Equipping staff to do the job well:
CPD for support staff in FE and HE
– a new accredited qualification
Dr Jessica Lober Newsome, Laser Learning Awards
Sarah Roberts, Canterbury Christ Church University
0
Workshop Aims
• To present a new qualification
• To discuss how it will help DMS carry out their role
1
Overview of the Session
Introduction to the Qualification
Icebreaker
Activity 1: DMS Role
Feedback
Activity 2: Case Studies
Feedback
Discussion
Q&A
2
15 mins
10 mins
10 mins
15 mins
15 mins
10 mins
5 mins
5 mins
The Qualification
• Level 3 Award in Supporting Young People
Leaving Care in Post-16 Education (QCF)
• Ofqual Qualification Number: 600/3710/6
• Only available through one Awarding
Organisation - Laser Learning Awards
• Developed out of 5 years of existing
training and good practice
• Programme/delivery being piloted in Kent
3
Acknowledgements
• YCL Strategy Group
• Felicity Dunworth, Stuart Goodall and Lisa
Clements, Kent and Medway Progression
Federation
• Rachel Calver, Sarah Hurrell and Graham
Razey, Thanet College
• Isabelle Gill, University of Greenwich
• Joanne Oliphant and Juliet Ward, Laser
Learning Awards
• Skills for Care and Development
4
The Awarding
Organisation
• Previously known as ‘Open College
Network South East Region’
• Long history of working with organisations
catering for learners who traditionally may
not remain in/return to education
• Other qualifications include ‘Progression’
qualifications and ‘Access to HE Diploma’
5
Details of the
Qualification
• Level 3
• 3 mandatory units, 6 credits
Title
No. of
Credits
Unit 1
Communication Skills in Helping
Relationships
2
Unit 2
Supporting Young People Who
Are Looked After or Are Leaving
Care
3
Unit 3
Preparing for the Role of DMS
for Young Care Leavers in Post16 Education
1
6
c. 45 Guided Learning Hours
Aims of the
Qualification
• CPD - to enhance and recognise the skills
and knowledge of DMS
• Covers:
•
•
•
•
•
7
the role of the DMS
needs, issues and challenges
information and support
statutory and legal frameworks
communication skills
Developing the
Qualification
•
•
•
•
8
Why was/is this qualification needed?
Why Level 3?
Supported by 20 stakeholders
Approved by Ofqual and Skills for Care
and Development
Important Info
• Centre must be ‘Recognised’ by Laser
• Assessor and Internal Verifier must be suitably
qualified
• Candidate must be 18+ and working at Level 3
• Portfolio of evidence needed to achieve qual
• Centre chooses assessment methods and devises
assessments (Laser can advise)
• Quality assurance and record keeping paramount
• Laser fee £20 per candidate (sole charge)
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Case Studies
FE Case Studies
10
Katy
Katy is one of your strongest BTEC National Diploma Health and Social
Care students and would like to go to university next year. She is
interested in some form of social care career, possibly as a social worker.
Katy has been in care since she was 3, has had many different foster
homes and lots of different schools, but now she is settled with a loving
foster family who are encouraging her to stay at college and go onto higher
level study.
You have been working with Katy for some time and know that she was
anorexic for many years and still suffers from terrible panic attacks. To
help Katy manage her anxiety she has one-to-one support in class, but
today she comes to you in tears. She has just heard from her support
worker that the college is going to withdraw her one-to –one support. Katy
feels she cannot manage in class without help. She says no one
understands how awful and frightened she feels and that she will have to
leave college.
How can you help Katy?
11
Ahmed
Ahmed has just arrived in the country and as an unaccompanied
asylum seeker. He was found by Dover Customs in the back of a lorry
delivering tomatoes to London. His foster Dad, Bob, brought him to
college because, although his English is very poor, Ahmed’s maths
skills seem excellent. He amazed everyone in the family by doing all of
Bob’s son’s algebra maths homework in 5 minutes. Ahmed says he is
16 but he looks a lot younger; he is very nervous and he seems terrified
of you.
Ahmed’s foster Dad asks if there are any courses Ahmed could take
and would they be free?
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Jenny
Jenny is in foster care locally and has come to see you with her foster
mum. Jenny was badly bullied at school and has been out of school
since Year 7 but she has been working in a local hairdressing salon
every weekend since Christmas and loves it. The owner of the salon
has written you a note saying Jenny deserves a chance to go to college
as all the customers love her. She now wants to do your hairdressing
course. Jenny is bright, charming and motivated, but has no formal
qualifications at all.
Can you help Jenny?
13
Steve
Steve recently moved from foster care into supported
lodgings as he wanted more independence. Steve is on
your motor vehicle engineering course and his tutor has
come to see you. In the last few weeks, Steve’s time
keeping and attendance has gone from excellent to
appalling. He is on a second warning for handing in his
coursework late and he has not completed his big final year
project. He has always been a chatty, cheerful student, but
does not seem to be washing himself or his clothes very
often and seems very quiet and depressed when he comes
to class.
His tutor is really worried about Steve and asks you to find
out what is going on…
14
Tracey
Tracey is a star on your performing arts course. She sings, dances and
acts in every performance the college puts on. Tracey is an out of
county care leaver from a London Borough. She has settled well with
her foster family but her social workers keep leaving and she now has
no idea who to ask to find out if she can stay with her foster family for
another year. She is 19 now and wants to do a Foundation Degree in
Drama at your college.
Can you help Tracey find out if she can stay with her foster family and if
she has any entitlements or special funding for this course?
15
Case Studies
HE Case Studies
16
Chris
Chris has been accepted onto the University of Greenwich Adult
Nursing degree at Avery Hill. He is really looking forward to starting the
course in September but knows he will have to work night shifts during
his course. He accepts he will have to live nearer to London, but does
not know if he can stay in a Hall of Residence on Avery Hill campus
and still keep his flat in Folkestone. It has taken him years to get some
decent belongings for his flat, including furniture, and he does not want
to lose it. His room on campus will be tiny.
He wonders if you have any ideas that might help him?
17
Janey
Janey has been invited to York University for an interview for a degree
in English Literature and Creative Writing. It is a very popular course
and Janey has done very well to get an interview. She thinks her
published stories and poems for the Who Cares? Trust helped her get
the offer of an interview. Her local authority have asked her to pay for
the train tickets and say they will refund her costs afterwards, on
production of her receipts. However, she does not have enough money
to buy the train ticket, let alone pay for the overnight accommodation
required for the 9.30 am interview.
Janey is a bit tearful and is thinking of not going to her interview. Can
you help?
18
Michael
Michael has applied to the University of Kent for the LLB Law degree
and received a conditional offer of 280 UCAS points. However, he has
just had his results and only gained 220 UCAS points. Kent say they
will not lower their offer. Michael is very worried. He wants to study
locally so that he stays near his brother, who is still with a foster family
in Thanet (Kent). Michael has done brilliantly to complete his A levels
and get such good grades while working. Every week he has worked
more than 40 hours in a supermarket so that he can keep his flat and
pay his bills.
He is at his wits end, can you help him?
19
Allie
Allie is keen to apply for a primary teaching course at Canterbury Christ
Church University. She is currently studying a BTEC National Diploma
in Health and Social Care. She loves the course and her tutor says she
is doing really well. She is getting Distinctions and Merits for all her
assignments. However, several years ago she got involved with a
druggie crowd at a local pub and ended up with a police
caution/warning for possession of cannabis. Allie is worried she will not
be able to apply for teaching, even though she has not been in trouble
for 3 years. She does not know what to put on her UCAS form.
Can you help Allie?
20
Recap and Conclusions
21