European Care Certificate “The European Care Certificate has established and tested a transnational system for the recognition and implementation of entry level qualifications for care staff”

Building a Foundation for Care

What is the European Care Certificate (ECC)? - A basic entry level certificate in the care sector with aspirations to be recognised and accepted across Europe. - A pilot project until September A way to provide evidence that the holder of the licence has a basic knowledge of working in the care sector.

The ECC is not a qualification in itself, (and it is not yet an established programme) But we hope to see many training courses demonstrate how they cover the ECC Learning Outcomes What is the ECC not?

The ECC aims to … - Address gaps in the fast growing care sector and promote workers’ mobility across Europe; - Establish a comparable base for frontline care staff across Europe and; - Provide an accessible and transferable certificate for workers and employers.

Why is the ECC needed? - No common European understanding about the entry level needs of workers. - Shortages of care staff is leading to an increase of migrant workers in the sector. - Significant number of unqualified workers who are currently working across Europe. - Well trained staff is a precondition for high quality service provision - Opportunity to benchmark basic knowledge outcomes for the care sector for the benefit for those who use care services.

ECC and the European Qualification Framework (EQF) MAIN FEATURES OF THE EQF - Translation device for comparing qualifications currently being piloted - Neutral reference point and a system for classifying qualifications levels - Countries asked to refer their national qualifications levels to the EQF by 2010

ECC and the European Qualification Framework (EQF) - EQF has two main aims: 1) To facilitate trans-national mobility and; 2) To facilitate Lifelong learning - EQF defines 8 levels through learning outcomes: knowledge, skills and competence - ECC is most probably somewhere between Level 2 and 3.

ECC and the European Qualification Framework (EQF)

Who do we work with? - Colleges, schools or other training providers; - Employers; - Persons responsible for training staff; - Regulators or inspectors; - Persons who would like to get an ECC; - CEDEFOP - Authorities

 Austria  Germany  Romania  Portugal  Belgium  United Kingdom

ECC Project Plan Work PackageOutput 1 Project LaunchMembers of project team reach a common purpose and vision for the project by December MappingEuropean Induction Practices mapped and induction of needs of care staff identified, report published by March Each partner to set a reference group. 3 Framework Design An agreed set of Basic European Social Care Learning Outcomes and framework for care induction by May PilotingDraft ECC piloted in four European Countries by October RefinementPlans for final products agreed, extension of partnership agreed, multi lingual lexicon and conference held by February EvaluationECC finalised and information pack developed by July Launch Planning ECC supported and promoted in partner countries, launch conference in Vienna by September LaunchECC recognised across Europe by September 2008.

The Basic European Social Care Learning Outcomes (BESCLO) The BESCLO is the foundation of the ECL. It covers: - The main areas of learning a student will undertake; - The learning outcomes they must achieve in order to be awarded the entry level certificate of the ECL

The BESCLO was developed as the result of a European wide mapping survey and of discussions across Europe about the first things a worker needs to know to work in the social care sector.

The BESCLO Eight main areas of learning were identified: - The values of social care - Promote life quality for the individuals you support - Working with risk - Understand your role as a care worker - Safety at work - Communicating positively - Recognise and respond to abuse and neglect - Develop as a worker

- Training organisations, schools and employers in European Countries - The aim is to promote a common EU-wide understanding of the expectations for knowledge entry level workers require when working in social care services. Who could provide the European Care Certificate Learning Outcomes?

Pilots Since September 07, 8 ECC pilots were held in Austria, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom.  - Romania and Portugal developed new training courses especially for the ECC  - Austria and the UK integrated the BESCLO into already existing courses

Dissemination - A Reference group has been set up in each partner country. - Each partner builds contacts with one other European country over the life of the project. - Contacts will be made with potential ECC providers and employers.

ECC Bucharest interim conference 16/11/ Presentation of the BESCLO and the results of the pilots to a wide audience of officials and professionals of the care sector - Discusssion with strategic bodies about the potential inclusion of ECC into their programmes, and get their feedback - Identification of providers and employers in a wide range of countries

The European Care Certificate will be officially presented during an international conference in Vienna on September 16th 2008 You can follow the progress on the ECC at and subscribe to our newsletter

Contact us EASPD (European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities) Luk Zelderloo & Jelle Reynaert Oudergemselaan Brussels Belgium Phone: