Placement Overview

This VIP manages 2-day nursery's looking after children between 1 and 12 years of age. They are responsible for organising the day-to-day activities for the children, which include outdoor play and craft. They are also responsible for organising staff and supplies for the day nurseries.

Generic Job Description for a Child Care Manager

A Childcare Manager manages a centre, which looks after children during the daytime when their parents are at work. They may have any number of children in their care at any one time and the children can vary in age from babies up to five years old.  

Childcare managers will have a team of childminders to help them look after the children in their care.

They may be in charge of organising activities such as play, exercise and meals. They cater for children's physical, educational, social and emotional needs by providing a warm, caring environment, with stimulating play and learning activities. They also provide the children in their care with love and affection.

Skills:

• Patience
• Caring nature
• Energy
• A love of children
• Physical fitness
• Good communication skills
• Confidence

Pay:

• Childcare managers can earn from £15,000 to £30,000

Please not that salary figures are a guide only. Actual salaries may vary depending on the organisation and geographical location

Hours:

• Dependant on the childcare service provided
• May involves evening and weekend work

Environment:

• A crèche or pre-school, or sometimes their own home  

Qualifications:

• A Level 3 NVQ is essential to work with children unsupervised
• NVQ’s levels 1, 2 and 3 are available in Childcare at most college
• Most course require three GCSE’s grades A-C
• Managerial positions will require a high-level qualification and experience of working with children

Training:

• It is possible to work with children in a supervised environment and learn on-the-job towards an NVQ qualification

Opportunities:

• There are vacancies for Child Care Workers throughout the UK
• All employers will expect candidates to undergo a criminal records check
• There may be a few opportunities in large hotels and holiday centres in the UK and overseas, and on cruise ships 

Links:

www.cache.org.uk  - Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education (CACHE)

www.ndna.org.uk - National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) 

www.childcarecareers.gov.uk - SureStart childcare careers