New beginnings

The Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education (CACHE) runs a number of units within its diploma, NVQ, certificate and other courses that can be taken separately or as part of these courses. These include:

* Supporting the care and development of babies in partnership with their parents (in NVQ Level 4).

* Advanced practice in working with babies (an option unit in its Level 3 certificate of professional development in work with children and young people).

Contact CACHE, 8 Chequer Street, St Albans, Herts AL1 3XZ (01727 847636, fax 01727 867609, website www.cache.org.uk).

Crechendo Training runs:

* The CACHE Advanced practice in working with babies course. The 60-hour course is ideal for anyone working in a nursery baby room and includes an in-depth knowledge of the principles of practice in the development of babies, understanding attachment theory, how babies learn and our role in encouraging these areas; gaining a deeper understanding of the importance of care routines, ensuring the safety and security of babies in your care; how to recognise conditions affecting the under-ones, and have an awareness of first aid for babies, including resuscitation and choking, and reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

The course runs in south London on alternate Saturdays, from 10am to 4pm, starting on 12 January then continuing on 26 January, 9 and 23 February, 9 and 23 March, 6 and 20 April, and 4 and 18 May.

Contact Crechendo Training, 1 Grange Mills, Weir Road, London SW12 0NE (020 8772 8160, e-mail training@ crechendo.com, website www.crechendo.co.uk).

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths is the UK's leading cot death charity, working to prevent sudden infant death and to promote baby health. It regularly holds conferences and seminars across the UK for childcare workers, including nannies and childminders, as well as health professionals and parents.

Contact the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths, Artillery House, 11-19 Artillery Row, London SW1P 1RT (020 7222 8001, fax 020 7222 8002, 24-hour helpline 020 7233 2090, e-mail fsid@sids.org.uk,website www.sids.org.uk/fsid).

The Montessori Centre International has a seminar on:

* Developmental activities for toddlers, on 23 March. It will explore the importance of heuristic play.

Contact the Montessori Centre International, 18 Balderton Street, London W1K 6TG (020 7493 0165, fax 020 7629 7808, e-mail mci@montessori.ac.uk,website www.montessori.ac.uk).

The National Childbirth Trust is Europe's largest childbirth and parenting charity. It provides information and practical support on all aspects of pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood and campaigns for improvements in maternity services in the UK. With 40,000 members, including 6,000 volunteers and trained workers, it helps 300,000 parents each year through its antenatal classes and postnatal and breastfeeding support network.

Contact the National Childbirth Trust, Alexandra House, Oldham Terrace, Acton, London W3 6NH (0870 444 8707, Breastfeeding line 0870 444 8708, website www.nctpregnancyand babycare.co.uk).

The National Early Years Network runs in-house day workshops on:

* Learning and social needs of babies in group care. This workshop reviews the latest research showing how babies are learning from birth and the implications for people in daycare settings.

* Learning and social needs of one- to three-year-olds in group care. This workshop emphasises the need to follow children's initiative at this age, developing their sense of identity and self-esteem rather than directing their learning.

Contact the National Early Years Network, 77 Holloway Road, London N7 8JZ (020 7607 9573, fax 020 7700 1105, e-mail neyn.org@virgin.net).

NIPPA: The Early Years Organisation, runs workshops for those working with babies and toddlers on:

* Treasure baskets and heuristic play, at various locations in Northern Ireland.

Contact NIPPA, 6c Wildflower Way, Apollo Road, Belfast BT12 6TA (028 9066 2825, fax 028 9038 1270, e-mail info.nippa@cinni.org).

The Pre-School Learning Alliance runs a course on:

* Play for under-threes. This course will provide training for early years workers wanting to extend their provision to include younger children. It explores attitudes and provides an understanding of how to create a learning environment for younger children in a pre-school setting.

Contact the Pre-School Learning Alliance, 69 Kings Cross Road, London WC1X 9LL (020 7833 0991, fax 020 7837 4942, e-mail pla@pre-school.org.uk,website www.pre-school.org.uk).

