Care-Academy Blog

LDQ-IA and the QCA 10 week rule

Over the past few weeks we have been asked about the Learning Disability Qualification (LDQ) and the relevance of the QCA "10 week rule".

The QCA (Qualification and Curriculum Authority) put in place a 10 week rule for NVQ’s. This rule prohibits training providers from Certifying an Candidate within 10 weeks of their registration and was put in place to to prevent training providers withholding Registration fees until the NVQ was complete.

Many have assumed the rule will also apply to the LDQ.  In fact, there is very little guidance online to suggest otherwise.

However, City and Guilds Quality Manager has confirmed the 10 week rule does not apply to the LDQ.  This is particularly good news for Care Agencies, who need to have their staff inducted, and in the case of the LDQ, qualified in as short a time as possible.  Many of our Care Agency clients target their candidates to complete Induction within 6 weeks (the average time taken to receive a CRB check).

So, finally, confirmation that the 10 week rule does not apply to the LDQ.

Are You Having Problems Delivering LDQ?

Since announcing the launch of our online LDQ-IA we have been inundated with requests for further information.

We have spoken to organisations the length and breadth of the country and it seems many of you are experiencing the same type of problems.

In fact, we were so surprised at the initial response, we thought it might be useful to compile a list of the most common issues and explain how our online LDQ-IA might help address them. So in order of frequency, the most common problems are:

Problem 1: Availability
Their appears to be a general lack of qualified, local training providers prepared to offer LDQ-IA course with some regions suffering an acute shortage of options.

Solution: Care Academy is available nationwide. Care Organisations only need to deal with one supplier to provide training to all their service centres.

Problem No 2: Lack of flexibility
Many training providers need to enrol minimum numbers of students before they can hold a training day. Ultimately this causes delays, logistical headaches and the usual cost associated with facilitating and covering staff training days.

Solution: Care Academy is available online 24/7 which means staff can start and complete their LDQ-IA immediately with no minimum numbers required.

Problem No 3: Lack of consistent pricing
Fluctuations in price are evident on both a region to region and supplier to supplier basis.

Solution: Care Academy offers a single, nationwide cost-effective price of £275.00 +VAT per person.

Problem 4: Lack of consistency
Many organisations expressed concerns regarding the quality and consistency of current LDQ-IA provision with significant differences apparent when using multiple training providers.

Solution: Care Academy delivers a consistent, high-quality learning experience with detailed tracking and reporting facilities which has been acknowledged by CSCI as being extremely thorough and very effective.

If you would like to find out more about how Care Academy can help you meet your training and compliance requirements, visit the website or contact us on 0161 228 1712.

Skills for Care announce Consultation on TSI

Skills for Care have launched a Consultation Exercise to find out the views of care workers on the future restructuring of the Training Strategy Implementation (TSI) fund. This fund, previously allocated by local divisions based on priority areas within care is being modernised to reflect the rapidly changing structure of the care system and to fund a wider range of qualifications for care staff.

Andrea Rowe Chief Executive Officer of Skills for Care said: "TSI funding has been hugely popular with employers but Skills for Care felt it was the right time to open a wide-ranging consultation to make sure the millions spent through TSI continues to be used in the most effective way possible."

Skills for Care are asking for workers within the Care sector, home owners, organisations and charities to give feedback on the current funding system and future restructuring by filling out the questionnaire on the Skills for Care website by September 12th 2008.

The Integrated Qualification Framework (IQF)

First announced in 2006, the Integrated Qualification Framework (IQF) will come into force in October this year. Owned by the Children’s Workforce Network (CWN), the IQF is a set of approved qualifications for people working with children, young people and families. It aims to integrate units and qualifications within the children’s workforce, along with education and training still in development within the new Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF).

The new framework has been developed to encourage progression and continuing professional development across the children’s workforce. It will allow training to be developed, undertaken and ensure that training is transferable to promote greater mobility within the sector.

Here at Care Academy we're watching all IQF and QCF developments and will keep you, and our products, updated.

