Have you thought about a career in social care or early years and childcare?

Here’s everything you need to know about:

• apprenticeships
• qualifications
• induction into a new job
• registration with Social Care Wales, if you work in social care.

We also explain:

• the different roles in social care and early years and childcare
• the importance of induction when you start a new job
• registration and qualification requirements
• free resources to support you.

Apprenticeships combine paid work with studying. They’re open to anyone aged 16 and over, and offer on-the-job training where you can gain the knowledge, skills, and qualifications needed for a career in social care or early years and childcare.

An apprentice can be employed on an apprenticeship scheme or already working in a care setting.

In Wales, the Welsh Government is responsible for how apprenticeships are funded and delivered, and it is creating more apprenticeship opportunities. It works with other organisations to design a learning programme that suits you, supports development, and helps you complete qualification tasks as your skills and knowledge grow. The links give information on how to become an apprentice, the different apprenticeship levels, and how to find available opportunities.

When you start your apprenticeship in health and social care or early years and childcare, you’ll complete an induction as part of your new role.

The induction helps you:

• understand your job
• learn how your organisation works
• introduces you to the skills and knowledge you need to do the job well
• become familiar with the standards and expectations for your role
• build confidence before taking on responsibilities.

In Wales, all new workers follow a national framework called the All Wales induction framework (AWIF). This framework makes sure everyone gets the same high-quality introduction to their role.

There are two versions, depending on where you work:

• AWIF for health and social care for those who work with adults or in social care settings.
  
  
• AWIF for early years and childcare for those working with children from birth to eight years old.

The links below have more information about the AWIF, how to complete it, progress logs, workbooks, resources and a glossary of words.

You only need to register with Social Care Wales if you work in certain social care roles.

Registration helps keep people safe and makes sure only those with the right skills, knowledge, training and qualifications are allowed to give care and support in jobs that need it.

The roles that need registration with us are:

• residential childcare workers
• domiciliary care workers
• adult care home workers
• residential family centre workers
• special school residential workers.

If you’re an apprentice in one of these social care roles, you’ll have six months from your start date to register with us, using the employer assessment route. You’ll need to gather evidence of your knowledge and skills, which you can do as part of your induction.

Anyone registering through the employer assessment route must complete one of the qualifications listed on the qualification framework. We expect you to finish this qualification within three years of registering, but you can have up to six years to complete it if needed.

Find out more about registration, why we register, who can register and the benefits of having a registered social care workforce.

To work in social care or early years and childcare, you must complete a relevant qualification. This qualification must be approved and listed on our Qualification Framework.

The level 2 core qualification is the same for both Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications, but you will take different routes depending on your job role. The practice qualifications assess the skills and knowledge you need to do your job well, and the level you do will depend on your role and responsibilities.

As part of your apprenticeship, you’ll complete two qualifications that allow you to work in social care and early years and childcare. These are:

Here are more resources to help you find out more about apprenticeships:

• Apprenticeships by WeCare Wales Apprenticeships | WeCare Wales
• WeCare Wales’ job finder Find a job | WeCare Wales
• Medr’s apprenticeship provider contacts Apprenticeship provider contacts 2025
• WeCare Wales’ information about roles, training and jobs in your area. How to work in social care and childcare | WeCare Wales
• Real stories from real people. Find out what it’s like working in care by watching WeCare Wales’ video stories. https://wecare.wales/stories

WeCare Wales’ career cards give information about roles in care, working with children and adults in Wales. https://wecare.wales/training/learning-resources/career-cards