Educare and Childcare courses at Matric College are courses that focus on children. If you are someone who has a passion to work with children, you can study these courses. You will be equipped with skills and knowledge on how well to work with children. Once you have completed an Educare or Childcare course, you will be awarded a qualification. These are the courses we offer:
Our Educare And Childcare Courses
Child Day Care Courses
Child Psychology Courses
Creche Management Courses
Educare Courses
First Aid Course
Crèche Management Courses
Crèche Management: Short Course
Crèche Management Comprehensive Course
Crèche Management Certificate Course
Child Psychology Courses
Child Psychology Comprehensive Course
Child Psychology: Certificate Course
Child Psychology Short Course
Child Day Care Courses
Child Day Care Comprehensive Course
Child Day Care Certificate Course
Child Day Care Short Course
Educare Courses
Educare: NATED N4 National Certificate
Educare: NATED N5 National Certificate
Educare: NATED N6 National Certificate
Educare: NATED N6 National Diploma
What Are Educare And Childcare Courses?
Educare and Childcare courses are courses that deal with how children are taken care of. At Matric College, we offer the Educare NATED courses and the Childcare Short courses. These are the qualities of the two programmes:
Educare NATED courses
- They are accredited by the DHET and the QCTO
- You gain an accredited qualification
- You earn a qualification that is recognised nationally
- You are valued more by employers
- You can use the qualification to find employment or further your studies
Childcare Short courses
- They are not accredited
- They are good for skills (gain a set of skills)
- You gain a Certificate Qualification
- You are able to find work
- You are able to start your own business
- Increase your chances of gaining a promotion
Educare And Childcare Courses
First Aid
Programme Type: Provider Programme
Award Issued By: Skills Academy
Accredited By: Not Applicable
Qualification Title: Certificate In First Aid Concepts
Qualification Type: Certificate
Course Duration: 2 to 4 months
Entry Requirements
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
- The medical-legal implications and principles of First Aid
- Elementary human anatomical structures
- Appropriate First Aid procedures
This is what you will learn in the First Aid Certificate course:
- Prevention of infection while medicating individuals
- Providing medication to individuals with different immune systems
- Providing medication to individuals of different ages
- First aid procedure for choking
- First aid procedure for bleeding
Crèche Management Short Course
Programme Type: Provider Programme
Award Issued By: Skills Academy
Accredited By: Not Applicable
Qualification Title: Crèche Management Short Course
Qualification Type: Certificate
Course Duration: 4 to 8 months
Entry Requirements
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
- Introduction to Business English
- Face-to-Face Communication
- The Field of Crèche Management and Human Resources
Crèche Management Certificate Course
Programme Type: Provider Programme
Award Issued By: Skills Academy
Accredited By: Not Applicable
Qualification Title: Crèche Management Certificate Course
Qualification Type: Certificate
Course Duration: 8 to 12 months
Entry Requirements
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
- Introduction to Business English
- Face-to-Face Communication
- The Field of Crèche Management and Human Resources
- Customer Satisfaction
- First-Aid Concept
Crèche Management Comprehensive Course
Programme Type: Provider Programme
Award Issued By: Skills Academy
Accredited By: Not Applicable
Qualification Title: Crèche Management Comprehensive Course
Qualification Type: Certificate
Course Duration: 12 to 18 months
Entry Requirements
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
- Introduction to Business English
- Face-to-Face Communication
- The Field of Crèche Management and Human Resources
- First-Aid Concepts
- Time Management
- Quality Child Care and Starting Your Own Crèche
This is what you will learn in the Crèche Management courses:
- How to manage a Day Care Centre
- Safety measures for children
- How to work well with children
- Face to face communication techniques
- How to treat children and parents/guardians well
Child Psychology Short Course
Programme Type: Provider Programme
Award Issued By: Skills Academy
Accredited By: Not Applicable
Qualification Title: Child Psychology Short Course
Qualification Type: Certificate
Course Duration: 4 to 8 months
Entry Requirements
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
- Introduction to Business English
- Communicating with Children
- Learning Psychology
- Introduction to Business English
Child Psychology Certificate Course
Programme Type: Provider Programme
Award Issued By: Skills Academy
Accredited By: Not Applicable
Qualification Title: Child Psychology Certificate Course
