Social Care News

QCF qualifications to come into force in January 2011

New Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) qualifications are in the final stages of their development.

Replacement qualifications for NVQs in Children’s Care Learning and Development, Health and Social Care and Leadership and Management for Care Services will be ready and accredited over the next couple of months. Qualification contents and structures will be placed on our website as soon as the final versions are available.

A decision has been made in partnership with the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELL’s), that the operational or ‘go live’ date for the new QCF qualifications will be January 2011 when learners will no longer be able to register for vocational NQF qualifications. We believe that this will provide all those involved in the delivery and assessment of the new qualifications with the optimum amount of time to become familiar with their contents.

A statement on the roll out of QCF qualifications has been made by Skills for Care and Development and the Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC). Skills for Care (SfC) or the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) should be contacted for further details of roll out plans for England and Northern Ireland.