What?
As a new, entrance level qualification on the Care in Practice (CiP) Framework, the Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice was co-designed and developed by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (SCC) in collaboration with representatives from the social care sector.
The SCC worked in partnership with sector representatives to devise this new entrance level qualification, as part of the CiP Framework to ensure consistency of the training that all new social care practitioners across the sector would require when completing their induction.
The Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice consists of 7 units (see below for a list of units) that will enable social care practitioners to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to become confident in their practice and to work safely and effectively.
Unit 1 – Standards and Values Underpinning Social Care Practice.
Unit 2 – Understand Safeguarding in Social Care Services.
Unit 3 – Safe Moving and Positioning of Individuals in Social Care Services.
Unit 4 – Environmental Health and Safety in Social Care Services.
Unit 5 – Understand Safe Medication Practice in Social Care.
Unit 6 – Safe Food Handling and Dysphagia Awareness in Social Care Services.
Unit 7 – Emergency First Aid in Social Care Services.
Why?
The qualification provides the social care practitioner with a value base context across social care on which to build their learning, development and career and, further, aids transferability of knowledge and skills as the social care practitioner moves throughout the course of their career. Additionally, as an accredited qualification on the Regulated Qualification Framework, it aligns with the suite of developmental Social Care vocational qualifications, set out in the CiP Framework.
Who?
As an employment-based qualification, the Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice can be undertaken by social care practitioners working in adults and children’s services, in various job roles, diverse work settings and with different levels of work experience.
However, it has primarily been developed for social care practitioners new to working in the field of social care and, indeed, to the Social Care Register, however, this does not exclude the possibility of existing practitioners in the sector availing of the opportunity to undertake this qualification, if funding and resources permit.
When?
The Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice is available but not yet mandatory.
For those who do undertake this qualification, it is anticipated to take 5 – 6 months to complete, aligning with the usual employee confirmation in post period.
It has been accredited by Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), is now ‘live’ on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications and has been added to the Level 2 Apprenticeship NI Framework.
Where?
The Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice is available for delivery by Awarding Organisations and Vocational Qualification Assessment Centres to the social care workforce in Northern Ireland.
You can be registered as a learner with an approved Assessment Centre to undertake this qualification through the following Awarding Organisations:
- OCN NI – Qualifications and Courses | OCN NI.
- ProQual – Full List of Qualifications from Ofqual approved Awarding Body Proqual AB Ltd.
- Skills Education Group – Home – Skills and Education Group Awards : Skills and Education Group Awards.
How?
Models of Delivery:
- Internal – delivery of underpinning knowledge training is aligned with the employer’s in-house induction programme. This model of delivery is only possible where the employer operates an approved Vocational Qualification Assessment Centre.
- External – full provision by an external training provider, with all teaching and qualification delivery and assessment requirements being addressed as separate to the employer’s workplace training and induction programme.
- Blended/Mixed – delivery draws on training delivered by the employer, as part of the practitioner’s induction programme, and is supplemented by an external training provider who delivers underpinning knowledge training for any knowledge gaps whilst also addressing qualification delivery and assessment requirements.
Funding streams
There are three possible funding opportunities to support social care practitioners in undertaking the Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice:
- Level 2 Health and Social Care Apprenticeship Framework –
ApprenticeshipsNI (AppsNI), as a Government funded vocational qualification programme, aims to provide participants with the opportunity to take part in a Level 2/ Level 3 Apprenticeship where the apprentice, in paid employment from day one, works towards achieving an industry-approved Level 2/ Level 3 Apprenticeship Framework qualification.
With the removal of the enrolment age restriction for the Apprenticeship NI programme, employees can now be supported to become an apprentice as long as they meet the AppsNI eligibility criteria.
As a knowledge-based qualification on the Level 2 Health and Social Care Apprenticeship Framework, any social care practitioner undertaking the Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice, as an apprentice, will be funded to do so at no direct cost to the employer.
- Department of Health, Training Support Programme –
Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations from the Adult/ Family Sector can apply for funding from the Department of Health, Training Support Programme (TSP) at the start of each financial year.
Each organisation will have to complete and submit bid forms as part of the TSP application process, outlining how many health and social care practitioners it plans to support in undertaking vocation qualifications at different levels. There is a limited ‘pot’ of funding available, with funding support for each organisation being capped at £10,000.
If successful in its TSP application bid, an organisation may choose to support social care practitioner employees to undertake the Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice.
If an organisation wishes to be considered for funding and to receive an application pack, they should contact the Office of Social Services at: oss@health-ni.gov.uk.
- Northern Ireland Social Care Council (SCC) –
This funding is focused on enabling people at different stages on their social care career pathway to access training, qualifications and support. Providers can apply directly to the Social Care Council to access the funding following release of the funding application notification. Please see the Social Care Council website in December 2024 for details.
Useful links:
For more information:
If you have a question or want to know more, please email the workforce development team at: workforcedevelopment@niscc.hscni.net.