Early Years Licensed Practitioner
Build a deeper understanding of early development and support babies and young children to feel safe, confident and ready to learn. This course gives you practical strategies to strengthen relationships, support emotional wellbeing and create the foundations for lifelong learning.
This course is for existing Thrive Settings working with children aged 0-5 that want to train an additional Thrive Licensed Practitioner. If your setting is new to Thrive, you’ll need to start with becoming a Thrive Early Years Setting.
Duration
3 months
Format
Live online training and e-learning
Certification
Thrive Licensed Practitioner
Investment
£849 + VAT
Peace of Mind
Wise Investment Guarantee
early years licensed practitioner
Overview
The early years are a critical time in children’s social and emotional development. Practitioners are supporting children through important stages of growth while also responding to increasing needs around communication, regulation and wellbeing.
The Early Years Thrive Licensed Practitioner course helps you understand how early experiences shape behaviour, learning and emotional development, so you can respond in ways that help babies and young children feel safe, settled and ready to engage.
Over three months, you will explore the science behind early development and learn practical strategies you can use in everyday routines and interactions. You will develop the confidence to build secure relationships, strengthen emotional resilience and support children to thrive from the very start.
early years licensed practitioner
Benefits
Support young children’s social and emotional development from the very start, building the skills to understand their needs, strengthen relationships and create a nurturing early years environment.
- Build a deeper understanding of early child development and emotional wellbeing.
- Recognise what babies’ and young children’s behaviour may be communicating.
- Strengthen relationships that support confidence, resilience and belonging.
- Develop practical strategies you can use in everyday routines and interactions.
- Track progress and demonstrate impact using Thrive-Online.
- Stronger support for personal, social and emotional development (PSED).
- More consistent approaches to supporting behaviour and wellbeing.
- Calmer, more settled environments for children and staff.
- Earlier identification of emotional and developmental needs.
- Clear evidence of impact for leaders and inspection.
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Programme details
What you'll learn
The course combines developmental theory with practical strategies you can use immediately in your setting.
You’ll explore:
- How babies’ and young children’s social and emotional development unfolds and how it affects learning.
- How early relationships and attachment shape emotional wellbeing and resilience.
- How the brain and nervous system respond to stress and emotional triggers.
- Practical ways to support emotional regulation through everyday routines and interactions.
- How play, creativity and relational experiences support healthy development how to recognise early signs that a child may need additional support.
- How to use Thrive-Online to assess needs, plan support and track progress.
Successful completion of the course leads to Thrive Licensed Practitioner status.
As a Licensed Practitioner, you will be able to assess children’s social and emotional development, plan targeted support and track measurable progress using Thrive-Online.
This professional recognition demonstrates your expertise in supporting emotional wellbeing, strengthening relationships and helping babies and young children build secure foundations for learning and development.
The course combines learning, reflection and practical application in your own setting.
You’ll take part in:
- Live online training sessions with Thrive specialist.
- Guided e-learning modules.
- Mentoring and feedback on your work with young children.
- Practical casework in your setting.
- You’ll also use Thrive-Online to assess children’s needs, plan support and track progress.
Training is delivered by specialists with extensive experience working with babies, young children and early years settings across the UK.
Course duration: 3 months
early years licensed practitioner
Who this course is for
This course is designed for professionals working in Thrive Settings supporting young people aged 0-3.
- Nursery practitioners
- Nursery supervisors and team leads
- Childminders
- SEND staff
- Health and social care professionals
"We’ve got happy children here, there’s no doubt about that. And happy children do well. They do well socially, emotionally, and they do well educationally.”
Dave Simpkins | Chair of Governors, West Exe Nursery School
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Choose your start date
Review upcoming start dates and session schedules below, then book your place.
Our June 2026 start dates
PA10299 - Early Years Licensed Practitioner Course
Start date: 19th June 2026
End date: 13th November 2026
14 Sessions
5 Places left
£849 ex VAT
Session dates:
- Fri 19th June 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 26th June 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 10th July 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 17th July 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 4th September 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 11th September 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 18th September 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 25th September 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 2nd October 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 9th October 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 16th October 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 23rd October 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 6th November 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
- Fri 13th November 2026 - 10:00am - 11:30am
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Fees & next steps
Course fee: £849 + VATChoose a cohort above to view available start dates and book your place.
Includes full training and certification. On successful completion, results in Thrive Licensed Practitioner status.
Wise Investment Guarantee: If the trained practitioner leaves your setting within 12 months of completing their training, we will train another member of staff at no additional cost.
Yes. The course is designed to be applied in real settings.
To complete the training and qualify for Licensed Practitioner status, you will need to be actively working with babies or young children during the training period and able to apply what you learn in your setting. Evidence of this will be required.
You do not need previous Thrive experience or formal qualifications. What matters most is your commitment to supporting children's emotional wellbeing and development.
You do need to be part of a setting with an active Thrive-Online subscription and be working directly with babies or young children.
If your early years setting is new to Thrive, you’ll need to start with a route to becoming a Thrive Setting. This includes Thrive Licensed Practitioner training, a Thrive-Online subscription and implementation support, giving your setting the foundations needed to introduce Thrive effectively.
Learn more about becoming a Thrive Early Years Setting