Smartaupairs

NEW online childcare course for au pairs

Earn and Learn as a smart au pair! Go to www.smartaupairs.com

 

Certified Childcare course on-line

We have agreed to offer this course in collaboration with a partner in Australia.

This certificated childminding/aupair course aims to provide an au pair with the foundations of a more in-depth knowledge about the development and appropriate care of children. It will also introduce an au pair to the qualities and skills needed to start the
process of being a “super” aupair/childminder. We also include in the course a bonus
material pack which includes recipes and ideas for activities to help them on their way.
This course is for anyone who enjoys working with children, including casual
babysitters and for those of you are considering a career in childcare.

Your family will benefit from their increasing knowledge and confidence.

The cost of the course is kept to a minimum at £55 (+VAT) and the easy to use online booking system will be ready for use shortly.

Your au pair can complete the course in their own time. Each module has exercises to complete – these exercises do not need to be handed in.

At the end of the 10 modules, your au pair will need to complete the
final exercise of writing an essay of no more than 1500 words. This essay will need
to be submitted by email for assessment. Once assessed your au pair will receive their
certificate.

The course covers the following areas:

Module 1: Introduction to Childminding

You have chosen to investigate a course that is all about working and assisting with
young children, you therefore obviously enjoy being with children and people. You
obviously feel that you have the right qualities to be a good aupair or childminder
assisting a busy family with the care of their children. This module looks at what
qualities are considered good qualities to have when taking on the role of an aupair or
childminder.

Module 2: Birth to 12 Months

This module will introduce you to caring for an infant from birth to 12 months.
This module covers the following areas:

. Birth – 12 months
. Basic Handling
. SIDS
. Settling a newborn – why they cry
. Physical Development
. Emotional Development
. Intellectual Development

Module 3: Infant Care – Safety and Daily Needs

This module leads on from module 2, it is a more in-depth look at some safety issues
and daily needs that you will need to take into consideration when looking after
children under the age of 2 yrs old. Although this module tries to cover the most
obvious and important areas of safety, always be aware that there are many dangers
for young children. As a childminder you have a duty of care towards the children you
look after and you need to be always vigilant of possible dangers.
This module looks at
. Safety Issues specifically around newborns
. Bath time safety
. Bottle Feeding
. Nappies/Diapers
. Dressing a baby

Module 4: Becoming a Toddler 1-2 years

This module looks at the development of a child in their second year of life. This
period is often considered one of the hardest periods and often people refer to the
“terrible twos”. We hope that this module will introduce you to this period as a
wonderful time in a child’s life, where many things are experienced for the first time
with much wonderment. Children in this age group thrive on routine and will often
sail through this period when shown warmth, understanding and good structure.
This module is divided into:

. Physical Development
. Emotional Development
. Intellectual Development

Module 5: From Toddler into Pre-school Years

In this module we explore the years from 3 to 5 yrs old. These years represent the
consolidation of physical, intellectual and emotional development before entering
school. During this time, the child is developing independence in a lot of functions
and can express themselves and communicate well. Most children who may have had
developmental differences up till the age of 5, will tend to equal out in their abilities
by the time they turn 5.

This module looks at

. Physical Development
. Emotional Development
. Intellectual Development
. Activities

Module 6: School Age Children

In this module we look at children aged between 5 and 12 yrs old. There is much
change during this time as the child develops their ability to reason and respond.
Children in this age group are still not able to process emotion as an adult does and
this makes it a very challenging developmental period. Even though the child is
developing logic for use in later adult thought, they are still largely self centred during
this period. Much physical change takes place during this time and this represents the
stage where physical injuries are most prevalent. Emotionally the child is maturing
and sensitivity to this maturation is necessary.
In this module we will look at

. Physical development
. Emotional development
. Intellectual development
. Activities

Module 7: General Health and Nutrition for Children

In this module we look at basic concepts of nutrition and health relating to children’s
needs. At the end of this module, you will have a better understanding of the food
pyramid, the types of food that are suitable for children and some idea of planning a menu.
Module 8: Caring for the sick child

In this module, you will learn the basics about caring for a child who is sick. Some
details about childhood illness will be discussed. At the end of the module you will
have a better understanding of what to check for and how to plan for an emergency.
Included in this module is a form that we recommend you use when starting a position
with a family to ascertain the procedure for an emergency.

