What Jobs Are Available?
Professions that entail working with children can be in sectors like social care, education, voluntary work, charity, teacher training, and healthcare. But those interested in working with kids can also find jobs in less obvious industries like sports, public services, leisure, law, and administration. Such sectors can see your work as a family lawyer, children’s librarian, or sports coach.
Take the time to think outside the box and expand your horizon when contemplating the work opportunities out there. The creative arts can give you the chance to be an art therapist. The creative sector can be a space for you to volunteer as a dance tutor at a local social centre. Non-governmental organizations can employ you as a project worker, child rights advocate, charity support staff, or therapist. Opportunities in the healthcare sector include working as a paediatrician, language therapist, children’s nurse, or speech coach. If you’re the one who employs people to work with children, don’t forget to use tools such as Payroll for Nannies to simplify the paperwork.
If you have qualifications in social care, you can consider jobs like counsellor, play therapist, youth worker, child psychotherapist, social worker, and family support worker. Suppose your interests and training are in the teacher training and education sector. In that case, you can etch a career as an early years teacher, learning mentor, teaching assistant, education psychologist, primary school teacher, careers adviser, foreign language tutor, special educational needs teacher, museum education office, or secondary school teacher.
Jobs involving working with kids face stringent regulations. Besides having the required skills, qualifications, and experience, you also must take and pass a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) to secure a job. You will receive a DBS certificate once you clear the scrutiny.
DBS checks are meant to safeguard the little ones. It also helps employers make safer recruitment decisions. The evaluations entail criminal background checks where a candidate’s name is checked against a list of named persons who pose a risk, harm, or have hurt vulnerable groups. Such individuals are barred from associating with vulnerable people.
What Childcare Qualifications Will I Need?
The prospects of landing a job are better if your interests are in social work, teaching, nursing, or educational psychology, which require a specific degree at a Master’s or Undergraduate level. Therefore, research the professional qualifications needed for jobs related to working with children and are within the social workers’ sectors or teaching.
Since the future holds many unexpected opportunities, it is best to keep your options open as you shape yourself professionally to work with kids. Consider taking a course that arms you with a general degree in childcare or child welfare.
You can take a BA course n Working with Children, Young adults, and Families that empowers you to develop the necessary skills and knowledge for a career in fields like education, healthcare, and social work. You can do the BA at Birmingham City University or the University of Hull.
You can also consider Masters’s programmes offer at the University of Central Lancashire or Manchester Metropolitan University. The postgraduate studies cover professional practice with kids and young adults, well-being, and childhood development.
Take the time to research deeper into the Master’s degrees and find out more about the various postgraduate courses you can take that offer programmes that align with your career goals.
And on the lighter side of studying for your professional, you can consider vocational courses that can improve your chances of securing employment in the childcare industry, especially if you hold Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education (CACHE) qualifications. The courses to take include which are available from the entry-level to the 5th level for the experienced professionals.
How Do I Gain Work Experience With Kids?
It is prudent to acknowledge the high level of responsibility associated with working with children. Such jobs put the child’s emotional, physical, and psychological well-being in your hands. Hence, having the necessary qualifications and experience is vital for you to land such a job.
