The Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education (CACHE) runs courses with units that can be taken separately including:
* Supporting the care and development of babies in partnership with their parents (in the Level 4 NVQ).
* Advanced practice in working with babies (in the Level 3 certificate of professional development in work with children and young people).
Crechendo Training is offering the CACHE 60-hour advanced practice course in working with babies. It includes:
* An in-depth knowledge of the principles of practice in the development of babies, understanding attachment theory and how babies learn.
* Gaining a deeper understanding of the importance of care routines, ensuring the safety of babies in your care.
* How to recognise conditions affecting children under the age of 12 months, and
* First Aid for babies.
The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) defines cot death as 'the sudden and unexpected death of a baby for no obvious reason. The post mortem examination may explain some deaths. Those that remain unexplained after post mortem examination may be registered as sudden infant death syndrome, SIDS, sudden infant death, sudden unexpected death in infancy, unascertained or cot death'. Seven babies still die every week as cot deaths in the UK, while 88 per cent of all sudden infant deaths in England and Wales occur among babies aged under six months, and 60 per cent of sudden infant deaths in England and Wales occur among boys. But the number of babies dying as cot deaths in the UK has fallen by nearly 70 per cent since the introduction of the Reduce the Risk of Cot Death campaign in 1991. Even so, it is the leading cause of death in babies over one month old - more than from meningitis, leukaemia, other forms of cancer, household and road traffic accidents. FSID regularly holds conferences and seminars across the UK for childcare workers, including nannies and childminders, health professionals and parents.
The High/Scope Institute runs the following two-day course:
* Introduction for practitioners working with under-threes. This course presents an overview of the curriculum, and focuses on active learning, room arrangement, daily routine, key experiences, working as a team, and the adult/child relationship.
Maud Giles, a lactation and newborn consultant, holds bi-monthly workshops in London for maternity nannies and maternity nurses on:
* Breastfeeding, and coping with common problems, such as colic and reflux. Participants learn how to help mothers to breastfeed successfully and deal with common problems.
Maternity Nanny Training runs courses at the University of Reading on:
* The maternity nanny practitioner. This three-day course for experienced nannies, midwives and nurses wishing to work in maternity positions or experienced maternity nannies/ nurses wanting to update their skills, and gain formally-assessed and accredited training covers the care of newborns and postnatal mums, breastfeeding and how to gain employment in the maternity sector.
* Special care mums and babies. This day course covers caring for twins and multiple births, premature and other special care babies, post-natal depression and other special care mums, and leads to a Special Care Certificate.
The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) is Europe's largest childbirth and parenting charity. It provides information and practical support on all aspects of pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood, and campaigns for improvements in maternity services in the UK. With 40,000 members in 400 branches, it helps 300,000 parents each year through its antenatal classes along with its postnatal and breastfeeding support network.
The National Early Years Network runs in-house day workshops on:
* Learning and social needs of babies in group care. It reviews the latest research showing how babies learn from birth and the implications for people in daycare settings.
* Learning and the social needs of one-to three-year-olds in group care. This course emphasises the need to follow children's initiative at this age, developing their sense of identity and self-esteem, rather than directing their learning.
NIPPA: The Early Years Organisation offers a workshop in Northern Ireland on:
* Nought to two-year-olds.
The Pre-School Learning Alliance runs a course in England on:
* Play for under-threes. This course provides training for early years workers wanting to extend their provision to include younger children. It explores attitudes and provide an understanding of how to create a learning environment for younger children in a pre-school setting.
The Riverside Early Years Training Centre runs courses in Tyneside on:
* An introduction to special needs, identification and assessment of children aged nought to two. Participants will learn their statutory duties in relation to children with special needs and when, and how, to refer to outside agencies.
* Treasure baskets and heuristic play for the under-threes. This course gives an overview of the latest research on this age group, reviews current practice and shows how to plan changes in practice and routines.
The School of Infant Mental Health offers integrated educational and training programmes for professionals, with the emphasis on early intervention. Courses include a:
* Foundation course. This 16-hour introduction to infant mental health and parent-infant psychotherapy can be taken on its own or used as a basis for entry into diploma courses.
The diploma options in infant mental health include:
* Infant observation (two years). Participants undertake weekly observations of a baby at home, to learn about the development of emotions.
* Clinical seminars (two years).
* Infant research (30 hours). These sessions examine aspects of foetal life, the world of the senses, communication, temperament, individuality and attachment, and explore the parents' mental state.
* Infant psychiatry (30 hours).
Also available is a Diploma in Parent-Infant Psychotherapy. This course is designed to develop clinical skills in treating parents and infants in distress (see Good Practice, page 8).
Tinies Childcare runs:
* Baby massage course for all childcarers and parents. This course teaches massage techniques, including which oils to use, promotes hands on bonding with parents and carers, and encourages sleep and relaxation.