Children’s Care, Learning and Development - Level 3 Diploma
Course Type
Further Education
Study Mode
Part-time
Duration
2 Years
Start & End Date
17 September 2025
8 June 2026
Days
Wed
Time
17:30-21:30
Location
Newtownabbey
This CACHE Level 3 qualification is designed to build the knowledge and skills needed when working with children and young people from birth to 5 years 11 months of age. It covers a diverse range of job roles and occupational areas in children’s settings, including early years. It is suitable for anyone who works or wants to work at a supervisory level in children's care, learning and development.
To achieve this qualification students are required to successfully complete 70 overall credits, 56 credits from the mandatory units and 14 credits from the optional units.
Mandatory Units include:
There are a range of optional units to choose from to make up the remaining 14 credits. Examples include:
All learners MUST have access to either employment or work experience in a real work setting to support them to develop and practice their skills, and apply their knowledge at an appropriate level. This ensures that learners are able to demonstrate consistent competence at Level 3 to meet the requirements of the Level 3 Diploma in Children’s Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland). This course includes between 600-700 hours mandatory work placement where the applicant is not employed in a registered childcare setting.
If you are accepted onto this course without a Grade C or above in Maths and/or English, you will be required to complete the relevant Essential Skills qualification. This will be a compulsory part of your timetable.
It will be assessed by your lecturer and/or assessor using a range of methods. This will include direct observation in the workplace, an online portfolio of evidence and written assignments, other evidence gathering methods may also be used. Students will be required to undertake work placement in a registered childcare setting – with children aged 0 – 5 years 11 months for 1-2 days per week for the duration of the course and block placement weeks across the year to complete the required number of placement hours (where the student is not employed in a registered childcare setting).
This course will provide students with the qualification and a licence to practice that is recognised for work in the following areas:
Students may also progress onto university or CACHE Level 5 Leadership & Managers Diploma if they are in an appropriate job role and are aged 19 or above.
Over 95% of students obtain a full-time childcare job by the end of the course.
In the event of oversubscription, the College reserves the right to increase the entry criteria for this programme to GCSE Maths and English at Grade C or above in preference to Essential Skills or lower graded GCSEs. Applicants will still be reviewed in date order and by order of preference.
| Year | Fee | Reduced Fee* |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £561 | £426 |
| Year 2 | £400 | £265 |
*Reduced fees may apply depending on eligibility. Contact Admissions for details.
Payment of fees must be arranged prior to course commencement. Please contact any Campus Reception to arrange payment of your course fees or to confirm you have uploaded evidence of your funding application or entitlement to the online admissions portal. Confirmation of your funding entitlement should also be forwarded to studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk.
If your fees are being paid by a sponsor/employer please contact the College to confirm that an approved Employer Consent Form has been completed and uploaded to your online Prospect account.
Payment by cash, cheque, credit card or debit card or online
Fees may be paid by cash, cheque, credit card or debit card or online via the online admissions portal. Online payments do not allow for part payment.
Where the total composite fee for all enrolled courses exceeds £200 payment a direct debit can be offered, provided enrolments for multiple courses are processed on the same day.
All fees for courses commencing in the autumn term must be collected by 28 February 2024.
The initial deposit payable at the time of enrolment will be a minimum of £100, or 25% of the value of the composite fee, whichever is greater; up to 3 subsequent payments will become due on
1 November 2023, 1 December 2023, 2 January 2024
Direct Debit Payment
Direct Debit forms can be collected at any College reception and enrolment cannot be completed until the form has been completed in full and returned to reception, along with deposit due. Default on any payment will result in enrolment on the course/programme of study becoming invalid. Any exception or departure to these dates in exceptional circumstances requires prior approval of a Vice-Principal.
This arrangement will apply to both Home and Overseas students who have a valid UK bank account.
Please note:
The direct debit agreement is only available for enrolments on or before the second week of the class.
Default in any payment will result in enrolment on the course/programme of study becoming invalid.
