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Children's Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland) (3087)

Last Updated: 04 Aug 2022

The 3087 suite of qualifications has been designed specifically for those working in a range of roles in early years and childcare settings in Northern Ireland.

The suite consists of the following qualifications:

3087-02 Level 2 Diploma in Children's Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland)

3087-03 Level 3 Diploma in Children’s Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland)

Progression through the levels of qualifications requires learners to be able to demonstrate their skills and practical ability, depth and breadth of required knowledge and / or levels of autonomy, all of which increase in complexity as the level of the qualification increases.

The qualifications support learners to develop their knowledge and practical skills required for employment and/or career progression in the early years and childcare sector in Northern Ireland.

They are aimed at learners aged 16 – 18; 19+.

Available to deliver in the following:
  • Northern Ireland

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form. 

General Information

What Is Involved In Studying This Course?

The qualifications are structured at each level, to include both mandatory and optional units.

The mandatory units must be completed by all learners and cover the key knowledge and skills required to work in early years settings in Northern Ireland.

Please see the qualification handbook for a full list of units.

What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?

Centres delivering these qualifications must have staff resource, which meets the requirements of each of the qualifications. This will include staff who are occupationally competent and/or knowledgeable in early years, and to at least the same level as the qualification they are delivering and dependent on their role in the delivery process.

To find all the resource requirements, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

Level 2

What Careers Can This Lead To?

This qualification meets the needs of learners who work or want to work with babies and young children in a wide range of early years settings. These could include full day care, sessional childcare, and, childminding or out of school clubs, for example in the roles of:

  • Early Years Assistant
  • Childminder
  • Nursery Nurse
  • Sure Start Assistant
  • Family Support Worker
  • Playgroup Assistant
Level 2 Diploma in Children's Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland) (3087-02)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2026

Level 2 Diploma in Children's Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland)

  • Accreditation No: 603/5089/1 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: Data unavailable Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: Data unavailable This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 480 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2028 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £136.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 2 Diploma in Children's Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland)

  • Accreditation No: Data unavailable This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: Data unavailable Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: Data unavailable This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 480 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2024 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: TBC, please speak to your Account Manager for further information Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 3

What Careers Can This Lead To?

This qualification meet the needs of learners who work or want to work with babies and young children as leaders/supervisors in a wide range of early years setting. These include full day care, sessional and, childminding or out of school clubs, for example in the roles of:

  • Room supervisor
  • Childminder
  • Nursery nurse
  • Sure Start room leader
  • Playgroup room leader
Level 3 Diploma in Children's Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland) (3087-03)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2026

Level 3 Diploma in Children's Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland)

  • Accreditation No: 603/6141/4 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: Data unavailable Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: Data unavailable This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: Data unavailable The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2029 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £165.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Here you can find all documents related to this suite of qualifications.

By clicking on the section headings below, you can access a variety of documents such as the qualification handbooks and assessment materials, Statements of Purpose, and recognition letters from industry and employers.

Some documents may be password protected. Passwords can be retrieved by logging in to  and visiting the Administration section of the relevant qualification catalogue page.

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form. 

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For Learners

Related Qualifications

Browse some of our related qualifications:

> (4228) Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (England)

> (4237) Caring for Children

> (4227) Children and Young People's Workforce

> (3605) Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) and Early Years and Childcare

> (3087) L2 Diploma in Children's Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland)

> (1890) Level 2 Award in Safeguarding (Prevent Strategy)

> (4340) Residential Childcare (England)