European Care Certificate Update

The European Care Certificate (ECC), financed by the European Commission’s Leonardo Da Vinci fund, is a pilot project aiming to tackle the increasing number of unqualified carers working within the sector.

Running across Europe until September 2008, the Certificate, formally known as the European Care Licence (ECL), aims to create a common entry level standard for care workers throughout Europe.

Here at Care Academy we’re keeping a close eye on the development of the ECC pilot and our products will be fully updated to incorporate the results. So watch this space!

New Care Quality Commission Launched

The Health and Social Act 2008 became law last week, establishing the long-awaited Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC brings together the Healthcare Commission, the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Mental Health Commission. The CQC will be responsible for inspections and investigations in the care system and intervene where care providers are failing to meet safety and quality requirements. The CQC will act as an independent adjudicator to make decisions about whether health professionals, including GPs, should remain in practice. Cynthia Bower, currently chief executive of West Midlands SHA, will head the CQC.

The Act aims to help deliver a consistent approach to health and social care while striving to improving public confidence in the care and medical system. Ben Bradshaw Health Minister says: “The Act will help to protect the health, safety and welfare of those who use health and social services.”

Skills for Care to boost skills of 1.3 million carers

Hard on the heels of recent research showing more than 26 million people aged 16 to 65 across the UK do not meet level 2 standards in literacy and numeracy, Skills for Care have launched a new strategy to help the country’s 1.3 million carers boost their skills.

The strategy launched at the ‘Skills for Life – Changing Lives’ conference in Manchester aims to encourage employers to take advantage of the funding available for Skills for Life development, as creating a trained and motivated workforce helps retain valued staff and avoid high costs of replacing them.

Skills for Care CEO Andrea Rowe says: "Almost half of all adults have difficulty with numeracy and one seventh of the population are not functionally literate so it’s clear the social care workforce is no different from any other in needing to sign up to the Skills for Life agenda,"

Care Academy programmes are designed to help carers take charge of their own online learning; giving them the confidence to tackle literacy and numeracy issues and learn at their own pace. For further information on Care Academy’s range of e-learning products contact Paul Allman on 0161 228 1712.

NVQ Level 4 in Leadership and Management for Care Services

On August 1st the new NVQ Level 4 in Leadership and Management for Care Services will be implemented. This will replace the Registered Managers Award (RMA) that practice managers currently have to undertake.

Practise managers, who work within the residential child care sector will, as before, have to hold both a level 4 qualification related to working with children and a Level 4 Qualification in Management. The NVQ Leadership does not replace the need for both these qualifications.

The implementation of this qualification across the UK does vary, with practise managers in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland being affected slightly different by this new NVQ. For more details Skills for Care and Development has released a Qualification Requirements document which outlines the requirements to practice

In addition, candidates in England can refer to the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) for the latest information.

What can be expected of Social Workers who work with Children and Families

CWDC (Children’s Workforce Development Council) has been asked by the Development of Children, Schools and Families to produce ‘a statement of what can be expected of social workers who work with children and families’. This statement will build on the detailed work already carried out by the GSCC (General Social Care Council) on the roles of social workers.

To achieve this CWDC are looking for social workers and managers from local authorities and voluntary organisations employing children’s social workers, and professionals who work alongside children’s social workers, to attend a short focus group to discuss the statement.

For more details see their website for dates and designated groups.

National Care Homes Week

Going into Care Information Day

This week is National Care Homes Week in the UK. A week designed to raise awareness of care issues, with a large focus on improving care knowledge for those people who are considering putting their family, friends or themselves into care. 

To support this initiative Caring Business held a ‘Going into Care’ Information Day in Manchester on June 4th. The day offered the opportunity to learn more about care options, with speakers at the event giving a real insight into the realities of care. This included, what care home’s can provide, the costs involved, life in a home and the negative myths that still prevail within the care industry.

This is one of many events that Caring Business are putting on this year to improve caring knowledge. These events all offer information that is helpful for people working within the care industry along with people who have family living within it.