Guide to Qualifications in Health and Social Care, …...8 4 6 2 7 3 5 1 Entry Level Award 1-12...

Guide to Qualifications in Health and Social Care, Early Years and Childcare

Cyngor Gofal CymruCare Council for WalesHyder mewn Gofal - Confidence in Care

Revised October 2014

Contact DetailsCare Council for WalesSouth Gate HouseWood StreetCardiffCF10 1EW

Tel: 0300 30 33 444Fax: 029 2038 4764Minicom: 029 2078 0680

E-mail: [email protected]

@CareCouncilCare Careers Wales

© 2014 Care Council for WalesAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the Care Council for Wales. Enquiries for reproduction outside the scope expressly permitted by law should be sent to the Chief Executive of the Care Council for Wales at the address given above.

ISBN: 978-1-906528-37-9

Further copies and other formatsFurther copies of this document are available in large print or other formats if required.

Foreword / 3

The qualification framework for Wales, England and Northern Ireland, the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), offers clarity and flexibility in the qualifications that are available to the workforce. The programme has built upon the success of credit based learning as demonstrated by the Credit and Qualifications Framework Wales (CQFW).

The QCF qualifications support the Care Council’s aim to give the public the utmost ‘confidence in care’ by helping to ensure that the social care workforce is safe to practice, skilled and trained to do the job to the highest standards. The focus of the qualifications for Wales is to support learners to demonstrate their occupational competence.

The qualifications and units enable people to build on their achievements in a formally recognised way, by taking a whole qualification or accredited units for their continuing development. The units have been written in a clear language and style that will assist learners, employers and assessors to identify the relevant units for their needs. As Gwenda Thomas, Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services, noted in her December 2010 speech:

It means staff who may have started their career working with older people can undertake units to prepare them to work with people with other specialist needs and be awarded credit for their learning. This will promote flexible working and allow accredited staff to move around the sector more easily.”

The QCF qualifications for social care that replace NVQs have been available since 1st January 2011. Their development has involved a great deal of partnership working between employers, learning providers, subject experts who may be service users, carers or service providers, awarding organisations and sector skills council partners. We would like to thank those who have given their time and expertise to help us develop these qualifications.

The development of the QCF qualifications represents one stage in building the skills of the social care workforce. Together with the Code of Practice for employers and social care workers the qualifications can be used to promote a safe and skilled workforce which, as Gwenda Thomas has noted, “will have a significant impact on improving service quality and most importantly in improving the lives of the people of Wales.”

Roberta Hayes Director of Learning and Development, Care Council for Wales

Guide to Qualifications in Health and Social Care, Early Years and Childcare / Care Council for Wales

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The Role of the Care Council for Wales as a Sector Skills CouncilSector Skills Councils are independent, UK-wide employer-led organisations. The sector skills council for social care, early years and childcare is Skills for Care and Development. This consists of four UK partner organisations: Care Council for Wales; Northern Ireland Social Services Council; Scottish Social Services Council and Skills for Care (England).

The Sector Skills Council aims to ensure that there are sufficient skilled and qualified workers to meet the needs of social care, early years and childcare. The development and maintenance of qualifications to ensure that they are fit for purpose and meet sector needs is an essential component of this.

QCF diploma QualificationsThese are the qualifications that have replaced NVQs in health and social care, early years and childcare. Qualifications at Level 2 and above have been designed to measure occupational competence. The Level 1 qualifications serves as a broad introduction to the scope of the sector.

The qualifications are:

Health and Social Care, Early years and ChildcareLevel 1Level 1 Award in Introduction to Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 1 Certificate in Introduction to Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 1 Diploma in Introduction to Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare Wales and Northern Ireland.

Health and Social CareLevel 2Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 3Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care (Children and Young People) Wales and Northern Ireland

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Care Council for Wales / Guide to Qualifications in Health and Social Care, Early Years and Childcare

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Level 5Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Adults’ Advanced Practice) Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Children and Young People’s Advanced Practice) Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Adults’ Management) Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Children and Young People’s Management) Wales

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Adults’ Residential Management) Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Children and Young People’s Residential Management) Wales

Early Years and ChildcareLevel 2Level 2 Diploma for Children’s Care, Learning and Development Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 3Level 3 Diploma for Children’s Care, Learning and Development Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 5Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Children’s Care, Learning and Development (Advanced Practice) Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Children’s Care, Learning and Development (Management) Wales and Northern Ireland

CommissioningLevel 3Level 3 Diploma in Commissioning, Procurement and Contracting for Care Services

Level 5Level 5 Diploma in Commissioning, Procurement and Contracting for Care Services

Level 7Level 7 Diploma in Commissioning, Procurement and Contracting for Care Services


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4

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2

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Entry Level

Award 1-12 credits

Certificate 13-36 credits

Diploma 37 or more credits

6 / What is the QCF?


