NICHED Professional Development

Welcome to The National Institute of Childcare and Education. NICHED supports your professional development & expertise through structured academic programmes, including research & postgraduate level training.

Residential study weeks in Reggio Emilia

Small weekly programmes of study for inspiration and professional development. These weekly programmes run throughout the year, designed for busy professionals who wish to participate in a professional dialogue within an international setting. Enjoyable, and inspiring, the study weeks offer support, expertise and new skills for participants to bring back to use within their own professional settings. Please look at our resources page for more details.

New Students

New student applications for the academic year starting in September 2010 are now being taken. New students should contact us to begin their application & interview process

Every Child Matters

NICHED is committed to supporting each child's emotional development and learning, as outlined within the current legislative framework: EVERY CHILD MATTERS. Each child needs to be supported by effective practitioners, so they can achieve the best in life. In order to help make certain each child gets the best support, there is a Bursary Award available of £1750 for NICHED students, to encourage professional development within all professional childcare and education settings. Click here for details.

Professional Practitioner

NICHED Professional Practitioners engage children and their families in cycles of positive behavioural changes, supporting self-esteem, emotional intelligence and positive learning dispositions. NICHED Professional Practitioners work actively to promote the learning and development of children in their care & education. Professional Practitioners are fully trained in supporting children's personal, social and emotional development, using key developmental & psychological theories & models of professional practice. NICHED Professional Practitioners understand the psychological & therapeutic benefits of play, and with their expertise in educational & developmental psychology are effective in supporting each child's individual needs.

The NICHED Professional Practitioner programme consists of 2000 hours of training, tutorials and case-study supervision. Students are supported by their Personal Tutor in the integration of theory with practice.

All NEW students begin their Structured Professional Development (SPD) with us in the Foundation Certificate Programme. On successful completion of each SPD, students can advance to the next level.

Clinical Play Therapist

Further specialist training & professional development is available for experienced education, health & social care professionals to train as Clinical Play Therapists. These are post-graduate level professional development programmes through clinical supervision,case-study research,distance-learning study & regular tutorials. These training programmes are delivered in partnership through The Euphelia Clinic.Students undertake specialist research projects and case studies including: attachment disorder, autistic spectrum, developmental delay, anxiety and post traumatic stress, sensory integration, family systems treatments. Please contact us if you are interested in training as a Clinical Play Therapist. Places are extremely limited for these professional development programmes, & all potential candidates must participate in an application selection process.

Click here for how to enrol and for further enrolment details.

Our Resources Page

We have created an extensive on-line library of articles, links and research documents to support your study with us. You have the most up to date, in depth analysis and research supporting your professional development. Look at our Resources page which has a small selection from our extensive on-line library.

Professional Development in Early Years, Childcare & Education