Early Childhood Care and Daycare Assistant

About this module

Little children cannot look after themselves. A good daycare assistant keeps them safe, clean, fed, loved and busy learning through play.

Who it is for. Beginners with no formal certificate, including school leavers, women's groups and persons with disabilities. National Proficiency I is the first level of Ghana's TVET framework.

Why this work matters

Ghana's national Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) policy was revised for 2025 to 2029 and launched in February 2026. It covers children from conception to age 8 and names six areas: health, nutrition, early learning, responsive caregiving, safety and security, and inclusion.
The policy says the first years matter most for the brain; it quotes the figure that 90 percent of brain development happens before age five.
In June 2024, officials checked 10 daycare centres in Accra. Only 2 had a valid licence, and one was ordered closed for unsanitary conditions. Parents need safe, licensed care, and trained assistants are needed to give it.
The Department of Social Welfare trains daycare attendants. In September 2026 one nine-week course (six weeks in class and three weeks of practice) trained 33 caregivers in child development, first aid, emergency management and child protection laws.

Five parts of good care

The Ghana guidelines for daycare centres use the Nurturing Care idea: good health, enough good food, responsive caregiving (answering a child's needs kindly), safety and security, and chances to learn. This manual follows those five parts.

Safety gate for the whole course. A daycare assistant is a carer, not a nurse or doctor.

You do not diagnose illness.
You do not give medicines, injections, drops, creams or herbal mixtures, and you do not treat malaria or any other illness. If a parent has left a medicine that a health worker has prescribed, with a written, signed instruction, only the centre manager follows that instruction, and records it.
If a child seems unwell, you tell your manager and the parent and send the child to a nurse or doctor. In an emergency, call 112.
First aid in this book is awareness only. Every learner must take a certified child first-aid course (for example through St John Ambulance Ghana or the Ghana Red Cross; local dates and fees are not verified, so phone to ask).

CTVET status. No CTVET (COTVET) early-childhood or daycare programme was found. This module is not a CTVET curriculum, and the certificate is from the Hub, not CTVET. It follows CTVET's format. A licence to run a daycare is a separate matter: it comes from the District Assembly's Social Welfare Department (see Unit 7).

How the module works

Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent. About 70% of the time is practical. Every unit has a practical task, homework and a short Check yourself quiz.

Other Hub books that go with this one. For children with disabilities see the Inclusive Training Guide. For the person-to-person skills of lifting, feeding and respect, see Caregiving for Older and Disabled People.

Words and signs you will meet

Infant: a baby under 1 year. Toddler: a child of about 1 to 3 years.
Nappy: what a baby wears for urine and stool (also called a diaper).
Source labels. Many first-aid, sleep and nappy-changing facts here come from the UK, the United States or international bodies, because Ghana has few published guides. They are marked (foreign) or (summary only). Treat them as good general practice and check with your nurse, your Social Welfare officer or your first-aid trainer.

Unit 1 · Child safety, protection (Act 560) and hygiene

A child cannot see danger coming. You see it first, and you keep the child's world safe, clean and respected.

Competency standard

Learning outcome	Performance criteria — the trainee…
1.1 Make a room and yard safe	walks a premises checklist, names hazards and fixes or reports them
1.2 Protect children	explains Act 560 duties, signs of harm, no hitting, and how to report
1.3 Keep the centre hygienic	washes hands correctly, cleans surfaces and handles waste and body fluids safely

Range. A training room or licensed daycare, with a yard, toilet and handwash point. Evidence. Premises checklist; role-play on reporting; hand-washing observation.

Why it matters

The Ghana guidelines for daycare centres say a child must have constant adult supervision, and children must be kept safe from fire, hot water, electrical fittings and appliances.
The Children's Act, 1998 (Act 560) says that anyone who has information about child abuse or a child in need of care and protection shall report it to the Department, which means the District Social Welfare and Community Development Department (section 17).
Act 560 says no person shall subject a child to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (section 13 in the copy we read; the headings in that copy are shifted by one, so check the gazetted text). It also says no correction is justifiable if it is unreasonable in kind or degree for the child's age, or if the child is too young to understand why. The Accra daycare guidelines go further: a centre must make sure corporal punishment is not used.
A child is a person under 18.

Part A: a safe room and yard

Safety is checked by walking the whole place at child height: get down on your knees and look.

Daily safety walk (before the first child arrives)

Gate is closed and has a lock that children cannot open; the fence has no gaps
Bush cleared and no standing water: snakes and mosquitoes live there
No sharp objects, broken glass, nails, stones or harmful plants in the yard
Sockets covered and no loose cables or hanging wires
Petrol, gas, kerosene, bleach, medicines and bowls of water out of reach
Cooking fire and hot water far from children, and the kitchen separate
Floor dry, clean and not slippery
Play equipment firm and checked; no loose bolts or splinters
First-aid box locked, out of reach, with emergency numbers inside
Safe drinking water ready
Exit path clear for an emergency

The guidelines also ask for a plan to leave the building if there is fire, with practice drills. Electrical wiring and repairs are only for a licensed electrician: you report, you do not repair.

Premises walk

Materials: printed checklist above, pen, a tape measure, a torch.

Get down to a child's eye level (about 1 metre) and walk the whole room and yard slowly.
Tick each item on the checklist. For any item you cannot tick, write what is wrong and where.
Measure the room. Guidelines suggest about 2 square metres per child indoors for babies and 1.4 to 1.8 square metres per child for older children, indoors and outdoors. Length times width gives the area; divide by the space per child.
Fix what is simple and safe (move a bucket, close a gate, pick up glass wearing thick gloves). Report the rest (a loose cable, a hole in the fence) to the manager.
Write two lines on what you did in your logbook.

Check: you can say how many children the room can hold, and every danger on your list has an action.

Common mistakes and fixes

Mistake	Fix
Looking from standing height only	Kneel and look at what a child can reach
A bucket of water left in the yard	Empty or cover it; a toddler can drown in a very small amount of water
The first-aid box on a low shelf	Lock it and put it high, out of reach
Fixing electrical faults yourself	Report them; only a licensed electrician repairs
Checking safety once a week	Walk it every morning and again after rain

Part B: protecting children

Who can harm a child. Anyone, including people the child knows. Children in daycares and institutions need to be watched for neglect and abuse.
Hiring rules in the guidelines. Workers should be over 18, in good health, with police clearance and references checked before employing, no history of child molestation, and no smoking, alcohol or drugs at work.
Never alone and out of sight. A good rule (recommended practice, not found in the Ghana source) is that no adult is alone with a child out of sight of others. Keep doors open and work in pairs.
Only named people collect a child. Release a child only to people on the admission form. If you do not know the person, ask the manager to phone the parent (recommended practice).
Photos. Do not post a child's face or name online without the parent's written consent (recommended practice; the guidelines require confidentiality).
Signs a child may be in trouble (general safeguarding teaching, not from a cited Ghana page): bruises or injuries that are unexplained or of different ages; sudden change in mood or behaviour; fear of one adult; very hungry or very dirty; not collected or left alone often; a child saying someone hurt them. One sign alone may have another cause. Your job is not to decide; your job is to notice, write and tell.

What to do if you are worried about a child

Stay calm. Do not question the child again and again, and do not promise to keep it secret.
If the child is in danger now, call 112 or go to the police.
Write down what you saw or heard: date, time, the child's own words, your name. Do not guess or accuse.
Tell the manager the same day.
The manager reports to the District Social Welfare and Community Development Department, as Act 560 requires.
Help lines. The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection runs the Helpline of Hope on 0800 800 800 and 0800 900 900. The Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police takes criminal reports; regional offices accept reports in person. Confirm all these numbers with your District Social Welfare office and write them on the wall.
Keep the notes private and locked.

Never hit a child. No slapping, caning, pinching, shaking or shouting at a child in your care. A child may not understand why they are being hurt, and the daycare guidelines say corporal punishment and psychological torture must never be used. The next unit and Unit 6 show what to do instead.

Report a worry (role-play)

Materials: a story card, a notebook.

In groups of three, one person plays the assistant, one the manager, one the observer.
Read this made-up example: a three-year-old arrives with a bruise on the arm and says "Uncle hit me".
The assistant stays calm, does not question further, writes the note and reports to the manager.
The manager says what will be done and who will be told.
The observer ticks: stayed calm; did not promise secrecy; wrote facts only; reported the same day; kept the note private.
Swap roles twice.

Check: all five ticks for each person.

Part C: hygiene

Handwashing. The Ghana guidelines say children and workers wash hands on arrival, between activities, after the toilet, before eating and before leaving. Workers also wash before preparing food. The handwash point must be at child height with clean water.

The steps (the WHO method, copied from secondary sources; the WHO page itself was not checked) (foreign; summary only):

Wet hands with clean running water. Use a Veronica bucket with a tap, or pour from a jug.
Put on enough soap to cover all the hands.
Rub palm to palm.
Rub the back of each hand with the other hand's fingers.
Rub palms with fingers interlaced.
Rub the backs of the fingers against the opposite palms.
Rub each thumb in the other hand.
Rub the fingertips in the other palm.
Rinse well.
Dry with a clean cloth used once, or air dry.

The whole wash takes about 40 to 60 seconds for adults; scrub at least 20 seconds. With young children, sing a short handwashing song to count the time (see Unit 4).

Handwashing station (local build). A standard Ghana set-up is a Veronica bucket: a plastic bucket with a lid and a tap, on a stand, with a basin below and soap on a string or in a dish. Buy the bucket and tap at a hardware shop or market in Takoradi or Kwesimintsim (prices not verified: ask). A low stool lets small children reach. Tippy-tap designs were not researched for this book (not verified): ask your district health directorate or a GHS or UNICEF water and sanitation page.

Cleaning surfaces and toys

Wipe visible dirt away with soap and water first.
Disinfect tables, changing mats and toilet seats with a safe disinfectant used exactly as the label says. Keep it away from children.
Wash toys that go in mouths every day. Dry them in the sun.
Never mix bleach with other cleaners.

Blood and body fluids. Wear gloves, or at worst a clean plastic bag over each hand, and never touch blood or body fluids with bare hands. The Ghana guidelines use about 100 ml of bleach in 10 litres of water to clean blood spills. Put soiled gloves and cloths in a closed bin, then wash hands.

Waste. Keep a lidded bin, empty it daily and send waste for proper disposal. Keep the toilet and nappy area separate from the kitchen.

A worker who is unwell stays at home. Workers, children and parents who are ill stay at home and visit a health facility.

Wash and clean

Materials: water, soap, a clean cloth, a timer, a table, disinfectant.

Wash your hands using the ten steps, timed by a partner. They check each step.
Wash a child-size doll's hands on a low stool.
Clean a table: wipe with soapy water, rinse, then disinfect as the label says. Wash your hands again.
Prepare a spill kit: gloves, plastic bags, bleach and a bucket marked with the 100 ml in 10 litres line.

Check: hands rubbed in the right order, no step skipped, soap used, cloth clean.

How many workers?

The Accra guidelines give worker-to-child ratios: 1 worker for 5 children under 2 years, 1 for 10 children aged 2 to 3, and 1 for 15 children aged 3 to 4. They are Accra market-centre guidelines; your District Assembly bye-law may differ, so check with Social Welfare. A centre has 12 babies under 2, 20 children aged 2 to 3, and 30 children aged 3 to 4. How many workers does it need?

Look at home

Walk through your own home or compound at a child's eye level. List five dangers and one fix for each. Bring the list to class and share it without names.

Check yourself

At what height do you look when checking a room for danger?
Who must report a child who may be in danger, and to whom?
Name three times a child must wash hands.

Unit 2 · How children grow: development from birth to 5

Every child grows at their own speed, but there is a usual order. Knowing it helps you play, teach and notice when a child may need help.

Competency standard

Learning outcome	Performance criteria — the trainee…
2.1 Know the stages	names what most children can do at each age from 2 months to 5 years
2.2 Observe	watches a child, writes dated notes without labelling
2.3 Talk to parents	says kindly what they saw and suggests a visit to the clinic

Range. Ages from birth to 5; one child observed in role-play or at a licensed centre. Evidence. Milestone chart filled in; observation note; role-play.

How we know the usual ages

The checklists below are in plain words from the milestone checklists of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), revised 2022. They list what at least 75 out of 100 children can do by that age. They are a foreign reference; Ghana's own 0 to 3 standards were not read in full. They are for noticing, not testing. Milestones are not a medical test, and you do not diagnose.

Age	Feeling and getting on with others	Language	Thinking	Movement
2 months	calms when spoken to or picked up; looks at your face; smiles at you	makes sounds other than crying; reacts to loud sounds	watches you move; looks at a toy for a few seconds	lifts head when on tummy; moves arms and legs; opens hands briefly
4 months	smiles to get attention; chuckles	coos; makes sounds back; turns head to a voice	opens mouth when hungry; looks at own hands	holds head steady; holds a toy in hand; swings at toys; brings hands to mouth; pushes up on elbows on tummy
6 months	knows familiar people; likes a mirror; laughs	takes turns making sounds; squeals	puts things in mouth; reaches for a toy; closes lips for no more food	rolls from tummy to back; pushes up with straight arms; leans on hands to sit
9 months	shy with strangers; looks up at name; reacts when carer leaves; laughs at peek-a-boo	many sounds; repeated sounds such as mamama; raises arms to be picked up	looks for dropped or hidden things; bangs two things together	sits alone; passes a toy hand to hand; rakes food with fingers
1 year	plays pat-a-cake	waves bye-bye; calls parent mama or dada; understands no	puts a block in a cup; finds a hidden toy	pulls to stand; walks holding furniture; drinks from a cup you hold; picks up small things with finger and thumb
18 months	moves away but checks you are near; points to show things; helps dress	tries three or more words; follows one-step requests	copies chores such as sweeping; plays simply with toys	walks alone; scribbles; feeds self with fingers and tries a spoon; climbs
2 years	notices when others are hurt; looks at your face in new places	points to pictures; two-word phrases; points to two body parts	holds with one hand and works with the other; plays with more than one toy	kicks a ball; runs; walks up a few steps; eats with a spoon
3 years	settles within 10 minutes after carer leaves; joins other children	talks back and forth; asks who, what, where, why; says own first name; most people understand	draws a circle; avoids hot things after a warning	threads large beads; puts on some clothes; uses a fork
4 years	pretends to be someone; comforts a hurt child; helps others	sentences of four or more words; repeats songs and rhymes; tells about the day	names colours; says what comes next in a story; draws a person with three or more parts	catches a large ball; pours with help; holds a crayon with fingers and thumb
5 years	follows rules and takes turns; sings and dances; does simple chores	tells a story with two events; answers questions about a story; uses rhymes	counts to 10; names some numbers 1 to 5; attends 5 to 10 minutes; some letters of own name	does some buttons; hops on one foot

(Source for the whole table: CDC-Milestones. The CDC lists 15-month and 30-month checklists as well; they were not read for this book.)

Children differ. A child who is a little late at one thing may be fine. A child who loses a skill, or who is well behind at several things, should be seen by a nurse or doctor. You do not give the reason.

Two more facts for caregivers

Responsive caregiving means noticing what a child needs and answering kindly and quickly: a smile, a word, a hug, food, a dry nappy. Crying is a child's way of speaking: check hunger, tiredness, discomfort, or a need for comfort.
Talk, sing and play every day. The Accra guidelines list actions such as telling a child what is happening, singing songs and rhymes, helping children name feelings, and giving chances to move.

How to observe a child

Pick one child and one short time (5 to 10 minutes) during play.
Stand or sit close by, quietly, with a notebook.
Write only what you see and hear, with the date and time. Example: "Kofi, 2 years 3 months. 10:05. Stacked 4 blocks. Said 'more' twice. Pointed to the ball."
Do not write labels such as lazy, slow or naughty.
Compare with the chart for the child's age.
Repeat on three different days before you speak to a parent about a worry.

Talking to a parent about a worry

Choose a private place and a calm time, not at the gate in front of others.
Start with something good about the child.
Say what you saw, with dates. Do not say the child is behind or has a problem.
Ask what the parent sees at home.
Suggest the parent talk to the nurse or doctor at the child welfare clinic about checking development. Say "we do not diagnose here".
Write the date and what was agreed, and follow up.

Warning signs to pass on (milestone ages from the chart; this list is for telling a parent, not diagnosing): no reaction to loud sounds by 2 months; no turning to voices by 4 months; no repeated sounds by 9 months; not looking at faces or following things; no words by 18 months; not walking by 18 months; loss of any skill. Hearing and vision matter: a Ghana study of 581 children in the Ashanti Region linked poor vision to a lower quality of life and called for routine vision screening. No national hearing or vision screening pathway for young children was found, so ask the child welfare clinic or district hospital where to go.

Watch and write

Materials: notebook, pen, milestone chart, a licensed centre or a trainer-led role-play.

Watch a child of 18 months to 3 years (or a trainer's role-play) for 10 minutes.
Write what you see in three sentences without labels.
Tick the matching row of the chart: which things did the child do?
Practise the six-step talk to a parent with a partner. Swap roles.

Check: notes have facts, date and age; no labels; the parent talk has all six steps.

Work out the age

A child was born on 3 March 2024. How old is the child on 3 December 2026 in years and months? Which row of the chart is closest? What would you expect the child to do?

Know one child

With a parent's permission, watch a child of 4 or younger in your family or street for 10 minutes on three days. Write dated notes. Do not use the child's full name; use a first name or letter.

Check yourself

About what can most 1-year-olds do with their hands and a cup?
Why do we write only what we see and not labels?
Who do you suggest the parent visits if you have a worry?

Unit 3 · Daily routines: feeding, handwashing, nappies, toileting and safe sleep

Children feel safe when the day follows the same shape. A good routine is mostly small kind jobs done the same careful way every day.

Competency standard

Learning outcome	Performance criteria — the trainee…
3.1 Follow a daily timetable	plans and follows a day with arrival, play, meals, rest and hand-over
3.2 Feed safely	prepares, serves and supervises a meal safely and records it
3.3 Change nappies and help with toileting	follows the steps, with hygiene, on a doll
3.4 Put children down to sleep safely	sets up a safe sleep place and checks sleeping children

Range. A day in a daycare, with children aged from 6 months to 5 years, using dolls where needed. Evidence. Timetable; feeding record; observation of nappy change and sleep set-up.

A day in a daycare (example)

The Ghana guidelines give half days of 8 a.m. to 12 noon and full days of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and ask for a timetable and menu displayed on the wall. The timetable below is our teaching example, built from those points; it is not an official timetable. Babies under 2 follow their own feeding and sleep times.

Time	What happens
7:30 to 8:00	Staff get ready: sweep, safety walk, water at child height, soap at the handwash point
8:00 to 8:30	Arrival: greet each child by name, ask the parent about the night, look at the child for fever signs, rash or injury, sign the register, note any parent message
8:30 to 9:00	Wash hands, free play, songs
9:00 to 9:45	One planned activity (counting with stones, drawing, story)
9:45 to 10:15	Wash hands, snack and water
10:15 to 11:30	Outdoor play, always supervised
11:30 to 12:00	Story and quiet time
12:00 to 1:00	Wash hands, lunch
1:00 to 3:00	Rest or sleep on own mat
3:00 to 3:30	Wash hands, snack
3:30 to 4:45	Play, songs, tidy up
4:45 to 5:00	Hand-over to parents with a short daily note, sign out

Say what is coming next: "After songs we wash hands, then we eat." Young children feel safer when they know.

Part A: safe feeding

What the guidelines say. Meals are regular, nutritious and follow Ghana Health Service dietary advice; full-day children are given a midday meal or bring a packed lunch; ask parents about allergies; safe drinking water is always available; food handlers wash hands before cooking and after the toilet; an adult supervises meals; babies are held for bottle feeding, preferably by the same worker; feeding equipment is cleaned and sterilised; children with feeding difficulties are recorded and parents are told to seek medical attention.

What WHO says about babies. Start breastfeeding within an hour of birth, feed only breast milk for the first 6 months, then continue to 2 years or beyond while adding safe, nutritious foods from 6 months. WHO recommends a variety of foods: fruit and vegetables, animal foods, nuts, pulses and seeds. How many meals a day for each age: not verified here. Follow the child's health record book and the nurse's advice.

Bottles, cups and formula. WHO favours cups and bowls over bottles because bottles are hard to keep clean, and says formula must be made fresh for each feed, with water at 70 degrees Celsius or hotter for powdered formula. Course rule: at this level you do not prepare formula. The parent supplies the feed (for example expressed breast milk in a labelled, cleaned bottle) and the manager decides with a nurse's advice. This is a safety decision for the course, not a Ghana rule.

Local foods for an example menu (check any real menu with a nurse or the district nutrition officer; Ghana Health Service's food guide was not found): koko or soft maize porridge, mashed ripe plantain, fufu with light soup and soft fish or egg, kontomire stew with egg, beans and gari (soft, mashed), rice and soft vegetable stew, mashed yam with egg, soft kenkey for older children, pawpaw, orange pieces (seeds removed), watermelon (seeds removed), water. Add groundnut paste thinly spread, not whole nuts.

Choking risks (general knowledge, not from one cited page). Do not give whole groundnuts, whole hard raw carrot, whole grapes, popcorn, hard sweets, or fish with bones to under-fives. Cut round foods such as sausages and grapes lengthways. Mash or soften foods for babies. Remove fish bones carefully.

Feeding a child safely: the steps

Wash your hands and the child's hands.
Check the child's name against the allergy list on the admission form. If the child is allergic to something, never serve it.
Seat the child upright, never lying back. Babies are held in your arms.
Sit with the child at the same level. Never leave a feeding child alone.
Offer small spoonfuls or pieces; let the child try to feed themselves from 18 months, which is normal.
Do not force-feed. Watch the child's signs of being full: closing the lips, turning the head away.
Offer clean water in a cup.
Write down how much the child ate and drank.
If a child refuses food again and again, coughs, chokes, vomits or seems unwell, tell the manager and the parent and suggest a health visit.
Wipe the child's face and hands, and clean the table and floor.

Food hygiene. WHO's five keys to safer food: keep clean, separate raw and cooked food, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures, and use safe water and safe raw materials. Keep the kitchen away from the play area, with a lockable store.

Serve a snack

Materials: a doll or a volunteer role-playing a toddler, a bowl, a spoon, a cup, a menu card, an allergy card, soap, a recording sheet.

Check the allergy card, then wash your hands.
Prepare a mashed banana or soft fruit in a clean bowl.
Seat the child upright. Sit beside them.
Offer small spoonfuls. Talk to the child.
Offer water in a cup.
Record what was eaten.
Clean the child, the table and the bowl. Wash your hands.

Check: hands washed; allergy checked; child upright; adult stays with child; food recorded.

Part B: nappies and toileting

The Ghana guidelines say a centre needs a nappy-changing area, separate from the kitchen, a toilet or potty for children, a toilet suitable for children with special needs, hand-washing at child height, and a waste disposal arrangement.

Nappy change: the steps. These follow the seven-step US CDC method for childcare settings, with added points from general practice. Local cloth-nappy washing and potty training were not researched: use the notes below as examples and ask the manager.

