This guidance is for managers of night residential child care workers. It will help managers support workers studying for the Level 3 Health and Social Care: Practice (Children and Young People) qualification.
The Level 3 Health and Social Care: Practice (Children and Young People) qualification, is designed for individuals working in health and social care settings. This qualification will develop their ability to practically support the health and care needs of children and young people in a range of settings. It’s practice-based and assesses knowledge and practice through work in the work setting.
In this guide, the Night residential child care worker will be referred to as ‘the learner”.
To achieve the Level 3 Health and Social Care: Practice (Children and Young People) qualification, the learner must achieve a minimum of 50 credits in total:
As a manager, you’ll be involved (with the learner and assessor) in choosing the optional units which will make up the learner’s Level 3 qualification. The units chosen should reflect the needs of the service, but it’s essential that they reflect the learner’s role and duties as a night residential child care worker.
Below you'll see the range of units available to a learner across the mandatory and optional groups A and B. We have highlighted a selection of the most common units selected based on the role of a Night residential child care worker.
Credit value: 18
Unit 367: Providing care and support for children and young people who are looked after
Credits: 18
Unit 339: Promoting positive approaches for behaviour support
Credits: 6
Unit 382: Trauma informed practice with children and young people
Credits: 5
Unit 379: Supporting individuals to plan for and prepare meals
Credits: 6
Unit 401: Using assessments for the development of personal plans
Credits: 6
Unit 366: Providing care and support for disabled children and young people
Credits: 20
Unit 370: Supporting young people to develop independence skills and prepare for adulthood
Credits: 4
Unit 336: Supporting individuals who misuse substances
Credits: 7
Unit 309: Promoting and supporting speech, language and communication skills
Credits: 4
Unit 383: Using communication methods to motivate individuals to achieve their personal outcomes
Credits: 5
Unit 236: Contributing to the support of individuals who misuse substances
Credits: 4
Unit 347: Health promotion
Credits: 3
Unit 350: Supporting the use of medication in social care settings
Credits: 5
Unit 208: Supporting children living with diabetes mellitus
Credits: 5
Unit 210: Introduction to breathlessness and asthma in children
Credits: 2
Unit 243: Supporting food safety practice in health and social care settings
Credits: 2
Unit 312: Supporting children living with epilepsy
Credits: 3
Unit 212: Supporting individuals with moving and positioning
Credits: 3
Unit 240: Supporting individuals to maintain mobility and minimise the risk of falls
Credits: 2
Unit 244: Supporting individuals to manage pain and discomfort
Credits: 2
Within the Level 3 qualification, the ‘you are able to work in ways that…’ criteria demonstrate practice and includes observations, and the ‘you understand..’ criteria confirms knowledge. Some of the ways the night workers can demonstrate knowledge are through:
There’s more information in the assessment delivery guidance.
Some of the ‘you are able to work in ways that’ criteria, contain family and it’s often considered difficult for night workers to demonstrate and gather evidence for these criteria. This is because night workers often have very little, if any contact with the child's family. Below are examples of some of these criteria and suggested ways on how they can be met.
Criteria
2.1 Well-being
You are able to work in ways that:
Suggested evidence opportunities
This could be through:
Criteria
8. Safeguarding and safer care
You are able to work in ways that:
8.6 Support children and young people to participate in agreed contact with wider family members and informal networks, taking account of any restrictions that are in place
8.7 Support children and young people to understand why any restrictions have been placed on contact with identified wider family members and informal networks
8.8 Support children and young people following contact with wider family members and informal networks
Suggested evidence opportunities
Criteria
6. Promote multi-agency collaboration and partnership working
You are able to work in ways that:
6.1 Embed the principles of effective partnership working in your practice
6.2 Develop, share and agree plans and approaches for behaviour support in accordance with role and responsibilities
6.3 Share with others the outcomes of reviews and assessments, including risk assessments.
Suggested evidence opportunities
This could be through:
Worker A is Night residential child care worker in a residential setting for young people aged 11 to 16. A typical night shift for Worker A involves:
Worker A has an initial checkpoint meeting with their manager and assessor to:
They identify the following units as appropriate because of the links with Worker A’s work role and activity (click on 'show' to see the details for each unit) :
At the initial checkpoint meeting Worker A, their manager and assessor also:
The assessment of this qualification needs close partnership working between the learner, manager and assessor.
The main assessment methods within this qualification are:
The assessments are designed to allow for holistic evidence collection. This means that the learner's evidence will be collected from real working situations that show the learner can work confidently and consistently across all aspects of the qualification on more than one occasion.
The structured tasks will support the learner to demonstrate their knowledge and skills across different units and learning outcomes, and integrate the knowledge and skills in a way that reflects workplace and sector requirements to provide effective care and support.