Queries regarding payment by direct debit
Contact:
Credit Control Officer
Part-time FE/HE students applying for funding
Part-time FE/HE students applying for funding need to provide evidence of their funding application such as acknowledgement email or confirmation from Education Authority/Student Finance NI, this evidence should be uploaded to the online admissions portal and can also be handed into any reception. Once funding application is approved confirmation of funding award should be uploaded to the online admissions portal and a copy forwarded to studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk.
If application for funding is unsuccessful the student is liable for payment of fees in full. All fees to be collected by 28 February 2024.
Queries regarding Student Loans
Contact:
Student Finance
T: 028 9085 5048 or
Reduced Fees
Reduced rates apply to the tuition fee only and are calculated as 50% of the tuition fee for the course, subject to a minimum of £30. This rate can only be claimed by applicants in the following categories. Please note: this does not apply to leisure courses.
|
|
People Entitled to Reduced Fees |
Evidence Required |
|
1 |
Universal Credit (must have an annual household income of <£14,000) |
A current letter/print out of your latest Universal Credit statement. Proof of income also required (i.e. P60). |
|
2 |
Income Based Jobseekers Allowance |
Current letter of entitlement. |
|
3 |
Income Support |
Current letter of entitlement. |
|
4 |
Working Tax Credit (must have an annual household income of <£16,000) |
A current TC602 form (Final Tax Credit Award Notice) showing annual household income. A provisional TC602 form will not be accepted. |
|
5 |
Child Tax Credit (must have an annual household income of <£16,000) |
A current TC602 form (Final Tax Credit Award Notice) showing annual household income. A provisional TC602 form will not be accepted. |
|
6 |
Pensions Credit |
A current letter stating that you are in receipt of Pension Credit. |
|
7 |
Rates Relief/Housing Benefit |
Notification letter. |
|
8 |
Means Tested Employment Support Allowance (ESA) |
Current letter of entitlement. |
|
9 |
Other Means Tested Benefits |
Current letter of entitlement. |
|
10 |
Northern Regional College Full-time Students |
Students must be currently enrolled on a Full Time course at time of enrolment. |
All tutors are qualified and experienced counsellors. This underpins the authenticity of teaching and learning activities as students engage with practitioners who understand the challenges and opportunities of the counselling role. The following teaching team deliver this course at Northern Regional College:
Staff Team
Applications are closed. To register your interest email Admissions.
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It will be assessed by your lecturer and/or assessor using a range of methods. This will include direct observation in the workplace, an online portfolio of evidence and written assignments, other evidence gathering methods may also be used. Students will be required to undertake work placement in a registered childcare setting – with children aged 0 – 5 years 11 months for 1-2 days per week for the duration of the course and block placement weeks across the year to complete the required number of placement hours (where the student is not employed in a registered childcare setting).
This CACHE Level 3 qualification is designed to build the knowledge and skills needed when working with children and young people from birth to 5 years 11 months of age. It covers a diverse range of job roles and occupational areas in children’s settings, including early years. It is suitable for anyone who works or wants to work at a supervisory level in children's care, learning and development.
To achieve this qualification students are required to successfully complete 70 overall credits, 56 credits from the mandatory units and 14 credits from the optional units.
Mandatory Units include:
There are a range of optional units to choose from to make up the remaining 14 credits. Examples include:
All learners MUST have access to either employment or work experience in a real work setting to support them to develop and practice their skills, and apply their knowledge at an appropriate level. This ensures that learners are able to demonstrate consistent competence at Level 3 to meet the requirements of the Level 3 Diploma in Children’s Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland). This course includes between 600-700 hours mandatory work placement where the applicant is not employed in a registered childcare setting.
If you are accepted onto this course without a Grade C or above in Maths and/or English, you will be required to complete the relevant Essential Skills qualification. This will be a compulsory part of your timetable.
This course will provide students with the qualification and a licence to practice that is recognised for work in the following areas:
Students may also progress onto university or CACHE Level 5 Leadership & Managers Diploma if they are in an appropriate job role and are aged 19 or above.
Over 95% of students obtain a full-time childcare job by the end of the course.
