Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a list of questions and answers we get asked most often, if you can't find the answer here, try searching the site, asking in the forum or sending us an email.

• Domiciliary Care Agencies and NMS
• How Do I become an Assesor for NVQ 
• Vocational Qualifications
• Alternative Assessment Models for NVQs
• Management Qualifications and the NMS
• Where do I start?
• Skills for Care SCA Funding Partnership FAQ
• Other Questions

Domiciliary Care Agencies and NMS

Domiciliary Care Agencies and National Minimum Standards (NMS) Requirements for Development and Training

What is required from these agencies in relation to staff development and training?

1. There is a requirement for each agency to have a structured staff development and training programme, this must be reviewed and updated at least annually. This must meet the Skills for Care training targets and ensure that staff are able to fulfil the aims of the agency and meets the needs of service users, their relatives and representatives.

As there is also a requirement for staff to receive formal supervision and appraisal it makes sense to incorporate development needs identification into these processes.

2. All new staff must undertake a structured induction programme which incorporates the Skills for Care Common Induction Standards.

3. As part of this induction there should be a minimum three day Orientation Programme – prior to work with service users. This should cover all of the areas specified within NMS appendix C.

4. Following the induction process or probationary period all staff should undertake a training need analysis and this should be incorporated into the organisations Staff Training and Development Plan.

5. All staff must receive the required training on Health and Safety including Manual Handling – see appendix D of NMS.

6. Specialist training must be provided for staff working with specified user groups and medical conditions – Appendix E of NMS.

7. Further training needs analysis should take place annually at Appraisal.

What Qualifications should staff hold?

1. For new staff who do not hold a recognised care qualification there is a requirement that they need to demonstrate their competence and register for either an NVQ 2 or 3 in Care within the first six months of employment and complete the award within three years. (It will not be acceptable to try and avoid this requirement by sacking and re-hiring staff every six months).

2. For existing staff who have been employed for less than two years at April 1st 2003 there is a requirement that they be phased into the NVQ programme before 2005 and complete the award by 2008.

3. By April 1st 2008 at least 50% of personal care delivered by the agency must be delivered by qualified staff. Progress towards this must be made available by July 1st 2006. There will be annual reviews thereafter in order to set specific targets.

4. New staff providing personal care must continue to take up NVQ’s even after the 50% target has been achieved.

5. Managers should hold a recognised management qualification equivalent to NVQ 4 in Management by 2008 or following that date within three years of employment.

How Do I become an Assesor for NVQ 

National Vocational Qualifications [NVQ] are assessed against National Occupational Standards. Assessors are appointed by Assessment Centres.

Skills for Care ANSWER
National Vocational Qualifications in care are assessed by gathering evidence of a the candidates competence. For most parts of a social care NVQ there must be evidence of the candidates actual work with service users. An increasing number of social care organisations integrate NVQ assessment with their own work force management system through staff supervision and appraisal. In some work setting’s this approach is not possible and a visiting or ‘peripetic’ assessor is used. The quality control of NVQs is managed by assessment centres that are responsible for appointing assessors and internal verifiers and by awarding bodies that use external verifiers to check the work of assessment centres.

Assessors must be competent themselves in the area of work, understand the National Occupational Standards and possess [or be working toward] the assessment units D32 and D33. The D units are being revised and are expected to be replaced in 2002 however existing units will remain valid.

REFERENCES [including responsible bodies] / CONTACT INFORMATION

Vocational Qualifications

What are Vocational Qualifications?

A Vocational Qualification (VQ) is a work based qualification recognised throughout the UK.

What would they do for me?
VQs testify that you are competent at certain abilities relating to your work. As with all qualifications, there is no guarantee that VQs will get you the job, but they will inform prospective employers of your competence and experience. What’s more, you’ll have the satisfaction of having formal recognition of your skills and abilities.

Are they open to anybody?
A VQ in care is open to anybody working as a carer (whether full-time, part-time - paid or voluntary). Someone will assess you while you’re working. This means that although you don’t have to be in full-time work, you will have to arrange to be assessed in a work situation. The organisation you work for has to be one approved to carry out assessment.

What S/NVQs are most relevant for posts in social care?

