Children and Young People's Workforce (4227)

Last Updated: 20 Dec 2023
4227-06 Level 3 Diploma for Children's Care, Learning and Development (Wales & Northern Ireland) and 4227-08 Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Children's Care, Learning and Development (Management) (Wales and Northern Ireland) have been extended for Northern Ireland ONLY until 30 November 2020.  4227-06 is being replaced by 3087-03 Level 3 Diploma in Children’s Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland) which is now live for registrations.

4227-06 Level 3 Diploma for Children's Care, Learning and Development (Wales & Northern Ireland) is already closed in Wales.

4227-07 Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Children's Care, Learning and Development (Advanced Practice) (Wales and Northern Ireland) is closed for registrations.

These qualifications are designed for learners who want to  develop a career as a childminder, youth worker, nursery nurse or nursery manager.

Please use the following links to check funding availability:  
  • England - please check: Ofqual  
  • Wales - please check: QiW 
  • Northern Ireland - please check: CCEA 
You'll need to be working or volunteering in a child care role - but other than that, these qualifications are suitable for anyone starting their first child care job or already managing a child care centre.
Available to deliver in the following:
  • England
  • Wales – please check QiW website for available funding
  • Northern Ireland

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form

General Information

What Is Involved In Studying This Course?

The Certificate and Diplomas in Children and Young People’s Workforce and Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development cover a wide range of subjects, depending on your level and the options you choose. Topics include:

  • Understanding child and young person development
  • Context and principles for early years provision
  • Promoting the well being and resilience of children and young people
  • Supporting children and young people to achieve their education potential.

These are work-based qualifications and you will be assessed whilst working with children, young people, their families and colleagues. You must be working in a real child care setting on a full time or part time basis and in paid or voluntary work.

Is this level right for me?

Level 2
You work, or are about to work, as a nursery assistant, crèche worker or special educational needs assistant in a supporting role. You want to work with children, but you'll generally work under supervision.

Level 3
You are a childminder, day care supervisor, SureStart worker or a community nursery nurse. You may or may not have some supervisory responsibilities. You want to be in sole charge of children, for example managing a room in a nursery.
Level 5
You are a practitioner, senior practitioner of deputy manager working in early years settings.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

There is a huge range of job opportunities for people with child care qualifications. These qualifications can help you find work as a:

  • Nursery nurse
  • Childminder
  • SureStart worker
  • Special Educational Needs assistant
  • Child care centre manager
  • Preschool advisor.
What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?

To deliver these qualifications you will need suitably qualified staff to carry out training and assessment.

You will also need suitable facilities to carry out the required training to enable learners to achieve industry standards.

Centres will need to organise an appropriate programme of delivery for their learners, which meets the learning outcomes and assessment criteria indicated within the units in these qualifications.

All competency based units will be assessed by a portfolio of evidence. There is a choice of assessment methods for the knowledge units. You can opt for portfolio of evidence or the assignment assigned to the knowledge unit.

To find all the resource requirements, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

Level 2

Level 2 will suit you if you work, or are about to work, in a supporting role as a nursery assistant, Crèche worker or special educational needs assistant. You want to work with children, but you'll generally work under supervision.

The Certificate for the Children and Young People's Workforce (England) is a generic qualification that will be relevant across the Children and Young People's Workforce in England. It is mapped to the CWDC Induction Standards and the Children's Care Learning and Development National Occupational Standards.

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

There is a diverse range of job roles for people with child care qualifications. These qualifications can help you find work as a:

  • Nursery nurse
  • Childminder
  • SureStart worker
  • Special Educational Needs assistant
  • Child care centre manager
  • Preschool advisor.
Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People's Workforce (England) (4227-01)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024 Supportive services: SmartScreen Learning Assistant

Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People's Workforce

  • Accreditation No: 500/9457/9 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 35 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 261 - 278 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 350 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £133.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 3

The Level 3 diploma is aimed at those people already working in the Children and Young People sector. For example, you may be working as a childminder, day care supervisor, SureStart worker, community nursery nurse or as a learning mentor. You may or may not have some supervisory responsibilities. You want to be in sole charge of children, for example managing a room in a nursery.

You will select one mandatory occupational pathway from:

  • Early Learning and Childcare
  • Social Care
  • Learning, Development and Support Services.

Full details can be found in the qualification handbook under the documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

There is a diverse range of job roles for people with child care qualifications. These qualifications can help you find work as a:

  • Nursery nurse
  • Childminder
  • SureStart worker
  • Special Educational Needs assistant
  • Child care centre manager
  • Preschool advisor.
Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce: Social Care Pathway (England) (4227-04)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024 Supportive services: SmartScreen Learning Assistant

Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce: Social Care Pathway

  • Accreditation No: 500/9170/0 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 65 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 400 - 496 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 650 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2027 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £170.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 5

The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for the Children and Young People's Workforce (England) is the ideal qualification if you work as a senior practitioner, deputy manager or assistant manager within Early Years and Children and Young Peoples’ settings, including:

  • Integrated children’s centres
  • Approved home care
  • Out of school settings
  • Day nurseries or crèches
  • Family centres
  • Playgroups.

The Level 5 diploma is not approved for those who are under 18 years of age.

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

There is a diverse range of job roles for people with child care qualifications. These qualifications can help you find work as a:

  • Nursery nurse
  • Childminder
  • SureStart worker
  • Special Educational Needs assistant
  • Child care centre manager
  • Preschool advisor.
Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for the Children and Young People’s Workforce-Early Years (Management) (4227-11)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2022

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for the Children and Young People’s Workforce - Early Years (Management)

  • Accreditation No: 600/8166/1 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 90 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 577 - 629 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 900 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/12/2025 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £222.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.
Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for the Children and Young People’s Workforce - Early Years (Advanced Practice) (4227-12)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2022 Supportive services: Learning Assistant

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for the Children and Young People’s Workforce - Early Years (Advanced Practice)

  • Accreditation No: 600/8165/X This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 80 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 502 - 570 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 800 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/12/2025 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £222.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Additional information for centres

Smart Screen

SMARTSCREEN IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS QUALIFICATION

SmartScreen is our online portal for tutor, assessors and learners that provides unit-specific support materials and tutor forums to complement the delivery and learning experience

Visit Smartscreen.co.uk >

Learning Assistant

LEARNING ASSISTANT IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS QUALIFICATION

Learning Assistant is an innovative and cost effective e-portfolio solution that allows colleges and training providers to dramatically improve the delivery of their vocational qualifications.

Learn more about Learning Assistant >

Here you can find all documents related to this suite of qualifications.

By clicking on the section headings below, you can access a variety of documents such as the qualification handbooks and assessment materials, Statements of Purpose, and recognition letters from industry and employers.

Some documents may be password protected. Passwords can be retrieved by logging in to Walled Garden and visiting the Administration section of the relevant qualification catalogue page.

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form