Pen Green Centre for children and their families

Take your first step into a rewarding career in home-based childcare with this accredited Level 3 qualification. Designed for those looking to become registered childminders, nannies, or home-based childcare professionals, this course provides a strong foundation in safeguarding, child development, and the practicalities of setting up and running your own childcare provision.

Delivered through a blend of live and flexible online learning, you will build the knowledge, confidence and understanding needed to create safe, nurturing environments for children while meeting regulatory requirements. Supported by Pen Green’s experienced team, this course offers a clear and supportive pathway into home-based childcare.

You can choose to complete this qualification with Pen Green, where you will benefit from our experienced tutors and relational, supportive approach to learning. Alternatively, this course is also available through other providers such as Childminding UK, and you may wish to explore their offer to find the option that best suits your needs.

For learners based in Leicestershire, there may also be funding available through the local authority. If you would like to explore the best route for you, including funding opportunities and course options, please get in touch with our team—we’re happy to help you make an informed decision.

In this course you will develop your understanding of the purpose of reflective supervision and coaching of professional practice and develop your skills as a supervisor, coach and mentor. Throughout the day you will be exploring theories to support this.

Pen Green’s supervision training focuses on:

• Building strong, trusting relationships.
• Encouraging reflective practice.
• Introducing relevant models of supervision.
• Practice sessions to consider approaches and strategies within supervision.

This year’s annual conference will take place on Saturday, 5th September, and will focus on Radical Connections: the relational twists and turns of early childhood. We’re bringing together leading thinkers whose work challenges behaviourist, performative, and transactional approaches to education. Together, they will explore how emotional safety, curiosity, kindness, and reflective practice form the foundation of meaningful learning.

Featuring keynote speakers:

Dave Whitaker

✨ The Kindness Principle – Unconditional Positive Regard and Relational Practice at the Heart of School Culture
Dave Whitaker invites us to rethink leadership and behaviour through the lens of unconditional positive regard. His keynote explores kindness-led culture, connection before correction, and the relational foundations that allow children—and adults—to belong, learn, and flourish.

Greg Bottrill

✨ The Quest Towards Inner Child Led Pedagogy
Join Greg as he introduces his concept of Inner Child Led Pedagogy, a powerful declaration of play, wonder and human identity. Exploring the need for adventure, magic and deep connection to one another and nature, Greg will share simple toolkits that bring the inner child to the forefront of our thinking. Every child loved unconditionally for who they are and every adult in dialogue with their own eternal inner child, elated and living in wonder.

Plus interactive spaces, reflection time, and a panel conversation bringing together leading voices in relational practice.

Tickets are priced at £100 per person.  10% discount available for group bookings of 5 or more people.

Book your tickets today: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/pengreenresearchbase

The one day course Continuous Provision in the Early Years focuses on how to create an engaging, child-led learning environment where resources and activities are carefully planned to support children’s development across the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

In this course you will spend time immersing yourself in the theory of Schema, Pedagogic Strategies, Well Being and Involvement to reflect on how babies and young children learn and how practitioners can support and extend their learning. There is an option to complete a child study to apply knowledge to your own setting and practices.

2 days of face-to-face training with expert tutors, this could be at Pen Green or at your own setting.  A full tour of Pen Green is included in the programme.

This professional development programme is aimed at EY Practitioners, EY Leaders and Managers, Social Workers and Family Support workers.

£3300 per course (up to 25 participants)

Please contact us to discuss dates, suitability and to book.