A14. For mature students who have been out of full-time education for many years, DipSW programmes need to be certain that they will be able to cope with studying at a higher level.

The best way for a mature person to demonstrate this is to do an Access Course (see A3 above) and ask the course tutor for a reference.

Alternatively, it may be possible to ask an academically well-qualified person, for example a manager in your place of work, other than the person providing you with your social work experience reference, who can comment on your academic ability, to give you a reference. In this latter circumstance, it would be well to consult the programmes of your choice to see if this kind of reference would be acceptable.

Q15. What arrangements are there for disabled people ?

• A15. Most DipSW programmes offer facilities for disabled people.
  It is advisable for disabled people to contact the programmes of their choice and discuss their particular requirements before an application is made.

Q16. How do I train to be a Probation Officer?

• A16. If you wish to train as a probation officer in England and Wales you should contact:
  Home Office Main Switchboard SW1H 9AT
  Tel: 020 7273 4000

  In Scotland, probation is one of the services provided by social workers working within Criminal Justice social work.

  If you wish to work in Criminal Justice social work, you'll need to study for The Diploma in Social Work.
  The information sheet "Social Work within the Criminal Justice System - Scotland" contains more information, and is available to download here.

  In Northern Ireland qualified social workers work as probation officers. Further information is available in the career factfile "Social Work & Social Care in Adult Services", available for download here.

Q17. I qualified as a social worker abroad, can I work in the UK?

• A17. CCETSW offer a verification service to provide information to help employers make decisions about applications for employment by advising them whether or not the qualification that the applicant holds is a recognised social work qualification in the country in which it was obtained. Once verified, the applicant will be eligible to be considered for employment, although the final decision rests with employers and the letter of verification will NOT guarantee employment. To apply for verification, you must submit a completed application form, a copy of the award/certificate/transcript and a fee. Further information is available from info-overseasverification@ccetsw.org.uk.

Post-Qualifying Education and Training
Q. Do I meet the criteria for applying for a Post Qualifying Award in Social Work (PQSW) or an Advanced Award in Social Work (AASW)?
A. The awards are open to all staff of the personal social services who hold a professional social work qualification such as the DipSW, CQSW, CSS or recognised equivalent.
A summary of the requirements for the awards is given "The PQ Directory" Click here to request a copy.

Q. Where can I register for a Post Qualifying Award in Social Work/Advanced Award in Social Work?
A. You will need to register with the PQ consortium which covers the area in which you work, or if you are not currently in employment, the area in which you live.

Details of your local PQ Consortium can be found in the PQ Directory or you can contact your local CCETSW office.

Q. How do I apply for an accredited programme?
A. Most of the programmes in "The PQ Directory" are listed under the consortium to which they are accredited.

Practice Teaching programmes and Approved Social Work/Mental Health Officer programmes are also listed under the consortium which covers their geographical area even if they have been centrally credit-rated.

Q. How many credits can I hope to gain under the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)?
A. The PQSW is comprised of a minimum of 120 professional credits, assessed at the academic equivalent of the final year of an undergraduate degree.

The AASW is comprised of a minimum of 120 credits, assessed at the academic equivalent of a masters degree.

Assessed programmes of learning which meet one or more of the PQSW or AASW requirements can be also credit-rated.

Q. Where can I obtain funding for the Post Qualifying/Advanced Award?
A. In some circumstances small bursaries may be available from the PQ consortium with which you have been registered.

Information regarding the amounts available, eligibility criteria and application procedures should be available from the relevant consortium.

If you are considering undertaking an in-service or partnership programme, consult your training officer as your agency may be able to help with some of the costs.

The Social Workers Educational Trust at 16 Kent Street, Birmingham B5 6RD may be able to offer limited assistance (maximum £300) to help with course fees and other costs.

 

Alternative Assessment Models for NVQs

What is an alternative assessment model?
1. Alternative Assessment is a phrase used to describe an approach that moves away from the traditional NVQ assessment process which focuses on producing a hefty paper portfolio.

2. The most common approach to alternative assessment has been to move to electronic solutions i.e. computer based processes.

How do these work?
1. There are a number of products on the market but they tend to fall into one of two categories; a system that uses the internet to transfer and store evidence in an “e – portfolio” or a system that stores the information locally on a hard drive in a computer.

