Child Development

Child Development

Cambridge Nationals – Child Development Level 1/2 (OCR)

What will you learn / How will you be taught?

The Child Development course is split into three distinct units. This includes one exam-based units and two coursework units.

Unit RO57 (exam based) – Health and Well-being for Child Development.

Becoming a parent is one of life’s major experiences, and it is also one of life’s major responsibilities. This unit will delve into these responsibilities, including the roles of parenthood and obligations that come with it. The unit also covers the understanding of reproduction and pre-conceptual, antenatal and postnatal care of babies (0-5 years).

The unit is designed to help you develop an understanding of the best conditions for a child to thrive, including child-proofing home environments, social safety skills and the management and prevention of childhood illnesses. This will be especially useful in careers such as nursing, midwifery and nursery care, but will also provide valuable skills for any future family plans.

Unit RO58 (coursework based) – Creating a safe environment and understand the nutritional needs of children from birth to five years.

This coursework unit will allow you to investigate the different equipment and nutritional needs of children in a nursery. The unit looks at child equipment and gives you the opportunity to research into product standards and suitability. This unit also gives you the chance to test your knowledge practically. As part of the unit, you will plan, cook, and taste a meal that would be suitable for a child aged 4. This will test your understanding on nutritional values (researched in your coursework), as well as promoting the needs and development of a child. You will also investigate and choose equipment that is both suitable and safe for use in a nursery. 

The skills learnt from this topic include researching, creativity, and critical analysis, due to the focus on selecting the right products for children.

Unit RO59 (coursework based) – Understanding the development of a child from birth to five years.

This unit is all about play. You will explore the impact of play on the developmental norms of a child. This will include practical interactions with a child (age 0-5), where you will aim to improve a skill with that child. The unit will allow you to understand the physical, intellectual, and social developmental norms of children and practically cultivate them in your case study.

The skills gained from this unit will also include researching and creativity, but also gives you a deeper understanding on the importance of play for children.

Why study this subject?

Firstly, the course is fascinating and an excellent way to learn about the complexity of caring for children. It provides understanding and development of many skills needed to bring up a well-developed and healthy child.

The course itself also increases many skills, including researching, planning, observing and evaluating skills. All these skills would be useful in further studies as these are transferable skills and could be applied to many subject areas.

Studying Child Development will also give you the skills needed for careers that focus on children. This include, but are not limited to; midwifery, education, nursery care and becoming a paediatrician. The course will give you the building blocks to enter into these noble professions.