Materials: a clean changing mat or cloth, a disposable liner or a clean cloth, clean nappy, wipes or wet cloth with warm water, gloves, a closed lidded bin, a bowl of soapy water or a covered bag for cloth nappies, disinfectant, soap.

Wash your hands, put on gloves, and gather everything you need before you start. Never leave the child alone on the table, even for a second.
Cover the changing surface with a liner or clean cloth. Lay the child down and keep one hand on the child.
Open the nappy. Clean the child from front to back with a wipe or wet cloth.
Put the wipe inside the soiled nappy, fold it and put it in the bin. Take off your gloves and put them in the bin. A parent's own cream may only be used if the parent has given it with written instructions; you do not buy or choose creams.
Slide a clean nappy under the child, fasten it and dress the child.
Wash the child's hands with soap and water. Put the child in a safe place where you can see them.
Remove the liner, clean and disinfect the surface as the label says. Wash your own hands with soap and water.
Write the time and any rash or unusual stool in the nappy chart. Tell the manager and the parent about any rash that is spreading, blood in the stool, or watery stool several times in a day, and suggest a health visit (recommended practice).

Toileting. From about 2 to 3 years, many children start to tell you they need the toilet (the milestone chart shows control grows with age). Do not shout or shame a child who has an accident. Offer the potty or toilet at regular times, such as after meals and before sleeping. Help wipe from front to back, then wash hands. Keep spare clothes in a labelled bag. Always have a worker nearby; do not leave small children alone in the toilet.

Change a nappy on a doll

Materials: a doll, a changing mat, a clean nappy, wipes, gloves, a bin, soap and water.

Do the eight steps above, slowly, with a partner reading them aloud.
Practise three times each. Time the third one.
Wash your hands after each round.

Check: gathered supplies first; one hand always on the doll; front to back; hands washed at the end.

Part C: safe sleep

What international guidance says. Put babies to sleep on their backs, on a firm, flat, separate surface. Keep the sleep area free of soft things: no pillows, quilts, bumper pads or soft toys. Keep smoke away from babies. Do not let a baby sleep on a sofa or armchair. The advice to keep the baby's cot in the parents' room does not apply to a daycare.

What Ghana's guidelines say. Children rest as they need, and each child has their own sleeping mat or mattress and blanket, which is not shared. The guidelines say nothing on cots or on checking times, so those parts below are recommended practice and not Ghana rules.

Setting up for a baby's nap: the steps

Wash your hands. Clean the mat or cot surface.
Use a firm flat mattress or mat with a tight clean sheet and nothing else on it.
Hang a mosquito net over the sleep place and tuck it in (see Unit 5).
Put the baby on the back. Face uncovered. Do not wrap tightly or cover the head.
Keep the room airy and not hot; do not overheat.
Never prop a bottle in a baby's mouth.
Check sleeping babies often and record the time and your initials. A check every few minutes is recommended practice, not found in a Ghana source; ask your manager to set a rule and write it down.
When a baby wakes, change the nappy and wash hands.

Older children. Each child has their own mat and blanket, labelled. Wash blankets weekly and dry them in the sun. Keep the room quiet and keep a worker in the room all the time.

If a baby is not breathing, looks blue, or cannot be woken: call 112 straight away and send someone to the manager. Take a certified first-aid course so you know what to do while help is coming.

Make a safe nap place

Materials: a firm mattress or mat, a sheet, a mosquito net, string, a doll.

Clean the mat.
Make up the bed with a tight sheet only.
Fix the net. The net must not touch the doll's face.
Lay the doll on its back. Tick the list: firm; flat; sheet only; no pillow or toys; net tucked; face clear.
Fill in the sleep check record with times for the next hour.

Check: all six items ticked.

Common mistakes and fixes in routines

Mistake	Fix
Rushing a nappy change	Gather all things first and do not leave the child
Feeding a baby lying down	Hold upright
Skipping handwashing between children	Wash after every nappy, meal, toilet help
Soft toys and pillows in a baby's bed	Take them out; sheet only
Letting a sleeping baby be out of sight	Keep a worker in the room at all times
A mat shared between children	One labelled mat and blanket each

Plan the meal quantity

A daycare has 18 children. Each child drinks about 300 ml of water with lunch and 200 ml of water at the morning and afternoon snacks. How many litres of safe water does the centre need for these three occasions? (All figures are examples.)

Write a timetable

Write a half-day timetable (8 a.m. to 12 noon) for 12 children aged 2 to 3 with times for arrival, wash hands, play, snack, outdoor play and hand-over. Add a menu for one day using local foods.

Check yourself

Which way should a baby be put to sleep, and on what?
In a nappy change, why do you gather everything first?
What do you do if a child chokes or is unwell at mealtime?

Unit 4 · Play and early learning with local materials

Play is how small children learn. A bottle top, a calabash, a song and a story can teach as much as any bought toy.

Competency standard

Learning outcome	Performance criteria — the trainee…
4.1 Plan play for an age	chooses safe activities for babies, toddlers and 3 to 5 year olds
4.2 Make safe toys	makes three toys from local materials and tests them for safety
4.3 Lead songs, games and stories	leads a song, a game and a short story with a small group

Range. Local materials; groups of 4 to 6 children or role-play. Evidence. Toys made; activity plan; observed song and story.

What the Ghana guidelines say

Children learn through play. The guidelines say no subjects are taught and no written tests are used for under-fives; do not use the kindergarten curriculum in a daycare.
Children aged 3 to 6 build creativity, early reading and counting skills, hand skills and language by talking, being read to and singing.
Officials in Accra said play and toys, not books and long television time, are the right way to learn at this age.
Speak to children in the language they use at home, such as Fante or Twi, and add English slowly (general good practice; the Ghana rule for children under 3 was not found). Policies and notes to parents should be in languages parents understand.

Safe toy rules (apply to every toy)

Nothing small enough to swallow. A rule of thumb used in many places: if a toy or part fits through a toilet-roll tube, it is too small for a child under 3 (general safety rule, not Ghana-sourced)
No sharp edges, splinters, nails or loose parts; sand wood smooth
Washable or replaceable; no paint that flakes; do not use old paint or paint of unknown kind
No cords or strings longer than a hand span for babies
No batteries and no glass
Check every toy every day; throw broken ones away

Activity bank by age (examples, no purchase needed)

These activities are teaching examples built from the milestones. Homemade-toy ideas are also in free UNICEF and PATH guides, which we used for ideas only; their licences were not checked, so we write our own steps.

Age	Activities with local materials
0 to 6 months	Tummy time on a mat with you close by; talk and sing face to face; show a bright wax-print cloth; a clean mirror; a sealed shaker (a small plastic bottle with a few dry beans, cap glued shut, checked every day; the trainer must test it)
6 to 12 months	Peek-a-boo with a cloth; hide a toy under a cloth; stacking plastic cups; banging a wooden spoon on a pot; pat-a-cake
1 to 2 years	Putting large bottle tops (too big to swallow) into a plastic container; pushing a box on the floor; scribbling on cardboard with chalk; water play in a basin with a cup (adult within arm's reach); copying you sweeping with a small broom
2 to 3 years	Simple cardboard puzzles; threading large dried seeds or cut straws on a thick cord with an adult watching; naming body parts; washing a doll; building with wooden offcuts sanded smooth
3 to 5 years	Counting stones or seeds into a calabash; sorting leaves by size and colour; pretend market with empty tins and bottle tops as money; drawing in the sand with a stick; clapping rhythms; hopping and ball games; retelling a story with sock puppets

Materials and where to buy them

Material	Use	Where
Wax-print offcuts and tie-and-dye cloth	Cloth for peek-a-boo, puppets, dressing up	Ask local tailors and seamstresses in Akwidaa or Takoradi; often free or cheap
Wooden offcuts, sanded	Blocks	Local carpenters; sand with sandpaper and check for splinters
Plastic bowls, cups, basins	Water play, stacking, sorting	Takoradi market or Kwesimintsim shops (prices not checked; ask)
Calabash (gourd) bowls	Counting and sorting	Local market
Cardboard boxes	Puzzles, houses, drawing	Shops often give boxes free
Chalk, crayons	Drawing	Stationery shops; check the pack says non-toxic
Stones, large seeds, bottle caps	Counting	The yard or kitchen; wash and check size
Old clean socks and buttons that are sewn on firmly	Puppets	Home; sew buttons with strong thread

Make three simple toys: the steps

1. A block set.

Get 12 wooden offcuts about the size of your fist from a carpenter.
Round all corners with sandpaper until smooth and no splinters can catch a finger.
Rub with a damp cloth. Do not use paint or varnish unless the seller says it is child-safe.
Test: rub your hand over every side; drop one on the floor to see that it does not break.

