The Competent
Nanny Workshop
Caring for a baby or toddler is an extremely important job. All children deserve to be cared for with respect, right from the day they are born. This course is for in-home caregivers (nannies or domestic helpers), offering knowledge and practice to equip them with the skills to handle young children confidently. Caregivers are also shown how to promote a child's development holistically, including providing quality interaction and play.
The Competent Nanny course is suitable for caregivers of children between 0-3 years old. We hold separate workshops for caregivers of infants (0-18 months) and toddlers (18 months - 3 years). Each class includes a 4-hour theory session and a 2-hour practical hands-on session in a playgroup setting.
Topics of study include:
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Attachment theory and the importance of the secure base
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Respectful caregiving such as diapering, bathing, dressing and feeding
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Creating a safe physical environment which supports play, learning, collaboration and independence.
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The value and elements of child-led play.
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Gentle discipline, including setting boundaries empathetically, time-ins, and natural and logical consequences.
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Praise and the growth vs fixed mindset.
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Supporting children during disputes.
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Supporting natural cognitive, socio-emotional and physical development.
Private classes on selected or all topics of The Competent Nanny workshops are available upon request.
Please contact us at workshops@chapterzero.org if you would like to find out more and/or fill out this form to indicate your interest for future sessions.
WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUR COURSE...
JOLENE
Mother of 1 year old Ellie
"I just wanted to say thanks so much for a fantastic course. My helper came back with a whole new perspective on childcare, play and discipline. The way she has taken your suggestions on board has far exceeded my expectations when I decided to send her for it. When I get home at the end of the day now, my helper tells me about how Ellie has responded positively to her methods that day. She has even taken to gently correct Ellie's other caregivers (my parents) for using distraction. In all I am very pleased and would recommend this course to all my friends' helpers."
MRS S. CONWAY
Mother of 14 month old A
"My helper recently attended Chapter Zero's Competent Nanny course and this evening I saw her modeling what she learnt with my 14 mo. A was fussing when he finished one of his very yummy smoothie pouches and wanted another one. Usually, Betty would have said, 'No' and tried to distract him with something else but instead she said this today:
'You really want another one. You are upset that you can't have another one but it's bed time soon and you can't have too much sugar. We can have one more tomorrow, ok? Let's drink some milk instead?'
What an amazing difference! I highly recommend this course to everyone who wants to get their helpers on board the respectful parenting journey."
ANONYMOUS
"Before the course, I only knew what I had to do but didn’t really know why. Now, after coming to this course, I understand why we do certain things when we take care of babies. I knew it in my mind, but now I know it also in my heart."
STEPHANIE
Mother of 6 month old Noemi
"The Competent Nanny workshop has been invaluable in sharing my RIE principles for my daughter with Chandani. Chandani found the course both extremely informative and fun at the same time. Shumei's style of teaching went to the right level of depth on each topic, and each of the principles was clearly explained with great take home material to share with me. Chandani and I debriefed the course and I was impressed with the amount of material she had been able to process.
In short the course made me infinitely more comfortable heading back to work knowing that Chandani and I were on the same page in terms of parenting approach for Noemi. I will send her to any future courses, and even a refresher once Noemi is a toddler."
SYLVIA
Mother of 3 year old Noah and
7 month old Naomi
HUANG HUI LIN
Mother of 1 year old Ashley
"I'm really glad that I had sent my helper for The Competent Nanny workshop. Before attending the workshop, as with many of the older generation, my helper was rather over-protective of my son, often prescribing his way of play. The workshop helped her to become more open-minded and taught her how to engage my son better with the environment and simple tools of daily living. I was pleasantly surprised when she came home from the session and let my son roam around more freely in the house and even took out fruit baskets and tupperware for him to explore and play with. She had a new-found enthusiasm for bringing him outdoors too where previously she wanted to shield him from mozzies and getting grimy and grubby frm crawling around!
The workshop was very comprehensive in that it even had a follow-up practical session after the theory lesson. For the practical lesson attendees had to bring the children in their care along so the facilitators could give comments that were tailored for each nanny-child pair which I felt was extremely thoughtful and useful since dynamics are different for all. I feel that the workshop has put my helper and I on the same page as to how we should best goad my son on to develop his motor skills, confidence and curiosity. Allowing free play without limiting his imagination (but within safe constraints of course) is so essential at this developmenal stage. The workshop is immensely beneficial and working mothers should definitely send their helpers for the workshop if their kids are under the care of a nanny."
SILVIA
Mother of 1 year old Arthur
"Our helper, Nuraini, greatly benefited from having attended the nanny training as she learned many practical strategies to support our your son in a more respectful way. She is better able to slow down, give him space and allow him to explore the world in his way."
"My helper Marylou enjoyed The Competent Nanny workshop tremendously. I have sent her for another similar course but she found Chapter Zero's sessions a lot more insightful and easy to understand. She particularly enjoyed the practical session as it allowed her to receive useful feedback on how to handle baby in a respectful manner on a day-to-day basis. Being able to handle baby in front of facilitators and see how other helpers handle the baby was very impactful and brought the theory she learnt to life. The notes from the session were also very helpful for me. Highly recommend this to anyone who relies on domestic help to take care of their young children!"