The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (the Social Care Council) has funding, from the Office of Social Services (OSS), Department of Health, to support the social care workforce’s learning and development.
This funding is to train staff to become vocational qualification internal quality assurance verifiers, in the field of Health and Social Care, across the independent (community & voluntary and private) and statutory sectors in Northern Ireland (NI). Private training organisations are also eligible to apply for this funding.
The funding is available to support internal quality assurance verifier training for the following Health and Social Care (Northern Ireland) qualifications:
- Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice.
- Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care (NI).
- Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care (NI).
- Level 4 Certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management for Adult Care Health and Social Care.
- Level 5 Diplomas in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care (both Adult Management and Adult Residential Management pathways).
The deadline to apply for this funding is 5pm on 17 February, you can find the link to the full application pack, including rules for funding and terms and conditions below.
Note: Preference will be given to applications that lead to the internal assurance of the assessment processes and practice of the Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice, the entrance level qualification on the Care in Practice Framework (the CiP Framework) available for social care practitioners.
We will aim to inform social care organisations of the outcome of their applications by 27 February 2026 at the latest.
Employers must commit to registering funded staff before 31st March 2026 and, in turn, to support these staff completing the qualification within the required time period.