The Riverside Early Years Training Centre runs a day course on:

* The advanced baby practitioner, on 29 January and 25 June. This six-hour course includes tutorials, and is for qualified candidates seeking an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the principles of practice in the care and development of babies. It includes social and emotional development, antenatal and postnatal care and development from nought to 12 months, language development, working in non-team settings, child protection and day-to-day care.

Contact the Riverside Early Years Training Centre, Minton Lane, North Shields, Tyne and Wear NE29 6DQ (0191 200 5200, fax 0191 200 5300, website www.northtyneside.gov.uk/lifelong-learn/riverside).

The School of Infant Mental Health offers integrated educational and training programmes for professionals. Its courses include:

* Foundation course (16 hours). This is an introduction to infant mental health and parent-infant psychotherapy. It can be taken on its own or used as a basis for entry into diploma courses.

The diploma options in infant mental health include:

* Infant observation (two years). Participants observe a baby at home to learn about normal development of emotions.

* Clinical seminars (two years).

* Infant research (30 hours). These sessions examine aspects of foetal life, the world of the senses, communication, temperament, individuality and attachment, and explore the parents' mental state.

* Infant psychiatry (30 hours).

A Diploma in Parent-Infant Psychotherapy is also available. This is designed to develop clinical skills in treating parents and infants in distress. For more details see under Mental health in the Good practice section.

Contact the School of Infant Mental Health, 27 Frognal, London NW3 6AR (020 7467 8453, fax 020 7433 3112, e-mail SIMH2000@aol.com,website www.infantmentalhealth.com).

Tinies Childcare is running courses on:

* Paediatric first aid, on 19 January, 23 February, 16 March, 14 April, 11 May, 22 June and 20 July. This one-day comprehensive course for childcarers and parents aims to make participants competent to handle any childcare emergency.

* Baby massage for childcarers and parents on dates throughout the year. This comprehensive half-day course teaches massage techniques that promote hands-on bonding with parents and carers as well as encouraging sleep and relaxation.

* Sleep management for childcarers and parents, on various dates throughout the year. This half-day course shows how to help children achieve acceptable sleeping patterns.

Contact Miranda Hunt, Tinies Training, 351 Fulham Palace Road, London SW6 (020 7384 0322, fax 020 77316008, e-mail o.black@tinieschildcare. co.uk, website www. tinies.co.uk).

Training courses for maternity nannies and maternity nurses include:

* Tinies maternity practitioner course, on 2 and 3 February. This intensive two-day weekend course in London is for qualified, mature nursery nurses, experienced nannies and midwives with excellent baby care who wish to make a career change to become a maternity nanny. It is run by a group of highly trained health professionals including a midwife teacher, a health visitor and a community practice teacher. The course is also ideal for practising maternity nannies to update their knowledge and skills so they are adopting current best practice. The course would also benefit those working in a nursery's baby unit.

Contact Miranda Hunt, Tinies Training, as above.

Maternity Nanny Training is running a two-day course:

* The maternity nanny practitioner, at Reading University on 1 and 2 March.

The course is for nannies wishing to become maternity nannies. It covers all aspects of caring for the newborn, all the roles of the maternity nanny, including communicating with and supporting parents as well as how to gain employment in the early years sector.

Contact Philippa Jones, Maternity Nanny Training, 2 The Old Smithy, The Hatch, Burghfield Village, Reading, Berkshire RG30 3TH (01189 833210 also fax, e-mail philippa@maternitynanny training.com).

Maud Giles, a lactation and newborn consultant, is holding bi-monthly:

* Breastfeeding workshops for maternity nurses and maternity nannies, in west London. The workshops will give participants up-to-date information, and they will learn how to help mothers breastfeed successfully and deal with common problems. Participants will receive a certificate.

Contact Maud Giles on 07939 820651.