Qualification Type: Certificate
Course Duration: 8 to 12 months
Entry Requirements
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
- Introduction to Business English
- Communicating with Children
- Learning Psychology
- Child Development
- First Aid Concepts
Child Psychology Comprehensive Course
Programme Type: Provider Programme
Award Issued By: Skills Academy
Accredited By: Not Applicable
Qualification Title: Child Psychology Comprehensive Course
Qualification Type: Certificate
Course Duration: 12 to 18 months
Entry Requirements
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
- Introduction to Business English
- Communicating with Children
- Learning Psychology
- Child Development
- First Aid Concepts
- Telephone Courtesy and Customer Service
- Time Management
This is what you will learn in the Child Psychology field:
- A guide to communicating as a Child Psychologist
- Communicating well with children
- A description of how children learn and develop their skills
- Development of speech, thoughts, and behaviour in children
- The use of first aid
- The best way to treat a customer
- How to manage your time well
Child Day Care Short Course
Programme Type: Provider Programme
Award Issued By: Skills Academy
Accredited By: Not Applicable
Qualification Title: Child Day Care Short Course
Qualification Type: Certificate
Course Duration: 4 to 6 months
Entry Requirements
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
- Introduction to Business English
- Child Day Care DCD-101
Child Day Care Certificate Course
Programme Type: Provider Programme
Award Issued By: Skills Academy
Accredited By: Not Applicable
Qualification Title: Child Day Care Certificate Course
Qualification Type: Certificate
Course Duration: 8 to 12 months
Entry Requirements
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
- Introduction to Business English
- Child Day Care DCD-101
- First-Aid Concepts
- Customer Satisfaction
Child Day Care Comprehensive Course
Programme Type: Provider Programme
Award Issued By: Skills Academy
Accredited By: Not Applicable
Qualification Title: Child Day Care Comprehensive Course
Qualification Type: Certificate
Course Duration: 12 to 18 months
Entry Requirements
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
- Introduction to Business English
- Child Day Care DCD-101
- First-Aid Concepts
- Customer Satisfaction
- Child Day Care CDC-102
- Office Management
This is what you will learn in the Child Day Care Courses:
- A guide to running a child care business
- Communicating with children
- Concepts of child care
- Methods for caring for children
- Maintaining a safe work environment
- How to manage children
- A guide to helping children who are ill or injured
Educare NATED N4 National Certificate
SAQA ID: 66883
Course Credits: 60
NQF Level: Level 5
Qualification Title: Educare NATED N4 National Certificate
Qualification Type: National N Certificate
Course Duration: 6 to 12 months
Entry Requirements
- Must have a Matric Certificate (Amended Senior Certificate or National Senior Certificate)
- Be 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
All subjects are compulsory:
- Day Care Personnel Development N4
- Educare Didactics: Theory and Practical N4
- Education N4
- Child Health N4
Educare NATED N5 National Certificate
SAQA ID: 66971
Course Credits: 60
NQF Level: Level 5
Qualification Title: Educare NATED N5 National Certificate
Qualification Type: National N Certificate
Course Duration: 6 to 12 months
Entry Requirements
- Must have completed the Educare NATED N4 National Certificate
- Be 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
All subjects are compulsory:
- Day Care Management N5
- Day Care Communication N5
- Educare Didactics: Theory and Practical N5
- Educational Psychology N5
Educare NATED N6 National Certificate
SAQA ID: 67007
Course Credits: 60
NQF Level: Level 5
Qualification Title: Educare NATED N6 National Certificate
Qualification Type: National N Certificate
Course Duration: 6 to 12 months
Entry Requirements
- Must have completed the Educare NATED N5 National Certificate
- Be 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
- Be able to study through distance learning
Course Subjects
All subjects are compulsory:
- Day Care Management N6
- Day Care Communication N6
- Educare Didactics: Theory and Practical N6
- Educational Psychology N6
This is what you will learn in the Educare and Childcare courses:
- Management of a Day Care Centre
- Ability to communicate well with children, parents, and staff
- An understanding of how the body and mind of a child develop
- Identify whether a child is doing well by analysing their behaviour
Educare NATED N6 National Diploma
SAQA ID: 90674
Course Credits: 360
NQF Level: Level 6
Qualification Title: Educare NATED N6 National Diploma
Qualification Type: National N Diploma
Course Duration: 18 to 36 months
Entry Requirements
- Must have completed the Educare NATED N6 National Certificate
18 Months Work Experience
