Whether you’ve been working in childcare for a few months or a few decades, one thing’s for certain: you want to provide the best possible care for the children you work with. And if you can do that while also improving your career and self-confidence? Even better!
Professional development will let you do all of this and more.
Here is a round-up of some of the biggest benefits of professional development:
Develop Your Skills
Childcare is a skilled job. You’re responsible for ensuring that the children in your care are safe, happy, and developing their social, physical, emotional, creative and intellectual capacities — and none of that is easy.
In addition, there are immense differences between the needs of a two-year-old and a four-year-old child, and you might have children from different backgrounds and with different capabilities in your group. Add to that any potential problems at home or separation anxiety, and it becomes clear just how many skill sets a childcare worker might need to use every single day.
Professional development will help you further polish these skills, whether you’re role-playing behaviour management strategies or honing your child protection responses. In doing so, it will set you up to better nurture the children under your care.
Stay Up to Date
Child development theory is constantly developing, and so are government regulations. National Quality Standards, health and safety guidance, inclusion programs, early learning practices for gifted children are just some of the topics which may have been updated since you last underwent training.
Investing in professional development will help you stay informed and ensure compliance. From empowering children with learning disabilities by better meeting their needs to applying the latest childcare theories to play activities, you’ll be able to make sure that your little charges are safe, happy and developing.
Improve Your Career Opportunities
Whether your aim is a pay rise, more responsibilities, a management or administration role or even to open your own childcare centre, professional development will help you achieve it.
It starts with the small things: impressing your boss with how well you handle tricky situations, how knowledgeable you are about childcare theories and regulations, and how you constantly suggest ways for the centre to improve. Then, when you apply for promotions or a new job, you have both the qualifications and the experience.
And if one day you strike it out alone? You’ll have all the knowledge you need, thanks to the training you’ve attended.
Boost Your Confidence and Feel Fulfilled
Childcare workers who have undertaken professional development are more likely to suggest innovative ideas, apply for promotions and handle stressful situations well. They have confidence in their knowledge and abilities, and they know their own value.
Professional development won’t just improve your self-confidence but it will also make your work more fulfilling. You’ll be constantly learning and growing. Plus, you’ll have the rewarding experience of seeing the improved development and happiness of the children under your care.
Professional development is a valuable investment for childcare workers. It will empower you to provide better care and education, advance in your career and know your self-worth.
At Kidsoft, our tools help childcare centres and workers focus on the things that matter, like making sure children are safe, healthy and happy. We do this by simplifying the admin processes and making sure you have all the knowledge you need ahead of each shift. Get in touch today to find out more about how we can help.
