Qualities you need to have to be a childcare worker
Considering studying childcare but don’t know if you’d be the right fit?
After you study a childcare course, there are many work avenues available for you to pursue, and some roles may be more appealing to you than others.
Most importantly, you need to know what qualities and skills to have to become a good childhood educator.
That way, you can know if you’re already a good fit or have to work on building up your skill set before diving into the industry.
Skills First Funding
Tertiary education facilities, including Academia, are proud to offer free childcare courses in Victoria for those who meet certain eligibility criteria.
Skills First Funding is a Victorian government initiative created to help students study for free to get more skilled people meeting growing job demand. If you’re thinking about studying, now is the perfect time to take advantage of this fantastic initiative!
What makes a good quality daycare?
There are various qualities that your daycare centre or kindergarten should physically have to encourage children to learn and grow.
Below we examine the main components you should focus on to make your workplace an enjoyable, safe, and educational place for children.
Mixture of learning and fun
Daycare centres, kindergartens, and creches always have to provide a combination of academic and leisure activities in order for children to strengthen both their learning skills and mental wellbeing.
Learning doesn’t have to be just academic learning, but can also include:
- Artistic skills like arts and crafts
- Games and activities that strengthen hand-eye coordination
- Tools to improve behaviour and manners
- Activities that encourage communication and critical thinking
Clean and safe facilities
One of the most essential parts of being a manager or owner of a daycare centre is making sure that your facility is:
- Safe
- Accessible
- Comfortable
- Clean
- Organised
You need to make sure you are abiding by all laws, regulations, and standards set out by both state and national codes.
Not only must you ensure safety and compliance at your workplace, but you must also ensure that children are safe and comfortable at all times.
Nurturing teachers and leaders
A thorough understanding of children’s behaviour and development is key to ensuring you create a safe space where kids can thrive.
And the best way to do this is to get qualified with a childcare course in Melbourne!
What skills and qualities do you need for childcare?
While not a necessity, you may be required to have the following sorts of skills to create an encouraging and positive environment when working with and caring for children.
Such qualities include:
Patience
Let’s be honest: children can test our patience sometimes! Whether you’re diffusing an angry toddler confrontation or helping children with tasks and activities, patience is indeed a virtue.
A patient and calm demeanour will help you successfully take control of the problem at hand in an authoritative way.
Kindness
Children learn a lot from all of the adults surrounding them, and beyond mum and dad, childcare educators are often the people who spend the most time with kids during their most formative years.
Acting as a good role model, with kindness and gratitude, is a must for any aspiring childcare worker.
Communication
Children especially have trouble regulating and expressing their emotions, so it’s imperative that you can communicate with them in a kind, enthusiastic, and positive way.
Allow them to feel their emotions, express their needs, and share their feelings with you.
What are the roles and responsibilities of a childcare worker?
While some of the roles are pretty obvious, such as teaching and assisting kids in day-to-day tasks, if you’re interested in a more managerial role, you might find yourself facing a number of business-related tasks, too.
General childcare assistance
Often children need assistance with habitual, daily, and menial tasks, such as:
- Going to the bathroom
- Sorting out conflicts
- Being mentored
- Problem-solving
- Participating in activities
Let the kids be in charge of their activities, and you can be their right hand at all times.
Teaching
Teaching and instructing is your central role as a childcare worker.
Discover the various ways of teaching, which methods you like best, and which practices are best suited for the age group you want to teach when you undertake placement during your course.
Organising activities and schedules
Planning is key to creating a nurturing, exciting, and progressive childcare environment.
As a leader, you may liaise with others in your team to create daily schedules, activity planning, and incursions.
And as a childcare educator, you may be asked to share your feedback to your managers to express ways that schedules or activities can be improved or modified.
Regardless of whether you are a leader or a worker, your shared goal is the safety and happiness of those precious kids in your care.
General business tasks
If you are the manager or owner of the daycare or kindergarten, you may also be responsible for more business-related tasks, such as payroll or bookkeeping.
Of course, as your centre grows, you might look at outsourcing, but the business side of things is still something any aspiring childcare owner or manager will need to be aware of.
Where can I study childcare?
Academia is a tertiary institution in Melbourne and Brisbane
Academia offers both the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and the
Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care in Melbourne and Brisbane.
Start with the Certificate and decide whether you want to pursue the Diploma after you finish! The choice is yours.
We also offer Skills First Funding so that you can study for free if you meet the eligibility criteria!
Contact Academia today – we’re here to help you take the first step towards your career in childcare!
Call our Melbourne campus on (03) 9671 4755 or enquire online here.