There are no subjects for this qualification. You are only required to complete 18 months work experience. Here is how you can complete your work experience:
- Register on the iWIL website
- The iWIL website is designed by the Department of Higher Education and Training
- The purpose of the website is to help students find volunteer work where they can gain experience
- Once you have registered, you will receive a job in a company at which you will complete your work experience
- The manager of the Day Care Centre overseeing your work experience must sign off a letter/report
- Send the letter/report back to us, and we will send it to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) for approval
Once the DHET has approved your letter/report, they will send you your Educare NATED N6 National Diploma
The term Educare refers to educating and caring for children. Educare is how children from the ages of zero to five are taken care of from home or at a Day Care Centre. Educare can be done in the following ways:
| Formal Educare | Informal Educare |
| Children are taken care of through a Day Care Centre | Children are taken care of at home |
| Taught by a Day Care Teacher | Trained by a parent or family member |
| Children learn to read, write, speak, wash hands and more | Children learn to speak, play, wash hands and more |
| Children can interact with other children | Children cannot interact with other children |
NATED Educare refers to a course offered at Matric College. This course is designed by the DHET. They are the same professional body that also accredited the course along with the QCTO. The NATED Educare course equips you with both skills and knowledge that get you ready for the work environment.
Matric College offers the NATED Educare courses. We offer these courses through distance learning. This means that you study the courses from home. When you study through us, we provide different tools to assist you in your studies. These are:
- Study material
- Tutors
- Course experts
- Urgent requests forms
To study the Educare NATED Programme, you must have a Matric Certificate. You must also meet the following requirements:
- Be able to study through distance learning
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
Yes, you need Matric to study the Educare NATED Programme. However, if you do not have Matric, you have a chance to get it. You can study the Adult Matric course. This course is for students who do not have a Matric Certificate and wish to have one. Once you complete the Adult Matric course, you can use the Matric Certificate you receive to apply for the Educare NATED Programme. The Requirements For Adult Matric:
- You must have at least a Grade 9 or equivalent qualification,
- i.e.: Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Level 4
- You have an incomplete Matric
- You must be able to read, write and understand English or Afrikaans
- You must be 21 years or older to write the exams
- You may sign up for the Adult Matric course at the age of 19 years old, but you will only be able to write the Adult Matric exam once you are over 21
It takes 18 to 36 months to complete the Educare NATED courses. It takes 6 to 18 months to complete the following:
It takes 18 months to complete the following:
Educare N4 to N6 refers to the following Certificate courses:
- Educare NATED N4 National Certificate
- Educare NATED N5 National Certificate
- Educare NATED N6 National Certificate
An Educare NATED N6 National Diploma is a qualification created by the DHET. The purpose is to help students gain qualities that are valued by employers. This way, the youth unemployment rate in South Africa decreases. These qualities are work experience and knowledge. The Educare NATED N6 National Diploma has no assessments. You are only required to complete 18 months of work experience to receive the qualification.
| Qualification | Credits |
| Educare NATED N4 National Certificate | 60 credits |
| Educare NATED N5 National Certificate | 60 credits |
| Educare NATED N6 National Certificate | 60 credits |
| Educare NATED N6 National Diploma | 360 credits |
The Educare NATED Certificate courses are made up of three (3) open book assignments and exams. You are required to pass these assessments to pass the courses. There are three assignments and one exam in each subject in a course. You must get 40% or higher marks to pass the assignment, and 50% or higher to pass the exam. Below is a set of things you can do to pass these assessments:
- Study
You must take time to study your study material to understand your course best. A student who studies has a higher chance to pass their course.
- Write
For all the assessments you are required to write and submit, ensure you do so. This will help you gather all the marks you need to pass.
- Research
Take time to do research on the course you are doing. This will help you have a broad perspective, and it will be easier to understand your course assessments when you have basic and general knowledge.