Module 9: Discipline and Limit Setting

In this module we will introduce you to ideas for discipline and limit setting with all
ages of children. It is important that you recognise that all children like to know where
they stand and they will tend to test you to check their limits. You need to be able to
stand firm but be gentle and remember, whilst you are not their parents, you are still
entitled to have children who are respectful to you. Each child is different and you
will need to get to know the child well to be really effective with your limit setting.
By the end of this module you should have a better understanding of limit setting and
some tips on dealing with some common problems.

Module 10: Self Care and Housekeeping

In this module we look at caring for yourself and some basic tips on housekeeping.
Being an aupair usually requires that you live-in with a family for a period of time
helping them with their children. Often being an aupair means that you leave your
home country or city and go to live with another family in another country or city.
Even if you are not living with the family, there are areas that are important to take
note of as a childminder.
At the end of this module you have a better understanding of the following areas:

• Time Management
• Settling in with the family and building a relationship with the children’s
mother
• Sexual Harassment
• Working conditions for live in aupairs and using the family’s telephone,
computer etc
• Driving
• Personal Reactions
• Household chores and general Safety in the home

BONUS MATERIAL:

How to make and how to use:
- Playdough
- Modelling dough

Recipes for
- Easy Macaroni and Cheese
- Yummy Vegetable Soup

Things to make together with the children such as:
- Muffins
- “pirate” drumsticks
- Cheese Spread Pizza
- Spuddy Buddies

Go to: www.smartaupairs.com

Reality shows convince world the British nanny knows best

From The Times

January 4, 2008, article by Rosemary Bennett

Today I read this in the paper and I really wanted to share this with you.........

Quote

Supernanny and other reality television shows about how to bring up children have pushed demand for British nannies overseas to record levels.Competition for good British child care is now so fierce that a fully-trained and experienced nanny can command an average salary of £40,000, with perks such as accommodation and food thrown in.

Jo Frost, from the original Supernanny series on Channel 4, has taken the English-speak-ing world by storm with her down-to-earth advice on dealing with tantrums, sleep problems, fussy eaters and potty training. Her shows, which include the BBC Three programme The House of Tiny Tearaways, have championed old-fashioned rules and routines for children.

Unquote

to read the article see:

www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/career_and_jobs/article3129064.ece

This is another reason why being au pair in Britain combined with the government funded childcare qualification that we offer are smartaupairs is such a great idea. If you are serious about a career in childcare, no matter where in the world, British trained nannies are high in demand so why not use your au pair experience to train and become a qualified nanny!

Here is more information about our Childcare Apprenticeship:

Smartaupairs offers Childcare qualification in collaboration with Smart Training

By offering au pairs the opportunity to gain a Government funded recognised qualification such as a British Apprenticeship/NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) during their time as an au pair, they would have more quantifiable benefits from their year abroad, i.e. more to show for. This would especially apply to candidates with a genuine interest in a career in childcare as British childcare qualifications are very highly regarded globally.

To the family this training also offers great benefits as they will get a very committed au pair with a genuine interest in childcare!

In close collaboration with an experienced training company, it was decided that the most appropriate qualification to offer would be the Apprenticeship in Children’s Care Learning and Development framework, which includes;

• NVQ Level 2 in Children’s Care Learning and Development
• A Technical certificate – Level 2 BTEC in Children’s Care Learning and Development
• Key Skills in Communication (English language) and Application of number at Level 1
• 12 hour Paediatric First Aid Course*
• Learning about Employment Rights and Responsibilities

The NVQ is designed to train people who are working in face to face roles with children, young people, and families and qualifies an individual to work as a nursery nurse or classroom assistant.

Benefits:

The benefits to the au pair are

• a recognised qualification in childcare from their year as an au pair
• a chance to network with other students during monthly visit to training centre
• home visits from training assessor
• the opportunity to earn and learn; language skills and much more
• improved employability in UK and Europe
• no college to attend except monthly tutorials
• professional support from training company throughout
• work experience in a group environment such as a nursery or playgroup may be required depending on the family situation (in own time, with support)

The benefits to the family are

• an au pair with long term commitment
• an au pair with a real interest in childcare
• a structured development program to enhance the care received by child/children as the au pair is learning
• visits from professional assessor to monitor progress
• no need for the au pair to attend college, just one monthly tutorial on a Saturday

Credibility:

This program is delivered as a joined initiative between the au pair agency Smartaupairs, www.smartaupairs.com, a member of the British Au Pair Agency Association and Smart Training, the UK largest specialist in NVQ training with almost 15 years of experience of delivering childcare and management training with a practical focus on the workplace and has helped thousands of learners to gain their qualification.

