Feedback from Quality Network
Thursday 8 November Thistle Hotel
Food for Thought (1)
1. How can the new HN qualification best support the duty of public bodies in implementing
and reporting on the UNCRC as proposed in the new children and young People’s Rights
Bill?
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Embed in HN elements eg convention
Practitioners need to reflect he principles of UNRC/YARB/FIRFEC, etc to provide a quality
integrated service
Will assist/develop Workforce Skills broadening knowledge of wider sector
Observed practice will identify that children’s rights are upheld
Integrate practice and develop skills for the workforce
Ensure relevant criteria and knowledge is within new qualification that’s related to new CYP
Bill
Relevant course content ie: Law, codes of conduct, awareness of other public sector roles
New HN should contain good understanding of UNRC and Children and Young People’s
Right Bill, should be integrated through all/most units
To ensure equality/inclusion/diversity
Ensure understanding of responsibilities of practitioners
Ensuring participation
Personalisation/choice
Look at the bigger picture – it is not just what their own practice requires, it is about how is
social policy developed and works its way down
Rights to be assessed through observation. Knowledge of rights put into practice
??????? Will always integration of units to reduce the assessment burden on students
Increase the practice competence of HN candidates which will improve the experience of
children that are cared for in either wrap around/pre five provision therefore upholding the
UNCRC right of the child’s welfare etc
It will increase the credibility of SVQs
There needs to be evidence within the HN showing that it conforms to the UNCRC and
practice examples are used. Students need to be researching current thoughts and
philosophy and adopting this in practice
2. Are there other non SQA qualifications/training programmes across the Health, Social Care
and Childcare sector that could inform the revision process?
 Renfrewshire Council child minder training
 Scheme of Excellence . P X 2 Empowerment/Confidence Investors in Excellence
 The training packages from the charity sector. Girfec implementation. Training from local
councils
 Pre-Birth to 3 & CofE Training and Support materials from Councils
 Positive Parenting Programme
 Social Policy needs to be a bigger part of the UNC
 Conflict management
 Team working
 Play at home/therapeutic play
 Health and wellbeing
 VQ units
 General in-house training
 REHIS/Health & Safety/First Aid/Nutritional Guidelines
 Perhaps looking at what would be required to facilitate articulation to University ie:
analytical skills levels
 Penn Green Training
 Solihall Approach Training
 All childcare related laws should be embedded throughout all aspects of the qualification
 First Aid/Food Hygiene
 Literacy Skills/Essay Writing
 Legislation
 PPP Training
 Embedded in all units
 Integration – Specialised Professional Speakers – this should be the minimum CPD for HN
students
3. How can we integrate the core skills literacy and numeracy for candidates in the new HN
revised award
 Issue staff not qualified to teach Core Skills in assessment and in the Graded Unit
 Production of Asps for Core Skills to indicate where they can be integrated into HN
 Qualitative and quantitative research
 Graded Unit/Investigative
 Literacy is embedded throughout
 Programme design that include literacy and numeracy
 Entry requirements
 Mandatory unit – Promoting language literacy and numeracy
 Graded unit for Core Skills
 Contextualise core skills
 Depending on level of core skills – Essay Work, Presentation Skills
 Students currently struggle with level 5 core skills in some instances
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State clearly in materials when literacy and numeracy skills are expected and being
developed eg interpretation
4. In what way do you think the revised NOS will impact on the Sector?
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5.
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Older HNC regarded as better, new HNC not as good, confusion and snobbery. Published to
sector through SSSC
Revised NOS will allow people to work across the Sector
Will they have an impact on other qualifications ie. Playwork
Broaden scope for practitioners. Improve Employability
Skilled workforce with transferable skills
No prejudices. Sufficient opportunities accessibility
Transferable skills (generic)
Positive move to allow more flexibility to move through the Care Sector
Standardised practice across the “board”
Improve practice (HN)
May cause some confusion at the beginning. Is NOS to remain the same, if changing how
will this be marketed and understood by students and employers
Early Years can lose their individual identity
Will improve movement of workers in Sector
Integrate formal mentor arrangement between establishments and colleges to raise
awareness of the candidates taking place
Will improve standing and acceptance of VQs
Improve relationships between Provides of VQ and HNC
Supports integrated working – flexibility and movement across disciplines
How will closer alignment with Health & social Care NOS impact on the sector?
Better mobility across Sector
More job opportunities
Limiting as have to cover both Social Care and Early Years
Concern re assessment strategy for Social Care/Health Care – transferred to Childcare – eg
implied knowledge
Clarification needed of moving completed units across Sector to Social Care and Health Care
Improved services expertise for service users
Some initial problems with acceptance in the beginning but once up and running will be
beneficial
Professionalism of the sector – improve credibility
Flexible and diverse workforce
Smart working
Not comfortable of childcare being absorbed into Health & social Care as we cannot see the
benefit. Will HNC increase the age of children to 16 as in SVQ but 12 in HNC.
How can a student who has done VQ visit with Early Years then cross over to Older People?
(apart from “portfolio building”) where does the knowledge in the mandatory’s fit in?
6. What would you look for in respect of roles and responsibilities of the Assessor and IV in
the SVQ Assessment Strategy?
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IV should be looking at standardisation across all assessors across the award
Both assessors/verifiers have the responsibility to keep up to date with legislation, Policy,
Guidance & Theory/Research and record it
CPD should include maintaining occupational competence
Ensure that the assessment strategy is adhered to
Knowledge of both modes of qualification design
Must be occupationally competent and current in their practice
Qualified to level assessing and above
Qualifications in the field of work
Occupationally competent
Good role model
Graded unit 3
Recognition of the mentor role as a teaching remit
Sound knowledge
Experience
Mentorship
Consistent standards
Recognition of role of assessors
When the new NOS comes out – how does this impact on assessing CYP within the CCLD?
Centres may only be approved for one or other route eg. CCLD or CYP therefore assessor
only occupationally competent in one area. How could the centre then offer the choice to
candidates of the optional routes?
Will there be an automatic transfer of approval?
Assessor – assessment of competence level (not training) Verifier – quality assuring the
assessment process regularly