- Tutors
There are tutors available to assist you. They can help you understand your assessments better. You can use the knowledge to answer exams and assignments with a better understanding.
When you complete the Educare NATED N4 National Certificate, the college sends your results to the DHET. When the DHET has approved your results, they send us your Educare NATED N4 National Certificate, and we award it to you.
You can use an Educare NATED N6 National Diploma to find employment. Applying for work with this qualification increases your chances of getting hired because of the following:
- It is an accredited qualification
- It offers skills and knowledge
- It has the 18 months work experience component
- It is designed by the DHET
You can use the Educare NATED N6 National Diploma to find employment as the following:
- Day Care Manager
- Day Care Owner
- Day Care Administrator
- Nanny
- Au Pair
- Assistant Grade R Teacher
You can not teach any Grade with an Educare Qualification. You must have a Degree Qualification in Teaching to teach. For example, a Degree in Foundation Phase Teaching (Grade R to 3).
| Qualification | NQF Level |
| Educare NATED N4 National Certificate | NQF Level 5 |
| Educare NATED N5 National Certificate | NQF Level 5 |
| Educare NATED N6 National Certificate | NQF Level 5 |
| Educare NATED N6 National Diploma | NQF Level 6 |
Benefits Of Studying At Matric College
- You will be studying from home
- You will save a lot of transport money
- You can study through us while you are working
- Study sessions are set by you
- You are in charge of your learning pace
- There are tutors to assist in your academic assessments
- Your urgent requests are handled as soon as possible
- We have course experts to give you detailed information about the course you choose
- We send you the study material five (5) to seven (7) days after your registration
A Child Day Care course focuses on how children are taken care of. The course equips you with skills needed to train children in the following development areas:
- Emotional Development
- Social Development
- Mental Development
- Physical Development
- Speech Development
Yes, you can study Childcare courses without Matric. You are only required to meet the following requirements:
- Be able to study through distance learning
- Be at least 16 years or older
- Be able to read, write and understand English
You are not required to have a set of specific subjects to study in the Educare and Childcare courses. You can apply for the Educare and Childcare courses with the subjects you have.
No, you do not need a Degree Qualification to be a Crèche Manager. You can be a Crèche Manager even if you have a Certificate Qualification.
To look after babies, you need to have an Educare or a Child care Qualification. It can be one of the following:
People with these qualities can study Educare and Childcare Courses:
- Have a patient character
- Love working with children
- Be full of energy
- Have good communication skills
- Good listeners
- Sympathetic in situations
- Pays attention to details
- Protective but not too strict
- Creative and open to new things
Yes, being a Childcare Worker is worth it for the following reasons:
- You earn a good salary
- You feel good about what you do
- You impact a growing generation
- You can go from one career to another
- A chance to be self-employed
- You meet new people often
- You learn from the children
- Parents will be grateful for your work
- You can learn how to raise your own children in the process
- Child workers are important in every country
You can follow this process to find employment and work with children:
- Apply at Matric College for the Educare or Childcare courses
- Gain skills and knowledge
- Get awarded a qualification
- Use the qualification to look for employment
- You will have a higher chance of being hired when applying with a qualification that is child based
- Start working as a Childcare worker
Our Accreditation For Educare Courses
SAQA
Our Educare NATED courses are registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The South African Qualifications Authority is a professional body that monitors the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). This means our courses are registered on the NQF. You can use our Educare NATED Qualifications to continue studying or find work anywhere nationally.
DHET
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) is a professional body that grants accreditation to courses and qualifications. Our Educare NATED courses are designed and accredited by the DHET. This means that you can use the qualification to further your studies or find employment anywhere in South Africa. NATED courses are offered through a partnership with Bellview Institute of Distance Learning.
QCTO
The Quality Council of Trades and occupations are a Quality Council that grants accreditation to occupational courses. Our Educare NATED courses are accredited by the QCTO. This gives you a quality education that is valued by employers. You will have a better chance to find employment or further your studies.
Why Choose To Study Educare And Childcare Courses Via Distance Learning
- Study at home
When you study through distance learning, you get to do it from home. This helps you study in a place that is comfortable and less pressurising.
- Study how you see fit
You schedule all your study sessions. You are in charge of your study pace, and this helps you learn and understand better.
