Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
Early years, childcare and play.
For 16-19 year olds, colleges offer NVQ in Childcare, Learning and Development.
Those entering the workforce who are over 19 could study for a level 2 qualification, as this allows
new entrants to the early years workforce to work under supervision within numerous children’s
services.
Courses include CACHE (Council for Awards in Children’s Care and Education):
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Certificate in Childcare and Education.
Certificate in Children’s Care, Learning and Development (CCLD).
Certificate in Pre-school Practice
Certificate in Early Years Care and Education.
City and Guilds also provides entry level qualifications such as:
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Level 3 Preparing to for Work in the Care Sector
NVQs at Level 2, 3 and 4 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development (CCLD).
Level 2 and 3 Technical Certificates in CCLD
Level 2 Developing Skills for Working with Children and Young People offered by the
awarding body NCFE
Level 2 Certificate in Developing Skills for Early Years Practitioners prepares people to work
under supervision in early years settings such as crèches or playgroups.
For more information:
www.cache.org.uk
www.cityandguilds.com
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 1 of 11
Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
Supervisory staff
The National Certificate and Diploma in CCLD both provide a route for nursery and childcare workers
into fulltime employment in a supervisory role; to enter higher education, including initial teacher
training; or to study for a first degree. They are available either full-time or part-time. They are
based on new Occupational Standards and linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Nursery nurses and childminders can take Edexcel’s Children’s Care Learning and Development
NVQs at Levels 2,3, and 4.
However supervisory staff are required to have Level 3 or above.
CACHE offers many Level 3 qualifications including the Diploma in Childcare and Education, the
Diploma in Pre-School practice and the Diploma in Early Years Care and Education.
The National Childminding Association (NCMA) and CACHE have launched the new Level 3 Diploma
in home-based Childcare .
The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is the Sector Skills Council for the whole of
the Children’s Workforce and has attempted to integrate the various qualifications with some
Common Core elements and some specialist elements so that staff can move around within the
workforce without having to repeat some of the units.
For more information go to:
www.cwdcouncil.org.uk
Integrated Qualifications Framework ( IQF)
The CACHE Level 3 Award, Certificate, and Diploma in Childcare and Education was launched last
year.
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 2 of 11
Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
These new qualifications are split into 3 points of achievement, the Award which is the smallest, the
Certificate and the full Diploma.
All of these can be taken separately, but it is expected that most people will complete the full
Diploma which allows them to work unsupervised and/or to supervise others.
The updated qualifications cover new areas such as the 0-19 age range, and international
approaches to children’s learning. They are also mapped into the Early Years Foundation Stage and
the latest National Occupational Standards.
In addition City and Guilds also offers a Level 3 Certificate in Safeguarding Children and Young People
and a Level 4 NVQ for Managers in residential Childcare.
Managerial staff
Those interested in progressing to senior roles can take the Edexcel Level 4 Btec Higher Nationals in
Advanced Practice work with Children and Families.
The course is aimed at experienced practitioners who want to continue their professional
development, and I run by Higher Education (HE) colleges.
There is also Level 4 Certificate in Managing Quality Standards in Children’s Services; the Level 4 in
Children’s Care Learning and Development; or the Advanced Diploma in Childcare and Education.
Foundation Degree in Early Years
The 2 year early years sector-endorsed Foundation Degree is a Level 5 qualification and leads to
senior practitioner status. Students learn while working, attend college or university one day a week,
and undertake work-based assessment and private study.
The foundation degree is equivalent to having completed the second year of an Honours Degree
which means foundation students only need to complete a further ‘top up’ year to gain a BA(Hons)
in Early Childhood Studies.
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 3 of 11
Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 4 of 11
Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
The National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership.
A qualification for senior staff in Children’s Centres is available from the National College for School
Leadership. Applicants must be a leader or deputy leader of a Children’s Centre because they have
to be assessed in a centre for which they have leadership responsibility.
Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) is an equivalent status to that of a qualified teacher and is
awarded to early years practitioners who demonstrate they are leading and delivering excellent
practice in line with a set of national standards.
Practitioners are expected to study to graduate level to achieve the status. People studying a
relevant Foundation Degree can, if they meet the other entry requirements, go straight onto the 15
month pathway to EYPS
The government aims to have an early years professional in every children’s centre by 2010 and in
every full daycare setting by 2015.
The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has developed this status.
A list of training providers can be found on their website.
www.cwdcouncil.org.uk
Other useful websites:
www.cache.org.uk
www.cityandguilds.com
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 5 of 11
Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
Playwork
SkillsActive leads the development of playwork education and training for those working with
school-aged children and young people in out-of-school settings throughout the U.K.
In 2006 it developed a strategy to improve training provision for playworkers and developed 9
regional centres for playwork education and training across England.
SkillsActive’s orientation programme, Making Choices, provides a general introduction into work
with children and includes guidance on early years, childcare and foster care as careers options.
Its induction standards at Level 2 and 3 have been developed as the basis for endorsed training
courses, offered by a number of training providers and accepted by OFSTED as an adequate briefing
for temporary staff working on holiday playschemes.
