Participants can complete the Programme within 18 months from the date of registration at SCS, CUHK. There are 7 modules in the Programme (total 210 hours):
1. Understanding Young Children with Special Needs (30 hours)
2. Providing Services to Young Children with Special Needs (30 hours)
3. Play and Learning for Young Children with Special Needs (30 hours)
4. Planning and Evaluating Programmes for Young Children with Special Needs (30 hours)
5. Curriculum Development:Methods & Techniques (30 hours)
6. Observation, Recording and Assessment (30 hours)
7. Project (30 hours)

Aims to provide an overview of special needs, and explore how types, characteristics and causes of special needs, including disabilities, learning difficulties, chronic illnesses, behavioural/emotional problems and giftedness can be identified and analyzed.

1. Brain development of children
2. Children with learning disabilities
3. Children who have gifts and talents
4. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing
5. Children with visual impairment
6. Diseases in pre-school children

Aims to introduce different stages of development that infant and toddlers (up to age 3) will experience.

1. Concepts of early intervention
2. Impact of children with special needs on the parents/families
3. Inclusive education and its development in Hong Kong
4. Promoting integration of children in residential care to the society
5. Roles and qualities of the worker in working with children with special needs
6. Promoting teamwork with co-workers and other professionals

Aims to help participants understand the benefits of play in supporting children with special needs in their motor development, communication and speech development.

1. The values of play:Supporting children who find it difficult to play
2. Early indicators of learning differences and difficulties
3. Analyzing and adapting play opportunities for children with special needs
4. Using play to develop language and literacy development
5. Supporting children with Asperger's syndrome with play
6. Understanding the learning process as children play

Aims to introduce the principles and procedures of planning programmes for children with special needs.

1. The principles and models of programme planning
2. Practical steps in the planning process
3. Planning for those from newborn to age 3
4. Planning for those from age 3 to age 6
5. Family and support factors
6. Formulating an evaluation plan

Aims to offer a practical guide in designing a curriculum with learning opportunities within daily teaching and caring activities and routine.

1. Principles and models in developing the curriculum
2. Creating curriculum:A developmental approach
3. The psychology of learning of pre-school children
4. Understanding transfer of learning
5. Evaluating the effectiveness of learning experiences
6. Setting assessment criteria for learners

Aims to illustrate the characteristics of atypical development and children with special needs and introduce several types of common potential developmental delays or other signs that may require professional referrals.

1. General guidelines for observing children
2. Observation and recording methods
3. Narrative descriptions
4. Checklists and rating scales
5. Strategies to do assessment from observation
6. Assessment results for supporting child development
7. Principles and skills in handling difficult behaviours

Aims to integrate their learning of theories with practical situations in an educational or service setting for children with diverse needs.

1. preparatory workshop
2. visits to special child care centres and related services for on-site observations
3. attachment to special child care centres or related services
4. evaluation workshop

The Programme will be delivered by a 3-hour face-to-face lecture once / twice a week

Cantonese will be used for instruction, supplemented by English.

Participants will be awarded the 'Professional Diploma in Special Child Care Work' upon fulfilling the following requirements:
1. A minimum of 70% attendance in each module, including practicum, is required.; and
2. Assessment:Participants must pass the assessment of each module.

Graduates are eligible for registration as Special Child Care Workers with the Social Welfare Department (SWD Reference Number :SDTS/5-95/1010/2a).

This course has been included in the list of reimbursable courses under the Continuing Education Fund. This course is recognised under the Qualifications Framework (QF Level 4).
CEF Course Code: 44F121366
CEF Course Name: Professional Diploma in Special Child Care Work