It’s important that learners are only put forward for assessment purposes when there is confidence from both manager and assessor that the learner is sufficiently competent to be able to successfully complete the assessment. This should be at a point following the majority of learning delivery, and following a programme of ongoing and formative assessment.
The manager understands the normal internal processes of the setting, documentation, communication systems and so on, and can assess whether the learner is using them appropriately and confirm that the learner is ready for assessment.
Initial registration and unit selection
The employer/manager supports the learner to understand the unit options available and helps select units that are most relevant to Night residential child care worker role.
Formal learning period
The employer/manager supports the learner through the process of on-the-job learning and training, including any reasonable adjustments. Ensuring the learner and their well-being is supported through ‘normal’ workplace monitoring and CPD activities, for example attending regular one-to-ones / supervision, updating reflective logs (which is a mandatory requirement for assessment).
Gateway to summative assessment / observations
The employer/manager liaises with the assessor to determine the point when the learner is ready for formative assessment. The assessor may want to carry out formative assessments and discuss the outcome with the manager to inform or confirm ‘readiness for assessment’ or identify any further development or support needs.
Before the assessment
Confirmation of decision
The assessor will meet with the manager to inform tell them of the assessment outcome.
Worker A is Night residential child care worker in a residential setting for young people aged 11 to 16.
Worker A’s assessor is observing the end of their night shift and morning routine.
On arrival at the residential home, Worker A asked their assessor to show ID and sign the visitor book. Worker A explained that for everyone’s safety and security, they must have a record of anyone coming in and out of the building. This also complies with fire regulations.
Worker A explained that they would be waking two young people up shortly, but first they had to make a phone call to the police about a young person (S) who had gone missing the night before.
Worker A called the police station. During the call, Worker A gave their details and confirmed who they were speaking to and the reason for their call. The desk sergeant confirmed they had located S at an address Worker A’s colleagues had given the night before. They arranged that the police would bring S back to the unit later that morning. Worker A asked about S’s condition when she was picked up, and explained to the police that the young person has type one diabetes which needs careful monitoring, regular meals and medication to maintain the balance of her blood sugar levels. Worker A stressed that it was very important S had something to eat and was brought back to the home as soon as possible so she could have medication.
When Worker A finished the call, they recorded the details, as set out in the organisation’s requirements and recording systems for when a child or young person goes missing from home.
Worker A explained that they were now going to wake two young people. Worker A went upstairs and knocked the first door and in a friendly, gentle voice said good morning to B. They then did the same on the other door, and again in a friendly, gentle voice said good morning to J. J wasn’t keen to get up, so Worker A encouraged him in a playful but firm manner. Worker A commented on a new poster J had on his wall, and J became very animated and eager to tell Worker A what it was about. Worker A was engaged with J throughout.
B called worker A and asked if she had time to wash her hair. Worker A said she didn’t really have time and B clearly wasn’t happy with this. Worker A asked why she hadn’t washed it the night before or asked for an earlier call. B said she hadn’t had time the night before and no one had told her to ask for an earlier call. B appeared to become sullen and Worker A could see B’s behaviour changing. Worker A responded to this saying she was in again that night and offered to help her wash and style her hair in a mini pamper session. B seemed excited about this and agreed enthusiastically. They discussed what products they could use and how B wanted her hair done. Worker A offered B some suggestions on what she could do with her hair for today.
When Worker A was sure both young people were up, they asked them what they would like for breakfast. Worker A went downstairs and put the kettle on ready for them to get up.
When Worker A returned downstairs, another member of staff had arrived. Worker A gave them a quick verbal handover and told them about their telephone call with police about S, and that the other two young people had been called and were getting up.
Young person B needed medication, and Worker A asked the other member of staff if they would help them administer the medication. Worker A explained to the assessor that two people were required to administer medication, in line with their medication policy. The medication was in a locked cupboard, which Worker A had the key to. Both staff checked the medication and that it matched with the medication on B’s paperwork. When they had dispensed the medication, they both signed the appropriate medication record.
B arrived downstairs and was asked if he would like a cup of tea. He was given his medication and Worker A checked it with him and observed him to make sure he had taken it.
B had a packed lunch for school. He went to check this with Worker A, who gave him a choice of cakes to take. He then had a chat while he drank his cup of tea and ate his breakfast.
Worker A updated the daily records as appropriate to the setting and completed a handover update. Other staff then started to arrive for the morning shift. Worker A went back upstairs to J who hadn’t come downstairs. Worker A reminded J of the time and told her that she still needed breakfast. Worker A also told J that her lunch money and bus fares were ready, confirming the amounts with J.
After coming back downstairs, Worker A handed over relevant information to the morning team. They explained that S was at the police station and the police would be bringing her back soon.
Worker A:
