators of constipation, such as pain, avoidance, hard stools or changes in toileting patterns, and discusses when and how to share observations with families and seek further advice where required.

What you need to do when children are constipated is addressed by outlining appropriate responses within the early childhood setting, including gentle reassurance, opportunities for movement and hydration, and careful, respectful communication with families. This section reinforces the importance of following health guidelines, documenting concerns and understanding the limits of the educator’s role in relation to medical issues.

Diarrhoea and what you need to do when children have diarrhoea are examined as key infection control and care issues. This section explains exclusion guidelines, enhanced hygiene measures, environmental cleaning and communication with families when diarrhoea occurs, as well as the need to monitor children closely for signs of dehydration or distress and to act promptly in line with service policies.

Getting the children dry at night is explored by considering how educators can support families of children who are still bedwetting, especially in the older preschool years. This section discusses the developmental nature of night dryness, the emotional impact of bedwetting and the importance of avoiding shame, and suggests ways services can respond sensitively during sleepovers, rest times or camps while maintaining children’s privacy and comfort.

What to consider when toilet training older disabled children is examined by integrating knowledge of disability, development and dignity. This section highlights the need for realistic, individualised goals, specialised equipment or adaptations, patience and strong partnership with families and allied health professionals, ensuring that older disabled children are supported to achieve as much independence and comfort as possible without compromising their rights or self-esteem.

By the end of this course, you will be equipped with the knowledge, practical strategies and reflective skills needed to deliver consistently high-quality care in early childhood settings. You will have a deeper understanding of how caring relationships, routines, hygiene practices, independence-building and health-related decisions all contribute to children’s wellbeing and development, and you will be better prepared to work in partnership with families and colleagues to create environments where children feel safe, valued, capable and supported to grow in self-reliance.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

·       The central importance of care and caring for children

·       How ‘care’ and ‘education’ are equally important

·       Why care matters so much

·       Support children’s emotional and social development

·       The sources of concerns about physical contact with children

·       Help children learn about appropriate touch

·       Promote self-reliance through routines and sharing care

·       The value of care routines

·       Good practice for the physical care of children

·       How to support and encourage children?         

·       Why adult attention to children’s skills of self-reliance can be an effective way to promote other areas of their development?

·       Why young children need to feel positive about being more self-reliant?

·       The impact of disability

·       How children can be partners in helping out in the daily routines?

·       The step by step learning process

·       The cleanliness and personal hygiene of children

·       The appropriate standards of cleanliness in the play area

·       The hygiene needs of babies and young toddlers

·       The strict standards of hygiene in the kitchen and bathroom

·       Hygiene procedures and sharing the care on hygiene       

·       Setting a good example in hygiene that will promote health without making children over-anxious about bugs and germs

·       Keeping children safe from the sun

·       Hair care of children

·       Clothes and dressing for children

·       How children grow self-reliance?

·       Rest and activity for children

·       Sleeping patterns of children

·       Bedtime routines and night waking

·       Teaching children self-reliance with toileting

·       When are children ready for toilet training?

·       Help children to become toilet trained?

·       Constipation and its signs

·       What you need to do when children are constipated?

·       Diarrhoea and what you need to do when children have diarrhoea?

·       Getting the children dry at night

·       What to consider when toilet training older disabled children?

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.