2. Picture cards.

Cut 12 pieces of stiff cardboard about the size of a hand (about 10 cm by 10 cm).
Draw one big, clear picture on each: an orange, a goat, a cup, a hen, a shoe, a sun, a hand and so on. Or cut pictures from old magazines and glue them down.
Cover each card with clear sticky tape on both sides so wet hands do not spoil it.
Round the corners.

3. A sorting game.

Wash 20 large bottle tops in three colours.
Put them in a calabash or a plastic bowl.
Give a child three bowls and ask "Can you put the red ones here?"
Count each bowl aloud together.

Mistakes and fixes in toy-making

Mistake	Fix
Small bottle tops given to a baby	Keep small things for children over 3, or use larger tops (tube test)
Rough wood	Sand again until no splinters
Glue or paint that smells strong	Do not use; use only child-safe products
A broken toy kept	Throw it away

Songs, rhymes and games

The Ghana guidelines say songs and rhymes build language. Traditional Akan games and songs such as Kyerɛ Wo Ti (a body-part pointing game), Antoakyire (a circle game), Ampe (a clapping and jumping game said to build balance and counting) and Pilolo (hide and seek) are studied and loved in Ghana. We did not find written Twi or Fante lyrics online, so we do not copy any. Ask a Fante-speaking elder or colleague for traditional songs, write them down, and check the words with a speaker before teaching them. Below are original simple songs to start with. Sing them to any easy tune you know and change the words into Fante or Twi with a speaker's help.

Wash-hands song (to count 20 seconds)

Water, water, wet my hands, Soap, soap, make it foam. Rub my palms, rub my backs, Rub my fingers, rub my thumbs. Rinse, rinse, wash it away, Clean hands ready to play!

Greeting song

Good morning, good morning, good morning to you, Clap your hands and say hello too. (The child named waves, and everyone says the name.)

Body-parts game (clap and point)

Head, head, touch your head, Nose, nose, touch your nose, Hands, hands, clap them twice, Feet, feet, stamp them nice.

Counting song (one to five)

One little stone in my calabash, Two little stones, now three, Four little stones, five little stones, Count them all with me!

(These four songs are original teaching examples written for this manual.)

Stories

Tell short stories with a beginning, a middle and a happy end. Use a puppet or a picture card.
Ananse stories are loved in Ghana. Ask an elder for traditional openers and sayings and use them as they were told; we have not copied any here. Keep every story kind: no scary endings for under-fives.
Ask questions: "What will happen next?" "How did the hen feel?" Four-year-olds can say what comes next in a story and five-year-olds can tell a story with two events.
Read picture books if you have them; let children turn the pages.

Screen time

Do not use television as a babysitter. Officials in Accra criticised long television time in daycares and referred to UN guidance on limited screen time.

Plan one activity: the steps

Pick one skill: for example counting to 5, or naming body parts.
Pick the age group and check the milestone row.
List the materials and check each for safety.
Write the steps in three or four short lines.
Decide how to join in: ask questions, let children lead, praise effort.
Do the activity for 10 to 15 minutes. Younger children need less.
Note what the children did and one thing to change next time.

Toys, song and story

Materials: wooden offcuts, sandpaper, cardboard, scissors, sticky tape, bottle tops, a calabash.

Make one set of blocks, one set of picture cards and one sorting game.
Test each against the safe-toy checklist and have your partner sign it.
Lead the hand-washing song and the counting song with your group of four, three times each.
Tell a story of five sentences with a puppet.
Fill in an activity plan for one age and run it for 10 minutes.

Check: toys signed safe; songs led with clear words; story has a beginning, middle and end; plan has materials, steps and a note.

Cost a toy kit (all figures are examples)

A daycare makes 6 block sets, 6 card sets and 6 sorting games. Per block set the wood is free and sandpaper costs GH¢2. Per card set the cardboard is free and tape and markers cost GH¢4. Per sorting game the bottle tops are free and the plastic bowls cost GH¢6. What is the total cost?

Make and test

Make one safe toy at home from free or very cheap local materials. Test it against the safe-toy checklist and draw it with a note of what you used. Teach one song to a younger child and write how they reacted.

Check yourself

Why is a toy that fits through a toilet-roll tube not given to a child under 3?
Why should the carer not copy someone else's song words without checking?
What should a story for an under-five never have?

Unit 5 · Health: immunisation, mosquito nets, signs of illness and first-aid awareness

You are the one who sees the child every day. Spotting that something is wrong, and getting the child to a nurse or doctor quickly, can save a life. Treating is not your job.

Competency standard

Learning outcome	Performance criteria — the trainee…
5.1 Support immunisation	explains the Ghana immunisation schedule and reminds parents
5.2 Prevent malaria	sets up nets and clears mosquito breeding places
5.3 Spot illness and refer	names warning signs and follows the referral steps
5.4 First-aid awareness	names the first-aid box contents, 112, and when to call

Range. A centre with a child health record book, a first-aid box and a net. Evidence. Immunisation reminder sheet; net set-up; referral role-play; first-aid box check.

The hard gate again. In this unit you learn to notice, record, tell and send. You do not diagnose. You do not give medicines of any kind, including paracetamol, anti-malarials, cough mixtures, herbal mixtures or eye drops, and you do not give injections or treat wounds beyond what a certified first-aid course teaches. For a medicine that a health worker has prescribed, only the manager follows the parent's signed chart.

Part A: immunisation

The Ghana Health Service routine schedule below was read on the GHS website on 9 October 2026. Vaccines are given at public health facilities by health workers. Always follow the child's health record book, because schedules change. The malaria vaccine is being introduced in phases, so whether it is given in the Akwidaa area is not verified: ask the district health directorate.

Age	Given by the health worker
Birth	BCG, oral polio 0, hepatitis B birth dose
6 weeks (confirm at the clinic; the page layout merged this row with birth)	DPT-HepB-Hib 1, oral polio 1, pneumococcal 1, rotavirus 1
10 weeks	DPT-HepB-Hib 2, oral polio 2, pneumococcal 2, rotavirus 2
14 weeks	DPT-HepB-Hib 3, oral polio 3, pneumococcal 3, rotavirus 3, injectable polio 1
6 months	Vitamin A, malaria vaccine dose 1
7 months	Malaria vaccine 2, injectable polio 2
9 months	Measles-rubella 1, yellow fever, malaria vaccine 3
12 months	Vitamin A
18 months	Measles-rubella 2, Men A, malaria vaccine 4, vitamin A; the page also lists long-lasting insecticidal nets at this age
24 months	Vitamin A (and every 6 months to age 5)

For a missed dose, the health worker advises on catching up.

What you do:

At admission, ask the parent for a copy of the child's health record (the Ghana admission form asks for immunisation records).
Keep a copy in the child's file.
Note when the next dose is due, and give the parent a polite reminder a week before.
Tell the parent to ask the nurse about any missed dose.
Never give or promise a vaccine, and never say a vaccine is dangerous or unneeded.

Part B: mosquito nets and malaria prevention

Malaria is carried by mosquitoes. Children under 5 are at higher risk of severe malaria.
WHO names insecticide-treated nets and indoor spraying as the main ways to cut malaria, and says repellents, coils, protective clothing and window screens also help.
In Ghana, the National Malaria Elimination Programme gives nets to pregnant women at antenatal care and to children at child welfare clinics.
Early signs of malaria are fever, headache and chills, which look like other illnesses, so a test at a health facility is needed.
Severe signs that need emergency care right away: very tired or hard to wake, fits, trouble breathing, dark or bloody urine, yellow eyes or skin, unusual bleeding.

Centre rules (recommended practice; the net rule is not found as a Ghana law):

Put a net over every nap mat or cot, tucked in, with no holes.
Check nets weekly for holes; mend small holes with a few stitches or replace the net.
Clear standing water: empty old tins, tyres and bottles; cover water drums (the Accra guidelines ask for standing water and bush to be cleared).
Cut grass and bush near the building.
Fit mosquito mesh on windows if you can.
Any child with fever goes to a health facility for a test the same day. This rule is reasoned from the WHO malaria advice and is not a written Ghana rule. You do not give anti-malarial or fever medicine yourself.

Net and yard check

Materials: a mosquito net, string or nails, a torch, a notebook.

Hang a net over a mat so it covers the full sleep area and tuck the edges under the mat.
Check the net with a torch for holes. Mark holes with a safety pin or thread.
Walk the yard. List every place where water could stand.
For each, write what you will do: empty, turn over, cover, fill in.
Report to the manager anything you cannot fix.

Check: net fully covers; no holes; water spots found and handled.

Part C: when a child looks unwell

Policy in the Ghana guidelines: sick children, workers and parents stay home and visit a health facility; the centre tells the manager and parents of suspected public-health issues quickly and follows Ghana Health Service advice.

Check each child on arrival:

Look at the face and eyes: is the child alert and bright, or very tired and floppy?
Touch the forehead and neck. A child feels hot to the touch if there is fever. Use a thermometer if the centre has one. A temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more is a fever.
Look for rash, cough, fast breathing, vomiting, diarrhoea, red or sticky eyes, or injury.
Ask the parent: how did the child eat and sleep? Any medicine given? Tell the manager.
Write the check in the register.

When to tell the manager and parent and send to a nurse or doctor the same day. The list below comes from a UK public health service guide (foreign). For a Ghana centre, treat any fever as needing a same-day test because malaria is common.

any fever in a baby under 3 months, or any fever in an older child that is getting worse or lasts more than 5 days
not drinking, or passing very little urine
diarrhoea or vomiting that does not stop, or signs of dehydration (dry mouth, no tears, sunken eyes)
earache, red eyes with sticky fluid, rash, skin sores, worms in the stool
a child who is much quieter than usual

Call 112 or take the child to the nearest hospital at once if the child:

is very sleepy and hard to wake, or goes floppy
has a fit or seizure
has trouble breathing or blue lips
has a rash that does not fade when you press a glass on it
is pale, cold and clammy
has been badly hurt, burned or poisoned

Exclusion rules (how long a sick child stays home) are not verified for Ghana: follow the nurse's advice and your manager's policy.

Diarrhoea and oral rehydration salts (ORS). Oral rehydration guidance was not researched for this book. Tell the parent and send the child to the clinic. Do not make or give salt-and-sugar drinks or any medicine unless a health worker has told the parent exactly how and the manager follows the signed chart.

Medicine chart. If a parent brings a medicine that a health worker has prescribed, the Ghana guidelines require that it is labelled with the dose, how often and for how long, and that a medicine chart is signed by the parent and by the staff member. At this level you do not give it: the manager does.

Incident book. Any injury or incident is written in the incident book at once. The guidelines use a form with the child, date, what happened, where, who saw it, injury, first aid given, when the parent was told, and what will be done to stop it happening again; one copy goes to the parent, one to the child's file and one stays in the accident file. Keep these for at least 3 years.

Arrival check and referral

Materials: doll or role-play partner, register, thermometer, referral note template.

Do the five-step arrival check on your partner playing a child with a made-up fever of 38.5 degrees.
Decide: same-day clinic, or 112? Say why.
Tell the manager. Phone the parent (role-play).
Write the illness note: time, what you saw, who you told.
Wait with the child and keep the child comfortable. Do not give any medicine.

Check: correct decision; manager and parent told; note factual; no medicine.

Part D: first-aid awareness

The Ghana guidelines say all childcare workers must be trained to use the first-aid box and deal with accidents, and a daycare application asks whether a worker is trained in first aid. This book does not replace a certified course. Look for St John Ambulance Ghana, the Ghana Red Cross or the Ghana National Fire Service for a course in the Western Region; dates and fees were not verified, so phone to ask.

Emergency number. Ghana announced in 2020 that 112 is the single national emergency line for police, fire and ambulance. Some older sources still list 191, 192 and 193, so confirm what works locally and write the numbers by the phone.

First-aid box (Accra guideline list). Gloves or plastic bags, an antiseptic recommended by the health facility, bleach for blood spills, gauze, cotton wool, plasters, safety pins, a 75 mm bandage, a one-way resuscitation mask, scissors, tweezers, tissues. The box is locked, out of reach, with emergency numbers inside. Check it monthly and replace used items. Do not add ointments or tablets unless a nurse tells the manager to.

What you may learn from international guidance (foreign, awareness only):

Burns and scalds. Cool the burn under cool running water for at least 20 minutes, never use ice, keep the child warm, cover loosely with cling film and get medical advice. Do not burst blisters. Do not put toothpaste, oil or ointments on a burn (standard first-aid advice, not confirmed in the page we read: confirm in a first-aid course).
Choking baby under 1. If the baby cannot cry, cough or breathe, shout for help and call 112. A certified course will teach the back-blow and chest-thrust method; the Red Cross lists up to 5 back blows then up to 5 chest thrusts, alternating. Do not put a finger in the mouth unless you can see the object. Let a coughing baby keep coughing.
Choking child over 1. Up to 5 back blows then abdominal thrusts are taught in the same guidance. Learn it on a course with a trainer, not from a book.
Bleeding, broken bones, fits, snake bite, poisoning, near-drowning. These are not taught in this book. For all of them: call 112 or take the child to hospital, keep the child safe and calm, tell the parent, write the incident report. CPR is only for trained people.

Remember: the aim of first aid is to keep the child safe until a health worker takes over.

First-aid box check

Materials: a first-aid box (or a box with the list items), the list above, a notebook.

Lay out everything and tick it against the list.
Check dates and condition; note anything used up or old.
Write the 112 line and the parent contact sheet inside the lid.
Lock it and say where it will be kept (high and locked, but known to every staff member).
Role-play: you must call 112 for a child who has stopped responding. Say aloud what you tell the operator: who you are, where you are (a landmark), what happened, the age of the child.

Check: every item present or listed as missing; numbers written; call made clearly in role-play.

Vaccine reminders

A child was born on 12 January 2025. Using the table, say which vaccines and vitamin A doses the child should have had by 12 July 2026, and the next one due. (Practice only; real children follow their own health record book.)

Net and water at home

Check one net in your home. Count holes and write how you would mend them. Walk your compound and list five places where water could stand and what you will do about each.

Check yourself

What should you do if a child has a fever?
Name one thing you must not do about medicine.
What number do you call in an emergency?

Unit 6 · Behaviour, positive discipline and working with parents

Young children are learning how to feel and how to behave. Your job is to teach, not to punish.

