1. we help to improve social care standards Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) Last Updated: 20 th April 2009

2. QCF developments in partnership This presentation refers to Adult Social Care in England. We are also working with other Sector Skills Councils and Awarding Organisations.

3. QCF A government initiative across England, Wales and Northern Ireland It includes all vocational qualifications in all sectors A replacement to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

4. why do we need the QCF for the adult social care sector? Needs of people who use services Ways in which services are configured Requirements for registration and regulation Development of the personalisation agenda Retention and recruitment

5. QCF aims to be…. Simple Flexible Less Bureaucratic Inclusive and responsive …but at the moment it might not seem it!

6. benefits for the learner… More choice and flexibility Build up credits at their own pace Undertake learning in smaller bite size chunks Transfer credits and learning between qualifications to avoid repetition

7. benefits for education and training providers Improve retention and progression rates by recognising smaller steps of achievement more frequently Describe achievements to employers and learners in a language that is easy to understand Greater opportunities to access funding

8. benefits for employers… Level and size of achievements of prospective employees easily identified Qualification options and pathways clear, helping employees and employers find the right training for their learning and business needs

9. a simple architecture

11. rules of combination Each qualification must have a set of rules of combination (RoC) Defined by the SSC Specify the units in the qualification which can be achieved by the learner Include assessment requirements of particular units

12. spikey profile Work does not take place at one level Qualifications can therefore be made up of units at different levels of learning This can be used to recognise NToW Can also be used to extend learning and development and to encourage progression and CPD

13. QCF principles Units and qualifications should have as many uses as possible Units should have broad assessment requirements Language and content should reflect level – language should be standardised

14. POST 2010 QCF NOW NVQs VRQs direction of travel 77 Key Competence Knowledge

15. hybrid qualifications Qualifications made up of knowledge units and competence units Separate assessment or combined Avoid duplication of learning e.g. VRQ and NVQ Clear career pathways

16. Skills for Care’s proposed principles Current NVQ Level 2 will be replaced by a QCF Level 2 Diploma Current NVQ Level 3 will be replaced by a QCF Level 3 Diploma QCF Awards and Certificates will be used to encourage Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and specialist areas of work Common Induction Standards (CIS) and Managers Induction Standards (MIS) to be qualifications on the QCF

17. what a diploma may look like… (replacement for current fit for purpose qualification) Diploma Mandatory A Mandatory B Optional C Optional D Service specific and country specific units Units to be completed by ALL learners Career pathways Role specific

18. the diploma explained… The diagram is an example of what the new diploma could look like. QCF units are all optional or mandatory, so we could split units into the following groups: Group A contains mandatory units to be completed by ALL learners within the workforce regardless of sector or country Group B contains mandatory units that may be applicable to Service or Country Group C contains optional units which may be lead to a particular pathway Group D- contains role specific units that are flexible and can be brought in from other suites eg hair and beauty horticulture – relevant to new types of worker roles The combinations of units would be identified through the rules of combination which must have our endorsement as the SSC.

19. social care on the QCF? L2 Diploma L3 Diploma CIS L2 Award?? Dementia?? CPC?? Entry Level??

20. to be decided… As individual or groups of qualifications are developed in partnership with awarding organisations the following will be determined: Assessment criteria Assessment method Credit values for units and whole qualifications Unit choices including RoC Pathways

21. QCF timetable 2006 Test and Trial Programme July 2008Final report to Ministers November 2008Ministers approve implementation August 2009LSC will start to ‘turn-off’ funding for NQF qualifications when QCF replacements are developed 2010The QCF will become the regulatory framework for all adult vocational qualifications, Foundation Learning tier (FLT) Apprenticeships and Functional Skills 2013QCF established as single qualification system and infrastructure to support all qualifications for all learners aged 14 and up in the national system

22. skills for care QCF contacts: Project Managers: Zoë Dodd zoe.dodd@skillsforcare.org.uk Fazeela Hafejee fazeela.hafejee@skillsforcare.org.uk

23. www.skillsforcare.org.uk