Home Base Children Support
Specialist training for home-based child care practitioners — covering children's additional needs, health and wellbeing from birth to age 7, physical development, inclusive environments, and supporting children who are unwell.
Why Home-Based Care Matters
Millions of Nigerian children receive their earliest care in home settings — from nannies, grandparents, childminders and family friends. This programme professionalises that vital work.
The Home as a Learning Environment
Home settings offer unique, individualised care opportunities. This programme trains practitioners to transform the home into a rich, safe, stimulating developmental space.
Holistic Child Support
Home-based practitioners often support children with additional needs or health challenges — this programme equips them with specialist knowledge to do so confidently.
Professional Recognition
Completing this programme gives home-based carers a nationally recognised NSQ qualification — transforming their work from informal caring into a certified professional practice.
The 5 Core Units
Unit 15: Understanding Children's Additional Needs
Biological and environmental factors, inclusive practice, early intervention strategies, and the practitioner's own professional and personal support needs when working with children with additional needs.
Unit 17: Understand How to Support Children Who Are Unwell
Common childhood illnesses and exclusion periods, signs of ill health, notifiable diseases, care routines, medication procedures, hospital admission support, and chronic health condition management.
Unit 11: Children's Health and Wellbeing
Emotional wellbeing and attachment, transitions and significant events, physical care needs, sleep and rest requirements, nutritional needs at each age stage, and the environment's impact on health.
Unit 20: Promote Physical Development of Children (Birth–5 yrs)
Creating an environment that promotes physical development; planning, leading and reflecting on physical development activities across three age groups: 0–1yr 11mths, 2–2yr 11mths, and 3–5 years.
Unit 21: Contribute to an Inclusive Environment
Accessing information and support about equality, diversity and inclusion; working in ways that value all children and meet individual needs; and evaluating the impact of own attitudes and behaviour on inclusive practice.
What You'll Learn
Click each unit below to explore the full learning outcomes and assessment criteria drawn directly from the NSQ qualification document.
- Analyse the impact of biological and environmental factors on children's development short and long term
- Analyse how personal experiences, values and beliefs impact professional practice
- Identify current legislation on inclusive practice — equality, diversity, inclusion, discrimination
- Describe the importance of early intervention and evaluate partnership working strategies
- Reflect on the practitioner's own professional and personal support needs when working with children with additional needs
- Identify common childhood illnesses, exclusion periods, treatments and signs/symptoms
- Describe when medical intervention is necessary and the process for reporting notifiable diseases
- Explain procedures for medication storage, administration and record keeping in settings
- Describe the needs of an ill child — food, rest, personal care, emotional wellbeing, dignity and observation
- Describe how to support a child preparing for a planned hospital admission
- Explain the therapeutic role of play in hospital in supporting children's recovery
- Describe responsibilities when supporting children with chronic health conditions — training, partnership, inclusion, self-support
- Explain attachment, secure relationships, and the role of the key person in emotional wellbeing
- Identify transitions children may experience and the practitioner's role in supporting them
- Explain physical care needs — nappy changing, toilet training, washing, care of skin, teeth and hair, mealtimes
- Explain rest and sleep needs at six specific age stages from 6 weeks to 6–7 years old
- Identify nutritional requirements for children aged 0–1, 1–2, 2–3, 3–5, and 5–7 years
- Plan exercise opportunities and evaluate the practitioner's role in maintaining a healthy environment
- Describe own role when promoting physical development in own setting
- Create an environment which actively promotes physical development
- Plan physical development activities for 0–1yr 11mths, 2–2yr 11mths, and 3–5 years
- Lead physical development activities for each age group and reflect on own role
- Critically evaluate provision for physical development in own setting
- Access information, advice and support about equality, diversity and inclusion
- Reflect on how inclusion information can inform and improve daily practice
- Interact with children in ways that genuinely value them and meet their individual needs
- Analyse benefits of supporting equality, diversity and inclusive practice
- Evaluate the impact of own attitudes, values and behaviour when supporting inclusion
Skills You'll Gain as a Home-Based Practitioner
Safeguarding in Home Settings
Recognise abuse, manage disclosure, follow reporting lines, and maintain confidentiality in domestic care contexts.
Managing Childhood Illness
Understand common illnesses, exclusion periods, medication management, and when to seek medical intervention.
Supporting Additional Needs
Identify early signs of additional needs, implement early intervention, and work in partnership with specialist professionals.
Promoting Physical Development
Plan and lead age-appropriate physical activities for children from birth to 5 years in home and community settings.
Caring for Children Where They Live
Professionalise Your Home-Based Practice
This programme is ideal for nannies, childminders, foster carers and family support workers who want to formalise their expertise and gain a nationally recognised qualification.