Competency standard

Learning outcome	Performance criteria — the trainee…
6.1 Understand behaviour	explains why young children cry, bite, hit and say no
6.2 Guide behaviour kindly	uses the ten positive-discipline steps without hitting or shouting
6.3 Work with parents	greets, reports, listens and records using a daily note and a complaints route

Range. Role-plays and a real or simulated group. Evidence. Role-plays; daily note; incident record.

What the law and guidelines say

Act 560 says no cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and no correction that is unreasonable for the child's age or that the child is too young to understand.
The Accra guidelines say workers must never use corporal punishment or psychological torture, and must be trained to manage children's behaviour in a way that promotes their welfare and development.
WHO's 2022 parenting guidelines say harsh parenting causes injuries and poor mental health. The non-violent methods named include clear rules, praise, ignoring minor attention-seeking, natural consequences and a short time-out, and play that the child leads.
UNICEF's tips for ages 0 to 5: crying is communication; repetition is how toddlers learn, so be patient; shouting and hitting do not help.

Why children behave as they do

Crying. A baby cries for hunger, tiredness, pain, a wet nappy, loneliness or fear. Check each one, then comfort.
Biting, hitting and grabbing in toddlers are very common. Toddlers have few words and want things now. Their feelings are bigger than their skills (general child-development teaching).
Saying no. Around 2 years children learn they are separate people and test limits (general teaching).
Upset when you leave. Around 9 months a baby may react when the carer leaves; by 3 years most children settle within about 10 minutes after the carer leaves. A child who cries a long time each day for weeks needs a talk with the parent.

Ten steps of positive discipline

These steps are standard positive-discipline practice, built from the sources above. The word "redirect" and the order of the steps are recommended practice.

Come down to the child's eye level.
Stay calm. Lower your voice. Breathe.
Name the feeling. "You are angry because Ama took your block."
Say what to do, not what not to do. "Walk" instead of "Don't run".
Give two choices. "Do you want the red cup or the blue cup?"
Redirect. Move the child to another activity.
Praise good behaviour at once. "Thank you for sharing the block."
Short calm-down time with an adult nearby, for children 3 and older: one or two minutes sitting in a quiet corner, never shut in alone.
Write down what keeps happening, and what comes before it.
Talk to the parent, and agree on the same way at home and at the centre.

Never: hit, slap, pinch, shake, shout at or shame a child; lock a child in a room; withhold food or water; threaten with fear (witch, police, the dark); call a child names.

Biting: a worked example. Kojo, 2 years, bites Ama.

Go to Ama first. Check the skin, clean it with soap and water, tell the manager and write it in the incident book. If the skin is broken, the manager and a nurse decide on care.
To Kojo say gently but firmly: "No biting. It hurts Ama."
Name the feeling: "You wanted the block."
Give Kojo something to do: "Here is a block of your own."
Watch for the times it happens, such as when toys are few or the child is tired or hungry, and stay close then.
Tell Kojo's parents kindly, and tell Ama's parents what happened, without blaming.

Calm and redirect

Materials: role-play cards, a doll or a partner, a timer.

Role-play three scenes: a toddler grabs a toy, a 3-year-old has a tantrum, a 4-year-old will not share.
In each, practise steps 1 to 7 aloud.
The observer ticks each step used and notes any shouting, grabbing or threat.
Swap roles. Do each scene twice.

Check: calm voice; eye level; feeling named; clear instruction; praise; no hitting or shouting.

Common mistakes and fixes

Mistake	Fix
Shouting "Stop!" across the room	Walk over, kneel down, speak quietly
Saying "Don't" all day	Say what to do instead
Giving in to a tantrum with a sweet	Stay calm, offer a choice, praise when calm
Comparing children	Praise each child's own steps
Telling parents only the bad news	Start with something good

Working with parents

The Ghana guidelines say centres should meet parents at least once every three months, give parents daily information about their child, explain policies in languages parents understand, display a complaints procedure (who to complain to, how fast, how to appeal), and give parents incident reports.

Daily note (hand-over). A short note or chat at pick-up (recommended practice): what the child ate and drank; nappy changes or toilet; sleep time; one thing the child enjoyed; any bump, fever or worry; anything the parent must bring tomorrow.

Greeting and hand-over: the steps.

Greet the parent and child by name with a smile.
At arrival ask: How was the night? Has the child eaten? Any news or worry? Any medicine (tell the manager)?
Check the child and sign the register.
Help a child who cries at goodbye: let the parent say a quick, warm goodbye and not sneak away; you then hold or distract the child.
At pick-up give the daily note and say one good thing first.
Release the child only to a person named on the admission form.

Difficult conversations.

Choose a private place.
Begin with something good.
Describe what you saw with facts and dates.
Listen to the parent without arguing.
Agree one next step.
Write the date and what was agreed.

Complaints. Listen, thank the parent, write the complaint, tell the manager. Do not argue or take it personally. The manager replies within the time the complaints notice says.

Confidentiality. What you know about a child and family stays in the centre. Do not talk about children in the market or on WhatsApp groups (the guidelines require confidentiality).

Write a daily note and hold a hard talk

Materials: a note template, pen, role-play partner.

Write a daily note for a made-up child with five facts (eating, sleeping, play, nappy or toilet, one worry).
Practise the six-step difficult conversation: "Kofi bit another child twice today."
Role-play the complaint steps with a parent who says "My child is always dirty when I come."
Swap roles.

Check: the note is short, factual and kind; the talk starts with something good and ends with one next step.

Parent meetings

A centre has 40 families. The guidelines ask for a meeting with parents at least once every three months. If each meeting needs the manager for 2 hours plus 1 hour for preparation, how many hours a year does the manager spend on parent meetings? Name three other costs to plan for. (All numbers are examples.)

Calm at home

For one week, notice every time you feel like shouting at a child or anyone. Write what happened and which of the ten steps you could have used. Do not name the child.

Check yourself

Name three things you must never do to a child who misbehaves.
Say one sentence that tells a child what to do instead of what not to do.
How often should a centre meet parents, at least?

Unit 7 · Your location, business and marketing

A safe, kind daycare is a service families trust and pay for. Start small, start properly and keep the children's safety first.

Competency standard

Learning outcome	Performance criteria — the trainee…
7.1 Choose a way to work	names options from daycare assistant to home daycare and after-school care
7.2 Choose a location	judges a site against safety, access and demand
7.3 Cost and price	works out a monthly budget and a fee, labelled as examples
7.4 Market yourself and include everyone	plans a sign, a message and an accessible service, including for children with disabilities

Range. The trainee's own plan. Evidence. One-page plan; costing sheet; accessibility checklist.

Ways to earn from childcare

Option	What it is	Starting point
Daycare assistant	Work in a licensed centre under a manager	CV, this certificate, police clearance and references (the guidelines ask centres to check these)
Home daycare	Care for a small group in your own safe house or yard	Ask Social Welfare whether a permit is needed and how many children are allowed; the Act says any day-care centre needs a permit, and rules for home-based care were not found
After-school care	Meet children after school, give a snack, homework time and play until parents collect	A safe room, supervision and the same child-protection rules
Crèche or centre	A purpose-built or rented centre with several staff	Licence from the District Assembly, premises approved, staff trained (see Level 3)
Helper and cook	Cooking meals, cleaning, laundry for centres	Food hygiene and a food-handler's health check

The Ghana guidelines say a daycare can be purpose-built or set up in a home, market, community centre, church or even under trees, and a crèche is centre-based full-day care for babies up to about 4 years.