The QCF is the Qualifications and Credit Framework, the regulated framework for creating and accrediting vocational qualifications in Wales, Northern Ireland and England. It provides a flexible way of building up credits that recognises and rewards skills and knowledge that can lead to qualifications. In Wales, the QCF sits within the CQFW (Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales).

How does it work? The size of a qualification can be measured by its number of credits. One credit represents, on average, 10 hours of learning so the credit value indicates how much time a unit takes to complete. There are three sizes of qualifications: Award, Certificate and Diploma.

Units and qualifications also vary in complexity. There are 9 levels from Entry Level through to Level 8. The level of a qualification or unit indicates how difficult it is to achieve.

The following diagram illustrates the structure of qualifications on the QCF.

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About the Qualifications / 7 6 / What is the QCF?

As the workforce regulator the Care Council is committed to ensuring vulnerable adults and children are kept safe by workers who are knowledgeable, skilled and competent. This is not demonstrated in just defining set hours of learning but in the assessment of the outcomes of that learning and this is built into the diploma qualifications.

Most of the units that form part of the diploma qualifications are based on the relevant National Occupational Standards (NOS). Where there has been sector engagement in other specific areas, additional units have also been developed, e.g. for dementia care.

Units Units are the building blocks of all qualifications on the QCF. They are written in terms of ‘learning outcomes’, which can be measured using specific criteria that state the knowledge or skill that a learner needs to show. Assessment of learners for the diploma qualifications will take place predominately in the work place by qualified assessors. Service users will also be a valuable resource in contributing to the assessment of competence.

Partnership ApproachThe qualifications for health and social care, early years and childcare have been developed with employers, awarding organisations, stakeholders and sector experts.

The qualifications in health and social care have been jointly developed by Skills for Care and Development and Skills for Health and are part of the shared Apprenticeship frameworks in Wales.


Advantages for Social Care, Early Years and Childcare The flexibility that the QCF diploma qualifications offer is one of their main advantages.

They can benefit learners in the following ways:

• Learners can carry credits between qualifications to avoid having to repeat learning;

• Units can be combined to help them follow their chosen career path;

• Information is given about the level and size of units and qualifications so that they can understand the commitment needed;

• An electronic system and unique Learner Record keeps track of their achievements.

Employers can also benefit in the following ways:

• Making it easier to judge the level and size of units and qualifications held by prospective employees;

• Making training options clear, helping to find the right training for employees and business needs based on learning outcomes;

• Saving costs by removing duplication of learning;

• Offering accredited continued professional development for employees that may lead to improved retention rates;

• Giving opportunities for clear progression routes that support succession planning.

Rules of CombinationRules of Combination set the units a learner needs to complete in order to receive a particular qualification. Each qualification is made up of groups of units. There is a set group of units that all learners must complete for every QCF Diploma, which are called mandatory units. Further units are then selected from a group or groups of optional units.

The units will reflect the level of a qualification, e.g. most units in a level 3 qualification will be set at level 3. However to reflect the variety of the roles and responsibilities that workers may have, units within the qualification can be at a variety of levels (known as a ‘spiky profile’). Therefore, a Level 3 diploma may contain units at levels 2, 3 and 4 although this will be the exception rather than the rule.

The tables below outline the credits that need to be achieved for each qualification and give an indication of which type of qualification might be suitable for different work roles and settings.


8 / About the Qualifications

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Total

12

30

39

Mandatory

12

16

16

Optional

0

14

23

This qualification may be suitable for:

This is predominantly a knowledge only qualification suitable for people looking for a pathway into health and social care or early years and childcare.

This is predominantly a knowledge only qualification suitable for people looking for a pathway into health and social care or early years and childcare, who may have completed the award above.

This is predominantly a knowledge only qualification suitable for people looking for a pathway into health and social care or early years and childcare, who may have completed the award and/or certificate above.

Health and Social Care, Early years and Childcare

Title

Level 1 Award in Introduction to Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 1 Certificate in Introduction to Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People) Early Years and Childcare Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 1 Diploma in Introduction to Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare Wales and Northern Ireland

Credits

Total

46

58

Mandatory

24

28

Optional

22NB: the unit ‘Introductory Awareness of sensory loss’ is required for social care workers in Wales, but not for health care workers

30NB: the unit ‘Understand sensory loss’ is required for social care workers in Wales, but not for health care workers

This qualification may be suitable for: (examples only)

SettingsAdult Care Homes; Domiciliary Services; Day and Community Services for Adults; Social Work and Allied Professional Services

RolesCare Worker; Day Services Assistant; Health and Social Care Support Worker; Support Worker

SettingsAdult Care Homes; Domiciliary Services; Day and Community Services for Adults; Social Work and Allied Professional Services