Targeted:

For families to qualify from the benefit of the Apprenticeship/NVQ au pair they would need to

• Live in easy reach from smart training center (see list below)
• Have at least one child under the age of 15 at the start of the program
• Be able to commit a few hours every month to support the au pair with the assignments
• Facilitate the au pair to attend monthly tutorials at the training center, always on Saturdays, this includes covering travel cost to training centre
• Sponsor the 12 hour Paediatric First Aid training (approx. £85)

For au pairs to qualify from the benefit of the Apprenticeship/NVQ opportunity he/she needs to

• Have confident English languages skills; speaking, reading and writing to prepare the portfolio to show competence to qualify
• EU national, age between 18 and 24 (under 25)
• Stay in the UK with the same host family for 12 months
• Have prior childcare experience and a genuine interest in childcare, no formal prior qualifications are required, an assessment will be made by Smart Training to confirm relevant NVQ level
• Qualify for the 12 hour Paediatric First Aid in your own time during your stay as au pair
• Have a driving license*
• Fund the deposit and administration fee total of £200 (€300)

The family hosts and sponsors their au pair to do this Apprenticeship/NVQ. Both au pair and family benefit during the year that the au pair is with the family, as the au pair will be able to offer a great childcare and development program for the children. The ongoing benefit is for the au pair, as the qualification is for the individual.

The Apprenticeship/NVQ is funded by the government so the actual fee remaining is only to cover the First Aid training, payable by the family at approximately £85.

The funding includes full support from Smart Training, all books, all monthly tutorials, all home visits, registration with the awarding body, assessment fees and certification.

The au pair pays an administration fee of £200 to allow for initial language assessment and to find a suitable sponsor. £100 is refunded on successful completion within 12 months.

Our relationship with Smart Training means that the training is delivered by an experienced provider with their own excellent facilities and infrastructure. We believe we are the only au pair agency offering this unique opportunity. We expect this to be a great success with both families and au pairs.

* Au pairs without a driving license may find it harder to find a family sponsor.

**Smart Training have training centers for NVQ’s in Children’s Care Learning and Development in the following locations;

Bromley, Colliers Wood, Coventry, Croydon, Halifax, Hammersmith, Hemel-Hempstead, Hull, Huntingdon, Kingston-upon-Thames, leeds, Leicester, Greenwich, Luton, Maidenhead, Maidstone, Portsmouth, Reading, Romford, Ruislip, Slough, Southampton, Stratford, Tottenham, Watford, Wembley, York

If your family lives within no more than 40 miles of one of these locations and you are prepared to support your au pair’s monthly visit to the nearest training centre, you can register your interest for an Apprenticeship au pair with us now.

E-mail us on nicole@smartaupairs.com subject NVQ Family/Au pair (please indicate if you are a family or an au pair)

Please call us today on 01233 712500 to discuss your search for an au pair for 2009 or register online today.

go to www.smartaupairs.com

My life in England as an Au Pair

Hello Les Futures Aux Pairs!

Anne Laure, 21 ans

Actuellement en tant que jeune fille Au Pair en Angleterre, plus exactement dans le kent (Sud Est), je tiens à vous faire part de cette extraordinaire expérience...

