Responsible Adult Skills

The 25-hour Responsible Adult Course offered by Head Start Online School is government-mandated training for anyone who wants to work with children in BC. This training teaches the practical, everyday skills needed to care for children in an early childhood education environment.

What makes a Responsible Adult

Qualities of Responsible Adults include maturity and reliability when working with children, along with well-developed interpersonal skills. In this course, you'll learn how to help create a balanced childcare environment — active and quiet activities, outdoor and indoor play, and both individual and group activities — along with how to support child-directed activities and daily care routines.

Communication and guidance skills

You'll learn how to support children in expressing themselves. Developing active listening skills and responding with open-ended questions encourages healthy communication development in children. Children learn and grow toward independence when adults model positive behaviour and give positive feedback — a Responsible Adult supports problem-solving and encourages children to participate in new experiences.

Diversity and positive behaviour guidance

Diversity, inclusion, and acceptance are core values in early childhood education. You'll learn how to address behaviour challenges through positive guidance and redirection, and how to build trust and positive relationships with the families in your care.

Why these skills matter to employers

Showing personal initiative, good planning, and organizational skills helps Responsible Adults contribute meaningfully to the well-being and development of the children in their care — and it's exactly what childcare employers in BC are looking for.

Learn these skills and more with our 25-hour Responsible Adult Course.