RolesCare Worker; Day Services Officer; Health and Social Care Support Worker; Occupational Therapy Assistant; Senior Care Worker; Senior Support Worker; Service Coordinator for Domiciliary Care

Health and Social Care

Title

Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) Wales and Northern Ireland


Credits


Total

58

80

80

90

90

Mandatory

40

41

46

53

58

Optional

18

39

34

37

32


Settings Foster Care and Adoption; Day and Community Services for Children and Young People; Domiciliary Services; Residential Family Centres; Residential Services for Children and Young People; Social Work and Allied Professional Services

Roles Foster Carer; Day Services Officer; Residential Child Care Workers; Senior Day Services Officer; Service Co-ordinator for Domiciliary Care; Support Worker

SettingsAdult Care Homes; Day and Community Services for Adults; Domiciliary Services; Residential Family Centres

RolesDeputy Managers; Senior Care Workers; Senior Officers; Senior Support Workers

SettingsDomiciliary Services; Day and Community Services for Children and Families; Residential Services for Children and Young People; Residential Family Centres

RolesDeputy Managers; Senior Support Workers

Settings Day and Community Services for Adults; Domiciliary Services

Roles Social Care Managers; Deputy Managers; Senior Officers

Settings Day and Community Services; for Children and Families; Domiciliary Services

Roles Social Care Managers; Deputy Managers


Title


Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Adults’ Advanced Practice) Wales and Northern Ireland Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Children and Young People’s Advanced Practice) Wales and Northern Ireland



Credits


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Total

90

90

Mandatory

52

64

Optional

38

26


Settings Adult Care Homes; Residential Family Centres


Settings Residential Services for Children and Young People; Residential Family Centres



Title



Credits

Total

39

65

80

Mandatory

27

49

52

Optional

12

16

28


ServicesCrèche; Full Day Care and Sessional Day Care for Children under 8 Years

RolesAssistant Nursery Practitioner

ServicesCrèche; Childminding; Foundation Phase; Flying Start; Full Day Care and Sessional Day Care for Children under 8 years.

RolesAdvanced Nursery Practitioner; Deputy Nursery Manager; Flying Start Family Support Worker; Flying Start Practitioner; Nursery Manager; Nursery Practitioner; Sessional Advanced Practitioner; Sessional Manager; Sessional Deputy Practitioner; Sessional Practitioner

Services Crèche, Foundation Phase; Flying Start; Full Day Care and Sessional Day Care for Children under 8 years

Roles Advanced Nursery Practitioner; Deputy Nursery Manager; Flying Start Family Support Worker; Flying Start Practitioner; Nursery Practitioner; Sessional Advanced Practitioner; Sessional Deputy Practitioner; Sessional Practitioner

Early Years and Childcare

Title

Level 2 Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 3 Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 5 Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development (Advanced Practice) Wales and Northern Ireland

Credits



In addition to the listed qualifications, there are a number of continuing professional development (CPD) qualifications that cover specialist areas of learning.

For further information, visit the Care Council for Wales website www.ccwales.org.uk


Total

90

Mandatory

64

Optional

26


Services Crèche, Foundation Phase; Flying Start; Full Day Care and Sessional Day Care for Children under 8 years

Roles Flying Start Leader; Deputy Nursery Managers; Nursery Managers; Sessional Managers

Early Years and Childcare

Title


Credits

Total

45

59

67

Mandatory

29

38

42

Optional

16

21

25


SettingsSocial Care Planning and Commissioning

RoleSupport Officer

SettingsCentral Management and Service Development; Social Care Planning and Commissioning

RoleOperational Manager; Adviser/Planner/Researcher

SettingsSocial Care Planning and Commissioning

RoleCommissioning Manager

Commissioning

Title

Level 3 Diploma in Commissioning, Procurement and Contracting for Care Services



Credits

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How do I register for one of the qualifications?Learners will need to register with a local learning provider to undertake these qualifications. There is a range of learning providers, which may include an employer’s training department, a local college or an independent organisation.

How do I know which qualification to take? The Care Council has revised the Qualification Framework for the Social Care Sector in Wales. This sets out the qualifications required to register as a social care worker, to meet National Minimum Standards or that are recommended for job roles and services which do not have registration requirements. The List of Required Qualifications for work within the Early Years and Childcare Sector in Wales sets out the qualifications to work in early years settings with children under the age of eight years.

Are the qualifications available in the Welsh language?Yes. The units are available bilingually on the Care Council’s website. Awarding organisations have the responsibility for producing supporting information in the Welsh language if there is sector demand for this.

How much does it cost to register for a QCF qualification?The cost of registration and certification of qualifications is decided by the awarding organisation who owns the qualifications. Please contact awarding organisations for details. The Care Council has recommended that certain priority QCF qualifications should receive funding via the Welsh Government (DfES - Department for Education and Skills).