The legal frame in Ghana (what to know before you start)

Under Act 560, anyone who opens a day-care centre needs a permit from the District Assembly's Social Welfare and Community Development Department; a centre operating without one can be closed on 14 days' notice.
The Department inspects the premises and records at least once a month. If the centre is not run well in the children's interest, the permit can be suspended and then cancelled.
Each District Assembly makes its own bye-laws and guidelines, so fees and some rules differ by district. The permit fee is set by the district bye-law; the Ahanta West or Sekondi-Takoradi fee was not verified: phone the Social Welfare office. Which district office covers Akwidaa was not verified either.
In practice, a licence is valid for one year and must be renewed. It must be held before opening.
The Day Care Centres Regulations 1979 (L.I. 1230) continue in force, but their text was not found online. Do not rely on any number for ratios or floor space from L.I. 1230. The Accra guidelines in this book are good-practice standards, not law.
If you start your own service, registering a sole-proprietor business name at the Office of the Registrar of Companies costs GH¢130, with GH¢70 a year to renew. Payroll, tax and staff contracts are taught in the Level 3 course.
A Level 1 learner does not need to register before working as an assistant; this section is for those planning ahead.

Choose a location

Safe from hazards: busy roads, open drains, water, cliffs, fires, quarries or building sites
A building that is stable, waterproof and ventilated, with a safe fence and a lockable gate
Near a health facility for emergencies, with the facility's details told to parents
Easy for parents to reach on their way to work, market or the fish landing
A ground-floor room, wide doors and a ramp where possible (see accessibility below)
Safe water, a toilet and a place to wash hands
Space: about 2 square metres per baby and 1.4 to 1.8 square metres per older child, indoors and outdoors
Plans approved by the District Assembly if you build

Demand around Akwidaa. The number of children under 5, working mothers and existing centres in Akwidaa was not found. Do your own survey (see homework). The 2024 Accra check, where only 2 of 10 centres had a valid licence, suggests parents will value a licensed, safe centre.

Costing a home daycare (all figures are examples)

The Ghana guidelines list cost items: staff, learning materials, food, premises and equipment, health supplies, training, communication, maintenance, insurance and contingency. They say to look at what parents can pay before you fix a fee. No real fee for Takoradi or Akwidaa was found, so survey three nearby centres or childminders.

Example monthly budget for 8 children (examples only).

Item	GH¢ per month (example)
Food and drinking water	600
Helper's pay	500
Soap, cleaning materials	80
Play and craft materials	50
Electricity and water	120
Total cost	1,350

Cost per child: 1,350 ÷ 8 = GH¢168.75. If each parent pays GH¢200 a month (example), income is 8 × 200 = GH¢1,600 and the left-over is 1,600 − 1,350 = GH¢250. This is before the owner's own pay, repairs, the permit fee and any loan. Your real fee must come from your own survey and costs.

Work out your fee (all figures are examples)

You plan an after-school care for 10 children, 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. Monthly costs: snack and water GH¢300, a helper GH¢400, materials GH¢60, and other costs GH¢90. What is the monthly cost? What is the cost per child? What fee per child leaves GH¢200 in total for you?

Income, jobs and training

Earnings of daycare attendants and operators in Ghana were not found. Do not promise an income.
The Department of Social Welfare runs daycare attendant training. A nine-week course in the Eastern Region in September 2026 included first aid and child protection law. An older report mentioned a three-month course in Takoradi, but its date and current status are not verified. Phone the Western Regional Social Welfare office for the next intake.
Keep learning: first aid, child protection, nutrition and play.

Market yourself

For a job: make a one-page CV with your training, any first-aid certificate and two references. Offer a trial day. Dress neatly; short clean nails.
For your own service: put up a clear sign with your name, hours and contact. Display your permit once you have it, and the timetable and menu (officials look for a timetable and menu chart).
Tell church groups, market traders' groups and neighbours; word of mouth is the strongest (recommended practice, not sourced).
Show your safe room and clean handwashing point on an open day.
Photos of children only with written parent consent.
Be honest about hours, fees, numbers and what you cannot do (for example, you do not give medicines).

Accessibility: children and carers with disabilities

For children.

The Ghana guidelines say a centre should not discriminate by disability and should be disability-friendly, including at least one toilet designed for children with special needs, and that workers should be aware that some children have special needs and act with parents and other bodies. The revised ECCD policy adds inclusion as one of its six areas.
Adjustments that help (general teaching): a ground-floor room, a ramp and wide doorways; a clear, uncluttered floor; a picture timetable; simple signs and gestures along with words; a quiet corner for a child who is easily overwhelmed; extra time at meals; stable seating; speaking face to face; and working with parents on what works at home.
You do not diagnose. If you notice that a child may have a hearing, vision or development problem, tell the parent kindly and suggest the child welfare clinic or district hospital (see Unit 2). The Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715) exists; its text was not read for this book.
Read the Hub's Inclusive Training Guide for how to include people with different needs, and Caregiving for Older and Disabled People for respectful hands-on support.

For you or your staff. Storytelling, singing, record-keeping, planning and parent communication can suit people with a range of disabilities. Adjustments: seated tasks; written or picture routines; a partner for heavy lifting; clear written incident forms; a quiet room for records; sign language or gestures for a deaf colleague.

Your one-page childcare plan

Materials: paper and pen, a map or your knowledge of your town, three local prices.

Choose your service: assistant, home daycare or after-school care.
Name two possible locations and say why one is safer and nearer.
Make a simple monthly budget with your own survey, labelled as an estimate.
Write the sign you would put up: name, hours, one promise (for example safe, clean, kind).
List three ways to make the place work for a child who cannot walk, hear or see well.
Write the first three things you will do this month.

Check: the plan is one page; costs are labelled estimates; safety and the permit are on the list.

Survey the neighbourhood

Visit or phone three people who look after young children near you (a centre, a teacher, a childminder). Ask hours, fee, number of children, and whether they have a permit. Be honest about why you are asking. Bring the answers.

Check yourself

Who gives the permit to open a daycare?
Why must you not say you can give medicines in your advertising?
Name two changes that help a child who uses a wheelchair.

Glossary

Term	Meaning
Act 560	The Children's Act, 1998, Ghana's main child law
Admission form	A form with the child's details, parent and emergency contacts, allergies and health record
Allergy	A body reaction to a food or other thing, which can be dangerous
Caregiver	A person who looks after a child's needs
Child welfare clinic	A health clinic for babies and young children, for weighing and vaccines
Choking	When something blocks the airway
Corporal punishment	Hitting or other physical punishment; not allowed
Daycare	Care for children during the day while parents work
ECCD	Early Childhood Care and Development
Immunisation	Vaccines that protect a child from disease, given by health workers
Incident book	A record of every injury or event
Milestone	A skill most children have by a certain age
Nappy	A cloth or disposable pad for urine and stool
Positive discipline	Teaching behaviour with kindness and clear rules, never hitting
Referral	Sending a child or parent to a health worker or other service
Responsive caregiving	Noticing what a child needs and answering kindly
Safe sleep	Putting a baby on the back on a flat, firm, clean surface with nothing soft
Toddler	A child of about 1 to 3 years
Veronica bucket	A plastic bucket with a tap on a stand for handwashing

Logbook

Unit 1: premises checklist; reporting role-play; handwashing record; ratio exercise
Unit 2: milestone chart; observation notes; parent-talk practice
Unit 3: timetable and menu; feeding practice; nappy-change record; safe sleep set-up
Unit 4: three toys and safety signatures; activity plan; song and story record
Unit 5: immunisation reminder sheet; net and yard check; first-aid box check; referral role-play
Unit 6: positive-discipline role-plays; daily note; parent-talk record
Unit 7: one-page plan; costing; neighbourhood survey
Every homework, dated

Self-check quiz

What does Act 560 say about reporting a child who may be in danger?
Name three things you check on the daily safety walk.
How should a baby be put to sleep?
When must children and workers wash hands?
Why must you never leave a child alone on the changing mat?
About how old are most children when they use three or more words besides mama and dada?
What do you do if a child has a fever?
Name one thing carers must never do about medicine.
Which number do you call in an emergency?
Name three non-violent ways to guide a child's behaviour.
What must you check before teaching a traditional Twi or Fante song?
Who gives the permit to open a daycare, and what must you do before you open?