Tout d'abord, j'ai fais le choix d'être Au Pair pour plusieurs raisons: - Ayant un diplôme dans le commerce, je souhaitais améliorer absolument mon anglais pour éventuellement m'orienter vers le commerce international. Je me suis donc renseigné sur ce statut de "Fille Au Pair". C'est à dire, partager la vie d'une famille anglaise, découvrir la culture d'un autre pays... En contre partie, on s'occupe des enfants, des tâches ménagères... - De plus, être Au Pair, signifie être nourrit, logé. Tu n'as pas de frais supplémentaires, ce que tu gagnes est en quelque sorte ton argent de poche! - Et puis, cela me permet de concilier mon travail tout en prenant des cours d'anglais, ce qui me donne l'avantage de passer un diplôme reconnaissant mon niveau d'anglais à la fin de l'année. Dans ma classe, il y a quasiment que des filles Au Pair! En effet, ici, ce statut est très connu et reconnu! Par conséquent, je rencontre un grand nombre de filles Au Pairs, cela permet de se faire un nouveau cercle d'amis! Comme je vous le disais, je vis dans le Kent, depuis bientôt trois mois dans une famille agréable et conviviale de deux garçons de 4 et 7 ans pour une durée de un an. Bien sûr, au début, j'ai eu quelques difficultés, notamment avec la barrière de la langue, mais finalement, on arrive toujours à se faire comprendre même si notre anglais n'est pas très correct! Mon travail dans cette famille consiste, à m'occuper principalement des enfants. Je les prépare le matin et les amène à l'école. ( Ne vous affolez pas, si vous aussi vous devez conduire à gauche, les débuts sont difficiles mais on s'habitue!!) Ensuite, j'ai du temps libre jusque 15h15. Ce temps libre me permet de faire quelques tâches ménagères, prendre mes cours d'anglais ou rendre visite à d'autres Au Pair...Ensuite, je m'occupe des enfants jusque 19h (devoirs, préparation du repas, bain, jeux...) Comme vous pouvez le constater, mon travail n'est pas désagréable, bien au contraire! De plus, mes weekends sont libres, je peux donc sortir et découvrir l'Angleterre autant que je le souhaite! Grâce à "Smart Au Pair", par l'intermédiaire de "Smart training", je prépare actuellement une formation : Le NVQ ( National Vocational Qualification). C'est un diplôme reconnu dans le monde entier qui te permet par la suite, si tu le souhaites, de travailler au contact d'enfants (crèches, sports etc....). En ce moment, j'étudie tout ce qui concerne les conditions de sécurité, d'hygiène, réglementations...lorsque l'on travaille avec des enfants. Il te suffit juste de suivre les cours, un samedi par mois pendant un an ainsi que de préparer divers travaux individuels. Par exemple, ce mois-ci, j'ai préparé un poster afin d'expliquer les droits des enfants en Angleterre. C'est donc une formation très enrichissante qui te permet d'améliorer encore plus rapidement ton anglais. Tout cela pour vous dire que, de part mon expérience, je vous assure que "Etre Au Pair" est quelque chose d'extrêmement enrichissant et inoubliable dans tous les domaines! Ce n'est pas seulement s'occuper des enfants, c'est tout un apprentissage et découverte qui nous permet d'acquérir très rapidement l'anglais. Pour ma part, je pense que "Etre Au Pair", est le meilleur moyen pour devenir bilingue! Bonne chance à vous!

Earn and learn as a smart au pair! Go to: www.smartaupairs.com

NVQ

Smartaupairs offers Vocational Childcare qualification

By offering au pairs the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification such as a British Apprenticeship/NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) during their time as an au pair, they would have more quantifiable benefits from their year abroad, i.e. more to show for.  This would especially apply to candidates with a genuine interest in a career in childcare, teaching or sports coaching with children as British childcare qualifications are very highly regarded globally.

In close collaboration with an experienced training company, it was decided that the most appropriate qualification to offer would be the Apprenticeship in Children’s Care Learning and Development framework, which includes;
• NVQ Level 2 in Children’s Care Learning and Development
• A Technical certificate – Level 2 BTEC in Children’s Care Learning and Development
• Key Skills in Communication (English language) and Application of number at Level 1
• 12 hour Paediatric First Aid Course*
• Learning about Employment Rights and Responsibilities

•  Benefits:

The benefits to the au pair are
• a recognised qualification in childcare from their year as an au pair
• a chance to network with other students during monthly visit to training centre
• home visits from training assessor
• the opportunity to earn and learn; language skills and much more
• improved employability in UK and Europe
• no college to attend except monthly tutorials
• professional support from training company throughout
• work experience in a group environment such as a nursery or playgroup may be required depending on the family situation (in own time, with support)
 
For au pairs to qualify from the benefit of the Apprenticeship/NVQ opportunity he/she needs to check our website to make sure he/she fits all the criteria such as level of English, nationality and age. So go to http://www.smartaupairs.com/news-read.aspx?news=38 to see how au pairs can benefit.