How long will I get to complete a QCF qualification? The Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) sets out the relevant qualifications to be held for certain job roles in the social care, early years and child care sectors in Wales in the respective National Minimum Standards. CSSIW also state the proportion of workers who are expected to hold those qualifications. The time limits for completion of qualifications to register with the Care Council will not change.

Where can I access the units?Qualification units are available by following the links on the Care Council website. They are also available from the awarding organisations who offer the qualifications.

Frequently Asked Questions


I think that I have spotted a gap in the units in an area that is essential for workers - what can I do about it?If you think you may have identified an area that has been missed out and should be included in any of the qualifications, please contact us. It is important that we are aware of any gaps so that they can be considered and addressed during a planned review of the qualifications.

Why have the level 5 advanced practice diplomas been developed?These diplomas are designed to provide a way for people to demonstrate practice at this level without having a leadership or managerial role.

There is significant overlap of units available between the advanced practice and leadership and management diplomas. Staff who have achieved the advanced practice qualification and wish to progress into management can carry accredited units into the relevant management diploma and 'top up' with units to meet the diploma's full requirements once they are in a work role that enables them to do so.

How can I find out how much RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) can be carried forward?An assessor can look through the evidence to see how much it meets the requirements of the relevant QCF units and ensure that it is also robust and up to date. Awarding organisations should be contacted for guidance on the use of RPL.

14 / Frequently Asked Questions


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If managers already hold RMA or the LMCS and they aspire to do more, what would you recommend they could undertake? All QCF units can be taken as ‘stand alone’ accredited learning, which would form part of a manager’s continuing professional development (CPD). Managers can select units that enhance or update their qualifications and reflect their job role. This will vary depending on the needs of individual managers and their work settings.

Will awarding organisations charge extra if I decide to select additional units for continuing professional development (CPD) purposes? Additional units would form part of an employee’s continuing professional development. As such it is likely that employers would be expected to meet the cost in the way that they currently support employees through training and development activities. The awarding organisations who offer the relevant units will set the charges for undertaking those units. Please contact them for details.

I am not currently employed and would like to take a full-time college course. The QCF level 2 and 3 Diplomas in Health and Social Care and in Children’s Care Learning & Development can be accessed through full-time education.



16 / Apprenticeships

The Apprenticeship Framework for Health and Social Care and the Apprenticeship Framework for Children’s Care Learning and Development are available. The information on the frameworks can be downloaded from the Care Council’s website, www.ccwales.org.uk.

The revised frameworks contain QCF qualifications that provide occupational competence and are achievable for learners, employers and learning suppliers.

• There are no separate technical certificates for Health and Social Care or Children’s Care Learning and Development in Wales;

• The required Essential Skills include Application of Number, Communication and ICT;

• Employee Rights and Responsibility books are available for Health and Social Care and Children’s Care Learning and Development.

Useful links

Care Council for Wales For more information on Apprenticeships: E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: 01745 586850For information on the QCF and qualifications required to register as a social care manager or worker:www.ccwales.org.uk E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: 0845 0700 399

Skills for Care and Development www.skillsforcareanddevelopment.org.uk

Skills for Health www.skillsforhealth.org.uk

OFQUAL For a register of regulated qualifications, which lists qualifications across all sectors: http://register.ofqual.gov.uk

DfESThe Welsh Government’s Department for Education and Skills: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills

CQFW Information about the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales can be found at: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/ educationandskills/qualificationsinwales/ creditqualificationsframework/

QCDA For further information and resources about the QCF: http://www.gcda.gov.uk

Directgov For information about the QCF: http://www.direct.gov.uk/ en/educationandlearning/ qualificationsexplained/

The qualifications for health and social care, early years and childcare have been developed with employers, awarding organisations, stakeholders and sector experts. The awarding organisations ‘own’ the units that are used to form the qualifications, but have agreed to share the units to enable the same qualification to be offered by more than one awarding organisation. The following table provides a summary of the awarding organisations who are offering the qualifications listed at the time of publication of this document.

When you contact an awarding organisation, they will provide you with a list of learning providers who are registered with them to deliver QCF qualifications on their behalf.


Awarding Organisations / 17 and Qualifications

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Level 1 Award in Introduction to Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 1 Certificate in Introduction to Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 1 Diploma in Introduction to Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 2


Level 2 Diploma for Children’s Care Learning and Development Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 3



Level 3 Diploma for Children’s Care, Learning and Development Wales and Northern Ireland


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18 / Awarding Organisations and Qualifications

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Level 5

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Adults’ Advanced Practice) Wales and Northern Ireland

Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Children and Young People’s Advanced Practice) Wales and Northern Ireland





Level 5 Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development (Advanced Practice) Wales and Northern Ireland



Level 7


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Guide to Qualifications in Health and Social Care, …...8 4 6 2 7 3 5 1 Entry Level Award 1-12...

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