Trying To Find Placement

[ameljor]

Your Assignment Module Number and Heading: 240 Placement Hours
Your Assignment Type: Standard Question
Currently Working in Childcare? No
Your knowledge: Beginner

Your Question?
I am having great difficulty in trying to find placement in a child care service in Victoria (Western Suburbs)

I am baffled and had no idea it was going to be this difficult, and just wondering if anyone else has experienced the same thing.

I am currently studying my Diploma with NSW Tafe (Oten) and the common theme with all the services I have approached is, they either take on students from the university only, or are full with students from the university.

I contacted Oten, to find out what the story was, they said that the Universities do pay a small fee which is why they are taken on first, I have also since discovered that the Universities organise the placement of their students long before they need to do it, which seems to be another reason why I can't get a foot in the door.

What is your answer so far or What have you done so far as an attempt to solve this question?
I have approached about 40 centres in person, and am lucky to get past reception, or the Director is out, or I may be lucky to speak to the Director and be told, they can't help me.

Phoning and asking for an appointment to see Director doesn't seem to work either, as once I tell them why, I am told over the phone they can't help me.

I have now resorted to emails, and I seem to have worded my email really well, as every centre I have sent one to has responded straight away, with the same thing, full with Students.

There is only so far I can go for placement, as I have a small child at Primary School who I pick up and drop off everyday.

A small part of me wishes I had known this before hand, and I may of studied something else.

Description and Message:
Any advise would be great.

[Lorina]

You're not alone! Over the past couple of weeks their have been a few topics posted of student having difficulty finding placement as well...

It seems like you have done all the right things, have you tried FDC?

I'm not sure what else you can possibly do, except let your institute know that you are currently trying to find placement and are having difficulty doing it. Keep emailing centres until something opens up. It's getting close towards the end of the year now so students are probably hounding centres for work placement in order to complete their qualification. If worse comes to worse, can't you book work placement with a centre in a couple of months from now so at least you know by November you will be able to do your work placement. I mean a centre can't be full with students from now until the end of the year can they? So, instead of doing placement now, maybe find out if you can do placement with a centre in the coming months...

I can understand how frustrating this can be specially when this is the only thing pending!

Hopefully you find something soon!

,
L.A

[ameljor]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply, what is FDC?

And yes, I can only ask if it is possible to book in couple months from now, but I have been told by numerous centres they have students until the end of year.
I did get a reply email today from a centre asking to contact them again next year.
I will do that, and hopefully I don't get, sorry we are full with students!
Anyway, I will keep trying…..

[cait-ie.sh]

FDC is Family Day Care and if you are allowed to then I would definitely look into that!

From what I've heard from management at my centre it is getting a lot harder for both students and services in organising placements so it is really important to contact them as early as possible. If you're in the same position in January I would devote as much time as possible in the first weeks of the year to calling services to book placements in (or even call them now and ask about booking for 2015).

Good luck!