2. In essence the main difference between the traditional approach is that the bulk of the assessment is undertaken in live situations by the assessor. This is captured by using digital camera’s, scanners, tape recorders etc as appropriate.

What is the advantage over other approaches?
1. The main advantage is that the process tends to be much quicker and less onerous for the candidate, who spends most of the time just doing their job.

2. As the portfolio can also be copied onto disc (or printed off for those who really need to destroy the rain forests) it becomes a much more useable verification of competence as the worker can carry it with them to interviews etc if required.

What do the awarding bodies think of the approach?
1. Several versions of these products are actually endorsed by people like City and Guilds.
2. All of the awarding bodies are encouraging providers to move to these types of assessment.

Is this approach available in Surrey yet?
Yes it is increasingly becoming available, several of the local providers offer this approach either as a complete approach or as a blended approach.

Management Qualifications and the NMS

Management Qualifications and the National Minimum Standards

What are the requirements for Registered Managers?
Care Home Managers (For Older People and Care Homes for Younger Adults).

The registered Manager is required to be qualified, competent and experienced i.e. must have at least two years experience in a senior position in managing a relevant care home setting within the last five years
And
(by 2005) has a qualification at level 4 NVQ, in management and care or equivalent;
Where current registered managers will not have achieved this combination of qualifications by December 31st 2005 they should be registered and working towards these qualifications by September 30th 2005 unless there are particular individual circumstances that render this impracticable (see paragraph 3.3(c) for some examples). Registered managers should have completed their qualification by September 30th 2007 (subject to any changes to these targets which emerge from the Department of Health review of regulations and standards).
or
where nursing care is provided by the home is a first level registered nurse and has a relevant management qualification by 2005.

The manager must also be able to demonstrate that they have undertaken periodic training to update knowledge and skills.

1. Domiciliary Agencies
Managers need to obtain a nationally recognised qualification equivalent to NVQ level 4 in management by 2008 or following that date within three years of appointment.

Managers are also required to undertake periodic training to update skills and knowledge.

2. Nurses Agencies
The registered manager is required to obtain a nationally recognised qualification at NVQ level 4 or equivalent by 2008 or within two years of appointment after this period or must be a first level registered nurse and by 2008 (or within two years after this date) have a relevant management qualification.

Managers are also required to undertake periodic training to update skills and knowledge.

What is equivalent to an NVQ?
See DETAIL PAGE ON Skills for Care

Is the RMA the appropriate qualification for me?
This is almost impossible to answer as everyone will be coming from a different starting point, however the award has been written specifically to cover areas that are directly relevant to the care sector. So in principle if you work within a care setting it should be relevant. It should be remembered though that the RMA is a management qualification and so does not meet the requirement for care home managers to have a care qualification.

The critical question for most people is how can what I already have in terms of experience and qualification be taken into account. Clearly if the registered manager holds an NVQ level 4 in care they will already have covered areas of the RMA and these should be able to be accredited. How any other qualification maps to the RMA (or indeed to NVQ in general – see above question) is complex and getting another qualification accredited as part of an RMA may prove more difficult and time consuming than undertaking the full award.

What is equivalent to an NVQ ?
The interpretation of the National Minimum Standards in each care setting will be for the inspectors of the National Care Standards Commission. The inspectors will be seeking to take a whole view of the care service and focus on the experience of the users of service so it is not always possible to define the interpretation of an aspect of the National Minimum Standards in isolation.

The National Minimum Standards for registered care services are issued by the Department of Health as part of the implementation of the Care Standards Act 2000. These standards include requirements about the competence of the work force including the suitability, experience and qualifications of the manager.

Skills for Care can provide comment based on our strategy document ‘Modernising the Social Care Workforce’ which has been agreed by the Department of Health and the Department for Education and Skills. True equivalence to National Vocational Qualifications [NVQs] are only the Scottish Vocational Qualifications [SVQs]. S and NVQs are assessed against National Occupational Standards and are successfully completed only when the candidate has shown that they are consistently competent in the work. Such qualifications with social work and nursing qualifications provide employers with reliable information about the ability of a holder to carry out defined work tasks competently. These qualifications can therefore be used as part of the way that the quality of services can assured. NVQs are an assessment only system and all people will need to learn to be competent. The way they do this is not restricted. Therefore people who have certificates that they have for education or training programmes will have developed their skills and may well be ready to complete assessment for an NVQ.

