The social care sector is under-prepared for next year’s launch
of the new qualifications and credit framework (QCF), experts told
yesterday's annual Skills for Care conference.
The
framework, a streamlined structure for
recognising and accrediting all vocational qualifications across
all sectors, comes into effect in England, Wales and Northern
Ireland in 2010.
Skills for Care is developing a new set of social care
qualifications conforming to the QCF. However, at the adult care
skills council’s annual conference in London yesterday, speakers
raised concerns about the readiness of employers to adapt to the
reforms.
Sector not prepared
Des Kelly, executive director of the National Care Forum, which
represents not-for-profit health and social care providers across
the UK, said: “I don’t think the sector is prepared for the QCF.
[Employers] might know that the new structure is on its way but I’m
not sure that they fully understand it.
“My impression from going around the country is that people are
overwhelmed by a major programme of transformation and change.
People are shell-shocked.”
Ronald Morton, strategy manager for the Commission for Social
Care Inspection, agreed that there was “fatigue” in the sector at
having to implement more and more initiatives requiring further
resources.
Jacqui Ramus, chair of the Association for Care Training and
Assessment Networks, which represents social care training
providers, said she attended a recent conference where some
employers were very knowledgeable about the QCF, but others “knew
very little”.
Help on hand
Glen Mason, director of social care leadership and performance
at the Department of Health, agreed that the sector was going
through a period of “enormous change”, but reminded employers that
help was available.
“I would stress the importance of the regional Skills for Care
partnerships, which can help employers to unpack the tools and
benefit from them.”
Skills for Care chair Professor David Croisdale-Appleby told the
conference that there were three aims of the QCF: “To be less
bureaucratic, to be easier to understand, and crucially, to be more
responsive to the needs of employers, and to better reflect what
their staff actually do.”
More information
Skills for Care
National Care Forum
Association for Care Training and Assessment
Networks