Section 1: Job Description

Write an Introduction / Description of the Childcare Setting where you are completing your Work Experience.

Include details on:

• How long the organisation has been in existence – a detailed history.
• Size of the overall setting, Number of staff to include all levels of staff – Managers to Childcare Practitioner.
• Provide an Organisational Chart of Management and Staff.
• Number of Rooms, Ages of Children.
• Recognition of Aistear and Siolta.
• Write about your role as a Childcare Practitioner – include what does the position of Childcare Practitioner entail?

Section 2: Daily Diary Entries

Construct a Diary Entries for 8 of the days you are on placement in your Childcare Setting. Select any 8 days out of your total amount of days worked (150 hours’ minimum). The word count for each diary should not exceed 700 words (+/-10%). You may refer to the additional supporting Diary Template that is included with your module pack.

Ensure the 8 Days chosen are interesting and:

• Describe your immediate Setting, description of the actual Room, Room Type,
  Children’s Age group, Number of Children in your care, Ratios.
• Include a Routine followed Arrival Times, Involvement in implementing Activities, Feeding and Sleeping Times, provide/draw a clear timetable in each diary.
• Discuss Daily living tasks carried out e.g. Caring for a Child, Feeding a child, Changing a child.
• Highlight Communication with all Stake Holders – Children, Parents, and Staff.
•  Identify Challenges / Situations which may have arisen- issues and challenges
  encountered by you during your Work Experience Hours e.g. helping a child settle into the Childcare Setting, an issue could be a child in your care behaviour and a Challenge could be a Child who does not wish to eat their dinner.

Your total hours worked should accumulate to 150 hours, so this will entail more than 8 days but again choose 8 busy, varied and interesting days.

Section 3: Reflection / Evaluation

• Give details of New Learning that has occurred over your work placement.
• Did you face any Challenges on your work placement? Give details of how you faced this challenge and resolved the situation.
• Positive Experiences did you encounter as part of your work placement?
• Describe what would you do differently for a future Work Experience placement?
• Include an up to date copy of your Curriculum Vitae with a Sample Application Letter.
• Provide evidence of research for future possible Career Paths and future possible related Qualifications:
  1. Research Job Advertisements and provide an actual researched example of a Childcare Practitioner Advertisement.
  2. Research further Education courses relating to Childcare and provide examples of options available to continue studies after QQI Level 5 Course is complete.