Where do I start?

I keep hearing about all the funding that is available. The CSCI Inspector said I need to get my staff trained to NVQ Level 2 and I need to do a Registered Managers award. And my induction programme is now supposed to be mapped to the Skills for Care common induction standards. But where do I start?

Your first step
Before you can do anything you must first take stock of your staff and their training and development needs.

What staff have you got? Their name and their work hours and their current qualifications or record of training done. How long have they worked for you. Include yourself if you are the Registered Manager.

Second step
What training does each person need.

Skills for Care SCA Funding Partnership FAQ

Surrey Care Association and Skills for Care TSI Partnership Funding

Q. What forms do I need to complete in order to submit a claim?
A. • Partnership Form 2006/07
• Workforce plan showing training requirements through to 2009
• Declaration confirming that you understand and meet the eligibility criteria.

Q. Where can I get hold of the forms listed above?
A. Print the forms from the Surrey Care Association Website - www.surreycare.org.uk – look for downloads Skills for Care
Or Contact Tracey Lord on 01932 853500 or email scatsi@btconnect.com

Q. Should I submit a claim for each unit as and when they are achieved, or wait until the full NVQ award is achieved.
A. Because the funding is available on a “first come –first served” basis, it is better to submit each unit as it is achieved in order to secure some funding. The earlier the claim is submitted the more likely it is you will receive funding.

Q. I have a unit summary sheet that is signed and dated by the Assessor in 2005, but signed and dated by the verifier in 2006. Can I claim funding for this?
A. No. Only units that are signed and dated by both the Assessor and Verifier between the dates 1st January 2006 and 16th March 2007 are eligible for funding.

Q. A member of my staff completed some training with funding from the ESF Gatwick Diamond Project. Are these units still eligible for funding support.
A. Yes, the Gatwick Diamond project is eligible for funding support from Skills for Care. Any project that is only partly funded is eligible for funding through the SCA TSI Partnership.

Q. I run a Care Home for Children with Learning Disabilities. Am I still restricted to an initial limit of 80 units.
A. No. Because you are providing Children’s services, you are able to claim over an above the limit. We are aiming to provide 12.5% of the total funding to the Childrens sector within Surrey this year.

Q. I have four Care Homes in Surrey and two based in Sussex. Can I claim for all my members of staff through the Surrey Care Association TSI Partnership.
A. No. You can only claim for those staff working primarily within Surrey.

Q. Some of my new members of staff only have a temporary National Insurance number. Can I still submit a claim for their induction training.
A. Unfortunately temporary National Insurance Numbers are no longer acceptable. You would need to wait until a permanent number has been issued before submitting the claim, and it must still fall within the period 1st January 2006 to 16th March 2007.

Q. The Care Home I manage is owned by Surrey County Council, am I still able to claim for members of staff completing NVQ’s or Inductions.
A. Due to the reduced level of funding available this year it has been agreed with SCC that the funding will be paid exclusively to the Independent sector and therefore funding is no longer available to the Statutory sector or NHS establishments.

Q. What should I do once I have claimed for my initial 80 units.
A. Continue to submit unit summary sheets and Induction forms to claim funding. If additional funding becomes available as in previous years (due to re-allocation of funds from other regions within the country, or funding from Surrey County Council), then you may be eligible for additional funding in excess of the initial 80 units.

Q. Do I get the full £75 per unit?
A. Yes. Thanks to an agreement with Surrey County Council (SCC) the £10 per unit administration charge will be paid for the initial £183,600 allocation for the partnership. If we are successful in securing further funding we may well have to pass on the administration charge unless we can secure a further commitment from SCC.

Q. How long does it take for my claim to be paid?
A. It would normally take between four to six weeks for payment to be made once the contract has been issued by Skills for Care. However, Once the initial £183,600 has been claimed, it may take much longer as the re-allocation of TSI Funding does not occur until a month or so after the deadline of 16th March 2007.

If you have any further questions then please call Tracey Lord on 01932 853500 or email scatsi@btconnect.com

Other Questions

Any other questions here please.