Staff who gain a Level 2 NVQ or Certificate in Playwork will be qualified to work under supervision in
a play setting.
Those who achieve a Level 3 qualification or above will be recognised as having the ability to be in
charge of a playwork team.
Skills Active has a sector-endorsed foundation degree in playwork and this provides a stepping stone
to playwork Honours degrees.
As part of the government’s Childrens Workforce development plans, it wants to see the playwork
workforce qualified to at least Level 3 where appropriate, and led by professionally trained
graduates.
For more information go to:
www.skillsactive.com
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 6 of 11
Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
Children’s Social Workers
To work with children as a qualified social worker now, staff must hold the BA (Hons) Degree in
Social Work. The degree has replaced the Diploma in Social Work.
The full-time degree takes 3 years but entrants who are already graduates can apply to take a
Masters Degree in Social Work.
For more information about Degree courses go to the General Social Care Council at:
www.gscc.org.uk
Social Work Assistants
Assistants work alongside social workers but have less responsibility and can be unqualified.
Employers should provide NVQs such as Level 3 in Caring for Children and Young People.
Post Qualified staff
In England the General Social Care Council ( GSCC) announced a new post-qualifying framework for
social work in 2005, based on academic awards approved by the council.
These are at graduate, postgraduate diploma and masters levels.
There are 3 levels in the framework, each corresponding to a different stage of professional
development: Specialist Social Work, Higher Specialist Social Work and Advanced Social Work.
The British Association for Adoption and Fostering (BAAF) has developed one of the first modules to
specialise in Family placement. On completion, candidates gain 60 credits towards their required 120
credits needed for the full award.
There are also specialist routes for Mental Health and Child Care.
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 7 of 11
Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
Foster Carers
The new Foster Care standards were launched by CWDC in 2007.
Pre-and Post-approval training is provided by social work trainers in agencies. The Fostering Network
provides the only course on training the trainers.
Carers can take the NVQ Health and Social Care: Caring for Children and Young People.
For information:
www.baaf.org.uk
www.fostering.net
Family Court Advisers
To work in these roles, professionals need a recognised social work qualification and at least 3 years’
post-qualifying experience of working with children and families or in child protection.
For more information:
www.cafcass.gov.uk
Residential childcare workers.
Those wanting to work in residential care can get a placement in a residential setting and then study
for the NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care: Children.
Managers need a Level 4 for Managers in residential Child Care.
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 8 of 11
Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
Special Educational Needs
There is a SEN element to all teacher training courses and SEN teachers are usually classroom
teachers with several years experience.
A postgraduate certificate in Support for Learning can be followed by a diploma or master of
education with specialist subjects.
Special need co-ordinators should also aim to obtain further training such as a certificate or diploma
in SEN.
For more information:
www.nasen.org.uk
www.tda.gov.uk
Learning Mentors.
Entry qualifications vary, beginning with a good standard of education particularly in English and
Maths.
All Learning Mentors complete a 5 day post-entry Level ¾ Induction training for learning mentors,
based on the CWDC Induction Standards.
The Department for Schools and Families has also contributed to a new NVQ Level 3 and Level4 in
Delivering Learning, Development and Support Services for Children, Young People and those who
care for them, drawing on the appropriate National Occupational Standards (NOS).
These NOS have been developed to cover the work of learning mentors, education welfare officers
and Connexions Advisers.
The subsequent qualifications structure relates to these 3 areas and is more role-specific.
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 9 of 11
Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
Education Welfare
EWOs work with children whose education is being affected by erratic attendance or absence from
school. Some have had on-the-job training but most have studied for a social work degree or
diploma in youth work.
Educational Psychology
In England an educational psychologist must have completed the three year doctorate entry training.
To be eligible for this postgraduate course, candidates must have a psychology degree accredited by
the British Psychological Society.
Extended Schools
The National College for School Leadership has launched a new multi-agency training scheme. The
Multi Agency Team Development (MATD) programme is designed to make a significant contribution
to the government’s Every Child Matters policy drive towards more joined-up children’s services.
The programme is over six months, comprising a 24-hour residential event and three one-day
workshops.
For more details visit:
www.ncsl.org.uk/matd
Other useful website:
www.continu.org.uk
www.nasen.org.uk
www.tda.gov.uk
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 10 of 11
Children’s Workforce
Everything you wanted to know about routes to qualifications and career paths
relevant to people working in the children’s workforce
Compiled and Produced by: Karen Boutland, Project Manager for the CWLN and
Rachel Candy, The Learning Curve
For Youth Work go to:
National Council for Voluntary Youth Services
www.ncvys.org.uk
National Youth Agency
www.nya.org.uk
NB: a separate information document on Youth Work has been produced by ladder4leanring and is
available at: http://www.ladder4learning.org.uk/docs/youthwork_rc_180708.doc
Provided on the ladder4learning website at: www.ladder4learning.org.uk
Last revised on: 24th July 2008
Page 11 of 11