CWDC moots foundation degrees for children’s social care staff

By Mithran Samuel on March 4, 2009 in Children, Education and training, Workforce

The Children’s Workforce Development Council is considering developing foundation degrees for the children’s social care workforce.

The workforce development council has decided to seek views on the idea from employers and training providers following a series of consultation events on strengthening and professionalising the social care workforce in January and February.

A foundation degree is a work-related higher education qualification, typically combining academic study with on-the-job training and lasting two years if taken full-time.

CWDC has also announced that is extending its Increasing Skills in Social Care (TSI) fund, a government grant designed to fund vocational qualifications.

It is currently distributed to social care providers to fund staff to achieve the NVQ level 3 in health and social care. However, CWDC said today it would be extended from next week to cover the NVQ level 4 qualifications in health and social care and leadership and management.

CWDC is also extending the fund from now to all fostering agencies to fund foster carers to complete the level 3 qualification. The TSI fund is limited and is distributed on a first come first serve basis.