A Day Nursery setting typically operates from a non-domestic premises, such as an industrial unit, or purpose built building. Day Nurseries can take children from 6 weeks old to 12 years old.
Typically a Day Nursery will operate for a full week roughly between the hours of 7 am until 6 pm, however the hours vary depending on the setting. At a Day Nursery parents are able to drop the children to the setting at the start of the day and collect them at the end of the day, some settings provide lunch and snacks (for a fee) or parents provide a packed lunch for the child.
Some Day Nurseries offer school collection for children, whether this is at lunch time for part time school children, or at the end of the school day, and care for the child at their setting, but again, this varies depending on the setting.
To work in a Day Nursery setting you will need a Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development (CCPLD) qualification, the level you require will depend on your job role within the setting. Some settings are able to accept unqualified staff, with the expectation that you work towards gaining your qualification whilst in the role, this is dependant on the setting. You can find out more about what qualifications are needed at the below link:
https://socialcare.wales/qualifications-funding/qualification-framework/job-roles/full-day-care-and-cr%C3%A8che-facilities-for-children-below-the-age-of-eight-years
If the setting also cares for children up to the age of 12, you will also need a Transition to Playwork qualification to care for children over the age of 8 years.
You will also need a minimum of a level 2 Safeguarding and a Paediatric First Aid certificate that has been gained within the last 3 years. These are required by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) in the National Minimum Standards (NMS) that set out the requirement of all Childcare settings across Wales. Any setting that operates for over 2 hours per day MUST be registered with CIW.
If settings provide snacks and lunch, it may best practice for you to also hold a valid Food Hygiene certificate.