This full-time course prepares learners to work as a Childcare practitioner with young children and/or to take responsibility as Room Leader/Supervisor in a variety of early learning and care settings. This award also provides the learner with the opportunity to progress into further and higher education and training.

• Leaving Certificate/ Leaving Certificate Applied or equivalent.
• Applicants whose first language isn’t English need to have a B2 competence in an English language test.
• Successful completion of interview.
• Applicants will be required to undertake Garda vetting. International students must also provide Police vetting from the country/countries where they have previously lived.
• If you already have a Level 5 Certificate in ECCE you may be eligible to enter in stage 2 – talk to the Course Coordinator for more information.

Excel Version or PDF Version of course costs.

Please Note: Every effort is made to have these costs as accurate as possible, however, please be aware that some of these costings are supplied by external agencies & external exam bodies and there is a potential for those to change unexpectedly. If changes occur they will be communicated to learners as soon as possible.

The NFQ Level 5 Certificate in Early Learning and Care and the NFQ Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Early Learning and Care facilitate entry, on a competitive basis, to a range of third-level institutions nationwide.

Work experience placement is an integral part of this course. Students must obtain
one day per week work experience for the academic year. The day will be specified by the college. There will be a two-week block placement at the end of the first term. Students are required to gain experience of working with babies and toddlers aged from birth to 2 years 8 months, and pre-school children aged 2 years 8 months to 6 years.

This is a one-year full-time course. Learners will achieve a Level 5 Certificate in Early Learning and Care on successful completion of the stage 1 modules. Level 5 Early Learning and Care graduates may choose to continue to stage 2 (second year) to achieve a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Early Learning and Care.

Stage 1: QQI Level 5 Certificate in Early Learning and Care 5M21473

Stage 2: QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Early Learning and Care 6M21471