March Qualifications for adult social care

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1 March 2014 Qualifications for adult social care

2 All staff working in adult social care should be able to take part in learning and development so they can carry out their role effectively and deliver high quality care. Adult social care qualifications have been developed by Skills for Care in partnership with employers and awarding organisations to meet the needs of people who need care and support. The qualifications provide a flexible mix and match approach to meet the different needs of the workforce. There is a wide range of units that make up qualifications that reflect what workers should know and do. Skills for Care strongly believes that, when delivered well, these qualifications will provide a capable, confident and skilled workforce. These qualifications will support workers to deliver compassionate care, based on strong values and ensure dignity is experienced by all those who need care and support and their carers. Investment in qualifications brings a wide range of benefits Quality service - completion of qualifications develops a professional culture within an organisation which leads to highly skilled and competent workers providing high quality care and support. Safety - training and qualifications in the key areas of health and safety provide reassurance about workers confidence and competence. Value for money - it is in the interest of both the organisation and individual staff that employers make the most of their workers potential and realise the benefits. Qualification achievements give considerable added value and assist workforce planning in the organisation. Retention - workers who receive structured learning and development feel valued and supported and are more likely to remain in their post. This can reduce staff turnover meaning less spend on recruiting new staff.

3 What s available? There are three types of qualifications on the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) - awards, certificates and diplomas all available at different levels. The type of qualification reflects its size, rather than how difficult it is to complete. Each one is made up of units, some mandatory and some optional, so that the qualification can be built to include the areas of knowledge and skill that will be specifically relevant to the role, or to match possible future roles. The qualifications are available in three categories. Entry into social care for those new to the sector considering a career in social care. Occupational competence core qualifications that can be used to demonstrate professional competence. Continuing professional development (CPD) ongoing learning opportunities. The main qualifications achieved through the demonstration of competence are diplomas. They ensure that workers are fit to practice and are equipped to offer quality care and support. The diplomas are the core qualifications for social care and it is recommended that all care staff have at least a level 2 or 3 diploma in health and social care (or the equivalent NVQ if studied before 2010). The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership in Health, Social Care and Children and Young People s Services is the recommended qualification for managers and senior practitioners.

4 To help get to grips with the qualifications and units available Skills for Care has developed the Skill Selector an interactive online tool for building qualifications and identifying learning opportunities that are right for your organisation. You can also access all the individual units available. Visit We ve also created a guide featuring all the current adult social care qualifications recommended by us in more detail. To download a copy visit and go to the supporting materials section. Skills for Care is working with the Department of Health to implement the Cavendish recommendations which may result in some changes in due course

5 Skills for Care has a number of free resources available for you to use Qualification options - possible scenarios The purpose of these documents is to provide case study scenarios to demonstrate how learners may tailor their learning to their job role using the qualifications. These are available on our Skill Selector Please note: These are examples of possible combinations that could be taken and are not intended to form guidance - there are many ways in which units can be grouped together to complete the qualifications. Awarding organisations offering qualifications A list of all the adult social care qualifications available and the awarding organisations offering them is available on our website in the supporting materials section. Learning materials to support learning and qualifications Via funding from the Workforce Development Innovation Fund, Skills for Care has commissioned a range of learning materials which are freely available on our website. They correspond directly to specific units within adult social care qualifications. They can be used in delivery of the qualifications and units and as information and guidance for learners undertaking the qualifications. Activities within the materials can also be used in small group settings within the workplace or as refresher information and learning. Current topics can be found on our website and include: activities, dementia, diabetes, end of life care, medication, stroke care and values. Visit Choosing workforce learning Skills for Care has developed a practical guide to help those responsible for selecting and purchasing learning and development for their workforce. Choosing workforce learning contains helpful information and tips on: identifying the learning needs of your workers the different types of learning available how to evaluate learning and development. The guide also includes a handy checklist to help you choose a suitable provider, prompting the questions that you need to consider when making your decision. Visit

6 More ways Skills for Care can help Funding Funding is available to support the achievement of qualification units. Skills for Care disseminate the Workforce Development Fund (WDF), a stream from the Department of Health, which is available to adult social care providers in England. To access WDF you need to contact the lead partner for your area. See for more details. Compliance with essential standards of quality and safety In consultation and collaboration with the sector and key stakeholders, including the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Skills for Care has developed advice and guidance to help providers of adult social care services to fulfil their responsibilities in respect of the outcomes in CQCs essential standards of quality and safety. This is available on our website - Skills for Care West Gate 6 Grace Street Leeds LS1 2RP Telephone: info@skillsforcare.org.uk Skills for Care 2014