Early learning and child care professionals play an important role in early childhood development. As a professional in this field, you will play a critical role in this stage of a child's life. This program will prepare you to ensure that children's developmental needs are being met. As an early learning and child care professional, you play an important role in a critical development stage for children. In the Early Learning and Child Care Diploma program, you will learn to work with children from birth to eight years of age with some related preparation for working with children from eight to twelve years of age. <br><br>This program is designed to provide you with the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in areas including child development, interpersonal relations, curriculum content, family studies, exceptional children and program management. <br><br>This program can be taken in several different ways. Attend full- or part-time on Red Deer Polytechnic Main campus or blend on-campus and online courses. The blended online/on campus program is offered through a combination of online independent study, on-campus learning, and computer-facilitated support. <br><br>The Early Learning and Child Care Diploma courses may be completed part-time over a two-year period or less through online, distance or blended distance delivery. This multi-delivery approach is especially useful for mature students who are balancing work and home commitments with their education goals.