Dr. S. Ganesan
Regional Director, IGNOU
This Diploma Programme in Early Childhood Care and Education (DECE) gives in-depth theoretical as well as practical knowledge related to early childhood care and education. This Programme is a unique holistic package that aims to help the learners to develop and augment the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for fostering the development of young children (from birth to six years of age) who may be in various settings such as in the ECCE centres or at home. Research in neuroscience has established that the early years are critical for the development of the brain. Lack of healthy and safe environments, inadequate nutrition, lack of stimulation and opportunities for learning can have a long lasting negative impact on the development of the child. On the other hand, adequate nutrition, sound health, stimulation and opportunities for learning has a multiplier positive impact on children’s development, in the short-term and long-term. This programme equips the learner to foster the holistic development of young children by providing opportunities for their all round development. It is a programme of continuous knowledge and skill up-gradation for those working in the sector of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). The programme will be of interest to functionaries and teachers working with children in the birth to six age group in diverse settings, such as creches, preschools, pre-primary classes, nursery schools, anganwadis and balwadis. It will also be of use to those wishing to set up early childhood care and education centres or managing such centres, parents and others interested in knowing about the development of the children. This one year Diploma programme is not a teacher education programme recognized by National Council of Teacher Education.
The specific objectives of the Diploma Programme are to enable the learner:
• To develop an understanding about the needs and rights of children with emphasis on the socio-cultural context of childhood;
• To understand the development of children from birth to six years of age;
• To plan play activities for fostering development of young children;
• To know the health and nutritional needs of young children and to be able to evaluate a diet with respect to its nutritional adequacy;
• To be able to identify common childhood illnesses, take care of the sick child and take preventive measures;
• To interact with the community and impart simple health, nutrition, preschool education and early childhood care and education messages;
• To identify children with special needs, provide early stimulation and take preventive action;
• To gain and augment their knowledge and develop skills and attitudes required for working with young children in ECCE centres in various settings in the field;
• To critically reflect upon one’s practices as an ECCE practitioner and modify them to suit children’s backgrounds;
• To make the discourse of ECCE available to a wider section of society by exposing people to the need for ECCE and ways of fostering children’s development.
Eligibility: The Programme is open to all learners who have cleared the 10+2 examination or its equivalent.
Duration: The Programme duration is one year but are allowed to take up to four years to complete the programme, as per convenience.
Medium of Instruction: The Programme is available in English, Hindi and Tamil medium.
• Special features of the DECE:
The programme gives you indepth theoretical as well as practical knowledge related to early childhood care and education. The course material is self-explanatory. Supplementary academic inputs would be provided by teachers from universities together with early childhood educators working in preschools and nursery schools all over the country. The project work and practicals that form a major component of the programme would help you to develop requisite attitudes and skills so as to work effectively as early childhood educators.
• Employment opportunities for DECE:
The Diploma programme is very specifically vocational in nature, opening avenues for employment as well as self-employment. ECCE services are an area with tremendous employment potential-both in the voluntary sector and the government organizations. Being offered immediately on completion of schooling (i.e. after completing 10+2), it will enable learners to take uyp work without necessarily pursuing higher education. The programme will also serve as an in-service training programme for middle level child care workers; enabling learners to upgrade their knowledge and skills which will assist in job mobility.
The programme will be of interest to:
Those who wish to set up their own child care centres;
Those desirous of obtaining qualifications to work as child care workers in the government or private institutions and parents and others interested in knowing about the development of children
The word ‘child care centres’ here refers to crèches, day care centres, nursery schools, kindergartens, centres run under the ICDS programme, balwadis and centres of a similar nature run by the government or national/international voluntary agencies.
