Information and guidance on finding a qualification

The qualification finder can be used to find:

• the required or recommended qualifications in a service area
• the required or recommended qualifications for a job role
• what induction is required
• what will be useful or required for updating, maintaining and progressing skills and knowledge.

The qualification finder can also help:

• raise staff knowledge, competence and confidence
• make sure people hold appropriate qualifications during recruitment
• set service standards during commissioning
• standardise training and assessments that are being commissioned and provided
• the development and agreement of an organisation’s policies
• succession planning for crucial people in services
• personal development and progression planning for staff
• workforce planning and career advice
• the checking of older qualifications and those from other UK nations
• inspection and regulation of services by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW)
• quality assuring and monitoring by commissioners or responsible individuals.

For some job roles and service areas there are specific requirements for practice:

• the qualifications required by regulations, legislation and national minimum standards (NMS) in social care or early years childcare
• the qualifications workers and managers are required to have to register with us.

Other services and roles where these requirements do not apply (non-regulated roles) have recommended qualifications. These will ensure people have appropriate and transferable qualifications, knowledge and skills.

The required qualifications, which should all be available bilingually, have been agreed with a range of partners to reflect the needs and principles below. These are known as “design principles”:

• based on the National Occupational Standards that are appropriate to the needs of the sector
• competence is assessed in the workplace
• subject to external verification
• based on reliable and robust demonstration of employer and service needs
• can be aligned to qualifications frameworks across the UK
• have a structure that allows progression routes, as well as opportunities to study breadth and/or depth of knowledge and skill
• can respond flexibly to the needs of the sector and its learners, including delivery models, language and accessibility
• recognise different types of learning, knowledge, skills and competence.

There are two main induction frameworks for the workforce, the All Wales induction framework for early years and childcare and the All Wales induction framework for health and social care (AWIF).

All Wales induction framework for early years and childcare

The framework provides a structure for a common understanding to induction and outlines the knowledge and skills new workers should meet in their first six months of employment. There is a requirement within current regulations and National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare for children up to the age of 12 years that all practitioners should receive induction training, which includes health and safety, and child protection policies and procedures, during their first week of employment.

Who should complete this induction framework?

Regardless of whether they are employed full time, part time, sessional or as a volunteer, the induction framework should be completed by workers who:

• are new to the early years childcare sector
• are new to an organisation or setting
• are undertaking a new role
• have previous experience in a different sector
• are returning after a career break, or
• are a current member of staff as a tool to support continuing professional development.

If the worker has been employed previously, they do not need to complete the full induction framework, but they may be required to complete some parts of it.

Find more information about the induction framework for early years and childcare.

All Wales induction framework for health and social care (AWIF)

The framework creates a firm basis for new workers to help them develop their practice and future careers, in and across the health and social care sectors. It also provides a clear understanding of the knowledge, skills and values that are needed to make sure new workers are safe and competent to practice at this stage of their development. The induction framework is designed for social care workers and healthcare support workers. It covers care and support for adults, and children and young people. The induction framework has the same learning outcomes as those included in the health and social care ‘core’ qualification.

Who should complete this induction framework?

Regardless of whether they are employed full time, part time, sessional or as a volunteer, the induction framework should be completed by workers who:

• are new to the sector
• are new to an organisation or setting
• are undertaking a new role
• have previous experience in a different sector
• are returning after a career break, or
• are a current member of staff as a tool to support continuing professional development.

If the worker has been employed previously, they do not need to complete the full induction framework again, but they may be required to complete some parts of it to show their competence in their new work setting.

The induction framework has been designed and developed so it can be used by all care and support workers.

Find out more information about the induction framework for health and social care.

Continued personal and professional learning and development (CPD) is the ongoing maintenance and growth of knowledge and skills throughout life. This keeps people motivated, develops specialist skills and underpins high quality care and support services. People may learn new things and how to support more complex ways of working and situations. It can help the achievement of career goals and build confidence and commitment.

CPD can take many forms, including informal methods such as:

• a reflection on your own work and what could be done differently
• watching a demonstration
• ‘buddying’ or shadowing a more experienced or specialist person (including a carer or individual using the service)
• research and reading.

More formal methods might be:

• attending a course or conference
• completing a qualification
• completing a specialist unit or pathway from the qualifications
• e-learning and webinars
• coaching or mentoring
• taking part in action learning sets.

CPD is a requirement of a person’s registration with us and is expected by service regulations. There may be a minimum amount of updating and development that must be shown.

Find out more information about CPD.

Resources for further guidance and support include:

• Continuing Professional Development Toolkit for Social Care, Early Years and Child Care Managers and Workers
• Continuing Professional Development Principles for the early years and childcare workforce in Wales.

Playwork

Those working in regulated childcare settings with children between the ages of five to 12 years old may need to complete a playwork qualification to meet NMS and regulatory requirements.

You can find more information at:

• Play Wales
  
• Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW)

There are specific requirements for managers from September 2021. Where a childcare setting provides for children between the ages of 0 to 12 years, the person in charge should hold both:

• a level 3 childcare qualification recognised on the qualification framework, and
• a level 3 playwork qualification or a smaller award.

The person in charge of a registered play setting for children up to the age of 12 years should hold:

• a level 3 playwork qualification.

The person in charge of a holiday play scheme should hold:

• a level 3 playwork qualification.

Non-supervisory staff who are included in the ratios of qualified staff will also need to undertake a Level 2 playwork qualification.

In respect of childminders, there are no changes to the requirement to complete an appropriate pre-registration course as this already takes account of the needs of older children.

Equivalence and prior learning

A qualification already held by a worker may seem the same or similar to one listed in this framework. We will not be able to check this for each person, only those who are required to register. Only the qualifications in this framework are accepted in Wales as required or recommended, but alternative qualifications or previous learning you have could go a long way towards meeting the requirements.

Awarding Bodies may be able to help you match evidence of learning against what is required by the qualifications in this framework. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Where a worker wants to gain employment in Wales and there is a required qualification for registration, but their qualification is not listed in this framework they can apply to us for an assessment of equivalence if they meet the following criteria:

• the qualification is based on competence, such as the National Occupational Standards (NOS) relevant to the role
• the person has been assessed in the workplace
• the person must have been in a relevant role while the qualification was undertaken
• the person must have been in a relevant setting while the qualification was undertaken.

Qualifications gained outside Wales

There are differences between the qualifications on offer across the UK nations. We work with UK partners to ensure there are no unnecessary barriers to the portability of qualifications and workers across UK borders.

Workers who have gained their qualification in Wales but wish to work in another UK country will need to contact the relevant Sector Skills Council for advice. They are:

England

• Skills for Care (adult social care)
• Department of Education (children’s social care and early years and childcare).

Northern Ireland

• Northern Ireland Social Care Council.

Scotland

• Scottish Social Services Council.

If you have a question or if you can't find what you are looking for get in touch with us.