In the event of oversubscription, the College reserves the right to increase the entry criteria for this programme to GCSE Maths and English at Grade C or above in preference to Essential Skills or lower graded GCSEs. Applicants will still be reviewed in date order and by order of preference.
Course Fees
| Year | Fee | Reduced Fee* |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £561 | £426 |
| Year 2 | £400 | £265 |
*Reduced fees may apply depending on eligibility. Contact Admissions for details.
Payment of fees must be arranged prior to course commencement. Please contact any Campus Reception to arrange payment of your course fees or to confirm you have uploaded evidence of your funding application or entitlement to the online admissions portal. Confirmation of your funding entitlement should also be forwarded to studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk.
If your fees are being paid by a sponsor/employer please contact the College to confirm that an approved Employer Consent Form has been completed and uploaded to your online Prospect account.
Payment by cash, cheque, credit card or debit card or online
Fees may be paid by cash, cheque, credit card or debit card or online via the online admissions portal. Online payments do not allow for part payment.
Where the total composite fee for all enrolled courses exceeds £200 payment a direct debit can be offered, provided enrolments for multiple courses are processed on the same day.
All fees for courses commencing in the autumn term must be collected by 28 February 2024.
The initial deposit payable at the time of enrolment will be a minimum of £100, or 25% of the value of the composite fee, whichever is greater; up to 3 subsequent payments will become due on
1 November 2023, 1 December 2023, 2 January 2024
Direct Debit Payment
Direct Debit forms can be collected at any College reception and enrolment cannot be completed until the form has been completed in full and returned to reception, along with deposit due. Default on any payment will result in enrolment on the course/programme of study becoming invalid. Any exception or departure to these dates in exceptional circumstances requires prior approval of a Vice-Principal.
This arrangement will apply to both Home and Overseas students who have a valid UK bank account.
Please note:
The direct debit agreement is only available for enrolments on or before the second week of the class.
Default in any payment will result in enrolment on the course/programme of study becoming invalid.
Queries regarding payment by direct debit
Contact:
Credit Control Officer
Part-time FE/HE students applying for funding
Part-time FE/HE students applying for funding need to provide evidence of their funding application such as acknowledgement email or confirmation from Education Authority/Student Finance NI, this evidence should be uploaded to the online admissions portal and can also be handed into any reception. Once funding application is approved confirmation of funding award should be uploaded to the online admissions portal and a copy forwarded to studentfinance@nrc.ac.uk.
If application for funding is unsuccessful the student is liable for payment of fees in full. All fees to be collected by 28 February 2024.
Queries regarding Student Loans
Contact:
Student Finance
T: 028 9085 5048 or
Reduced Fees
Reduced rates apply to the tuition fee only and are calculated as 50% of the tuition fee for the course, subject to a minimum of £30. This rate can only be claimed by applicants in the following categories. Please note: this does not apply to leisure courses.
|
|
People Entitled to Reduced Fees |
Evidence Required |
|
1 |
Universal Credit (must have an annual household income of <£14,000) |
A current letter/print out of your latest Universal Credit statement. Proof of income also required (i.e. P60). |
|
2 |
Income Based Jobseekers Allowance |
Current letter of entitlement. |
|
3 |
Income Support |
Current letter of entitlement. |
|
4 |
Working Tax Credit (must have an annual household income of <£16,000) |
A current TC602 form (Final Tax Credit Award Notice) showing annual household income. A provisional TC602 form will not be accepted. |
|
5 |
Child Tax Credit (must have an annual household income of <£16,000) |
A current TC602 form (Final Tax Credit Award Notice) showing annual household income. A provisional TC602 form will not be accepted. |
|
6 |
Pensions Credit |
A current letter stating that you are in receipt of Pension Credit. |
|
7 |
Rates Relief/Housing Benefit |
Notification letter. |
|
8 |
Means Tested Employment Support Allowance (ESA) |
Current letter of entitlement. |
|
9 |
Other Means Tested Benefits |
Current letter of entitlement. |
|
10 |
Northern Regional College Full-time Students |
Students must be currently enrolled on a Full Time course at time of enrolment. |
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