Subjects Nature of Course
Organizing Child Care Services Theory : 6 credits
Practical : 2 credits
Child Health and Nutrition Theory : 6 credits
Practical : 2 credits
Services and Programmes for Children Theory : 6 credits
Practical : 2 credits
Project Work-Working with young children in a child care setting Practical : 8 credits
ORGANIZING CHILD CARE SERVICES
As you know, the Diploma progarmme aims to enable to set up child care centres like crèches, preschools, nursery schools, kindergartens and day care centres for children up to six years of age. To do successfully, it is important to understand how children develop from one year to the next. In course #I deals about the physical, motor, language, cognitive, social and emotional development of children. The course will help the learner to develop an understanding about the needs and rights of children and give you a perspective on the socio-cultural context of childhood. They will also read about ways of fostering children’s development through play activities, and the basic principles of organizing crèches, preschools and day care centres.
Introduction of Child Care and Development
The child: Development in the First Twelve Months
The Child: Development During Toddlerhood (13-36 months)
The Child: Development During Preschool Years (3-6 years)
Play Activities for Pre-schoolers-I & 2
Organizing Child Care Centre
CHILD HEALTH AND NUTRITION
This Paper talks about the health and nutritional needs of young children. Good health and proper nutrition are prerequisites for optimum development. The Course material will help you to identify common childhood illnesses, take immediate care of the sick child and take preventive measures. You will learn the principles of planning balanced diets for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and pregnant and lactating mothers. You will also study the major nutritional deficiency diseases and come to know about some major nutrition and health programmes in our country.
Introduction to Nutrition and Health
Basic Concepts in Nutrition
Nutrition and Health Care (During Pregnancy and Lactation)
Nutrition and Health Care (During Infancy and Early Childhood)
Nutrition Related Disorders in Early Childhood
Nutrition and Health Programmes
Common Childhood Illness, Their prevention and Management-I & 2
SERVICES AND PROGRAMMES FOR CHILDREN
Through this Paper student will come to know about the services available in our country for children, and the organizations working for the development of children. Reading through this subject will also enable them to know about children with disabilities, to be alert to early symptoms indicative of disability, to be able to take care of disabled children within the setting of the preschool (or) the creche and to take preventive action. This paper will also help to strengthen the skills of interacting with the community and to be able to impart simple health, nutrition and preschool education messages.
Services for Children
Children with special needs-1 & 2
Communicating with parents and the community
Managing children’s programmes: some perspectives
AS WORKING WITH YOUNG CHlLDREN IN A CHILD CARE SETTING
The Project Work forms the fourth paper of the Diploma. We anticipate that through the Course you will be able to experience the “feel” of working with children in a preschool setting.
For the Project Work, student will be placed in a nursery school/preschool for 30 working days and required to carry out play activities with the children there..
The play activities plan and carry out have to be based on the broad parameters indicated in the Project Manual. The format for writing the Activity Plan and the Report of each play activity is also described in the Manual. Student need to refer to the Project Manual at each step of the Project.
The Activity plans and the Reports of all the play activities must be compiled as a Project File.
For the duration of the Project Work, student will be attached to a Guide. This will be a teacher from the Nursery School where will be placed for the project Work.
Student would be interacting with the Guide daily during activities because of her significant role. The Guide would approve play activities before you carry them out in the preschool, observe you as you carry out the play activities and, subsequently, give you feedback. She will also guide you in terms of writing the Report of each play activity. She will be evaluating your play activities as well.
There will also be a Counsellor with whom student can interact with regard to the Project Work. This person will be available on the dates as would be given to you in the counselling schedule. However, interacting with the Counsellor is optional. You may wish to go to her/him for further guidance or if there some problems which neither you nor your Guide are able to solve.
The new born baby is normally taken care of elderly people at joint family. The young parents observe the activities and learn as the child grows. But, the nuclear family structure force the young parent (especially, for first baby) to know more about early childhood care and education. In the absence of senior citizens (ground parents) at home, the young couple mainly depend on servant maide (or) pediatricians (or) neighbours. The theoretical input for young parents can be obtained from DECE like academic programme.
Let the young parent equip themselves to manage their child, more independently with confidence, due to educational enrichment course-DECE. Similarly, the senior citizens can also get an educational opportunity to update their knowledge about babies. Let the education empower the young parents, to handle the child more scientifically
