41 people graduated from the programme of qualification for the profession of child caregivers, organized at the college “Alexei Mateevici” from Chișinău, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Over the course of two months, programme participants received theoretical and practical training in the care of children under the age of 11. They studied emotional and behavioural development, nutrition, safety, community integration, hygiene, first aid or other medical care for children with disabilities or current illnesses, as well as other skills required for the profession. 

At the end of the programme, participants were given a certificate of confirmation of professional qualifications. This document is also internationally recognised.

“By attending the courses, I realized that it is not enough to be a parent to know how to care for and educate other children. Not only knowledge but also skills in different areas are needed. What impressed me most was the course where we learnt how to cook a variety of meals for children, the first aid classes, what to do in case of a child drowning, a fracture, etc. There were times when we stayed late to discuss interesting topics related to children's education,” said Diana Rotaru, a graduate.     

The training was conducted by teachers with higher medical and pedagogical education.

“This is the first accredited childcare course funded by UNDP Moldova and is aimed at those who want to gain a qualification in this area and work legally and professionally. Every parent knows how difficult it is to leave your child in the care of another person because they have to work or because they need time to themselves. It is important for parents to feel confident that a professional person will take care of their child and know how to meet their child's needs,” said Ana Moraru, Policy Component Manager, UNDP Moldova. 

Already this autumn, UNDP Moldova will provide training opportunities for 30 refugees from Ukraine to become caregivers.

UNDP will contribute to the implementation of the National Early Child-Care Programme that aims to diversify and extend access to early childcare services and thus stimulate parents’ transition to the labour market, particularly for women. UNDP supports the improvement of the access to early childcare facilities and services in the public sector. In addition, UNDP will engage with the private sector stakeholders to extend access to childcare services within the workplace.

The skills validation programme was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Education and Research under the UNDP project “Migration and local development”, implemented with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland in partnership with the International Organization for Migration, Mission to Moldova.     

Currently, 13 validation centers offer residents and returning migrants the opportunity to validate their professional skills acquired in the workplace or in other non-formal and informal education contexts. Programme participants can choose one or more of 92 careers in construction, catering, education, environment, textiles, beauty, transport, information technology, renewable energy.

Individuals wishing to assess their knowledge and companies wishing to offer the possibility of certification to their employees must pay a fee ranging from MDL1,600 to MDL3,000, depending on the field and the number of skills to be qualified.

To date, almost 1,000 citizens of the Republic of Moldova and from the diaspora have certified their professional skills acquired on the job.

More detailed information on the stages of the qualifications recognition process, required documents and contact details of the validation centers can be found on the website of the Ministry of Education and Research.