- Cut transport
You do not attend any classes in distance learning. This means you save a lot of money that could have been spent on transportation fees.
- Study while you work
You can study while you work. This is possible whether you are an employee, employer or business owner. You will be able to set your study sessions for the times when you are free from work.
- Gain quality education
We have tutors to assist you weekly. This is to ensure you have the best learning experiences.
- Study material
After your registration with Matric College, we send you the study material. This arrives in five (5) to (7) days.
- Gain a qualification
Once you have completed any course with us, we grant you a qualification. We also host graduation ceremonies for our students to appreciate their hard work and wish them well in their next journey.
Career Opportunities With Educare And Childcare Courses Qualifications
- Day Care Manager – R 33 036
- Day Care Administrator – R 9 288
- Au Pair – R 8 000
- Child Health And Nutrition Caretaker – R 7 952
- Nanny – R 6 691
- Hiring new employees
- Directs the staff
- Attends meetings with parents/guardians
- Manages the Day Care Centre budget plans
- Ensure the centre is safe and healthy every time
- Registers children to a Day Care Centre
- Sets up a daily plan for the centre
- Designs learning programmes for children
- Files academic records
- Monitor academic progress
- Arrange healthy meals
- Help children bath, dress and sleep
- Engage in fun activities
- Clean toys
- Assist with homework
- Sets up healthy meals for children
- Ensures healthy eating
- Administers medication for children who are sick
- Motivate parents to train children to eat healthily
- Monitors children’s health progress
- Look after children
- Ensure they eat, bath and sleep
- Play fun games with children
- Perform light housekeeping
- Helps with homework
Frequently Asked Questions
The term NATED is an acronym meaning National Accredited Technical Education Diploma. This is a course name that shows the qualities of the course, which are:
- National
The course is recognised nationally
- Accredited
It is accredited by the DHET and the QCTO
- Technical
It focuses more on technical learning (e.g. skills)
- Education
It is designed by the Department of Higher Education and Training to equip students with an education that is valued in the workplace
- Diploma
It offers a Diploma Qualification that is received once you have completed N4, N5 and N6 National Certificates plus 18 months of work experience
Yes, Once you have completed the Educare NATED N6 National Certificate, you graduate. We have graduation ceremonies for our students when they complete a course. This is done to celebrate them as well as wish them well for their next adventure in life.
You receive your Educare NATED N6 National Certificate from us. We send your results to the DHET who approves the results and send us your N6 Certificates. We then take the Educare NATED N6 National Certificate and award it to you.
No, you cannot go to university with the Educare NATED N6 National Certificate. You need a Matric Certificate with a Bachelor’s Degree pass to go to university. Your acceptance depends on whether you meet the requirements for both the university and the course applied for.
Educare NATED Certificate Qualifications are valid endlessly. Once the DHET approves your Certificates and sends them to us, we award them to you and from there, they are valid forever.
No, the Childcare Certificate does not expire. Once the college awards you with the Certificate Qualification, it belongs to you and is valid for a lifetime.
You can use a Childcare Qualification to do the following:
- Find work
You can use a Childcare Qualification to find employment. You will have a higher chance of being employed as you have been equipped with skills. These are very important in a working environment, and employers will value you for them.
- Open a business
Since you are equipped with a set of skills, you can use these to open a business. For example, if you studied a Crèche Management course, you can use it to open a Day Care Centre and be your own boss. You will have a higher chance of succeeding because more parents will trust their children under your care based on your qualification.
Yes, Educare courses are recognised nationally. They are registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). This means that you can use the Educare NATED Qualifications to find work or continue your studies anywhere nationally.
Yes, the Educare NATED courses are accredited by the DHET and the QCTO. This means that these courses are connected to a professional body. This is to ensure that you learn education that is of quality standards.
No, The National N Diploma is not equivalent to the National Diploma. The National N Diploma is a qualification designed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) for a purpose. This makes it a unique qualification. The learning process and outcomes of the National N Diploma are different from those of the National Diploma. Equivalent qualifications are known to have similar learning processes and outcomes. This means that the National N Diploma and the National Diploma are not equivalent.
Author: Mulisa Nethononda
Date Published: 25 April, 2022
Editor: Amy Venter