Child Development Btec Tech Award

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The Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Child Development is ideal for you if you are a pre-16 student working at level 1 or level 2 and would like to find out more about child development and the early years sector. This course offers a practical introduction to life and work in the early years sector. The qualification, which is 120 GLH, is the same size and level as a GCSE.

The early years sector focuses on the learning, development and care of children In the UK, there were approximately 1.7 million Ofsted registered childcare places for children offered by many different types of early years settings in England in 2019, ranging from childminders and nannies to nurseries, crèches and preschools. Knowledge of child development is important in a variety of occupations outside of childcare and teaching, for example, in healthcare roles such as paediatricians, psychologists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists.

This course will give you the opportunity to develop knowledge and technical skills in a practical learning environment. You will also develop key skills such as research and written communication skills as you plan different types of play activities to encourage children’s learning and development and investigate how to adapt them to meet children’s individual circumstances. Everyone taking this qualification will study three components, covering the following content areas: 

•  In Component 1, you will gain knowledge of the principles of growth and development, including expected development milestones, for different age ranges across all five areas of development; physical, intellectual and cognitive, communication and language, social and emotional. You will explore how different factors can positively or negatively impact different areas of a child’s expected development. 
• In Component 2, you will explore different stages and types of play and how play activities can support and promote children’s development and learning across the five areas of development between the ages of birth and five years old. You will investigate the different learning needs of children at different ages and stages and learn how to plan and structure play activities to meet those learning needs and encourage and influence learning, while considering the role of adults in promoting children’s learning and development through play both at home and in the community. 
• In Component 3, you will develop an understanding of how children’s learning and development can be affected by their individual circumstances. You will investigate the importance of inclusion and the role of an adult in keeping children safe when engaging in play activities and how the environment and play activities can be adapted to support the learning and development of all children. 

Once you have completed the qualification, you will have developed a practical understanding of the early years sector and child development. You will have built useful skills, which are not generally covered in GCSE courses, and you will have developed a good understanding of whether the early years sector is for you, and if so, which part of it you might want to study further. If you decide to go on to further study of early years and child development, the best option for you will depend on the grades you have achieved in this and the other qualifications you have taken, and what you enjoy doing. You could progress to a Level 2 Technical Certificate or to a Level 3 programme, such as A Levels, a T Level or a BTEC National, either on its own or in combination with A levels.

This course builds on and uses the knowledge and skills you learn in your GCSEs, particularly in GCSE Biology, GCSE Art and Design, and GCSEs in other creative subjects such as drama and music. It can also be complementary learning for the BTEC Tech Award in Sport or the BTEC Tech Award in Health and Social Care. This course is different from studying GCSEs, as, by taking part in different types of activities that focus on development and learning through play, it gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge, skills and the techniques you learn in practical ways.