Report RE: Need to get this off my chest

Original Post

by: Millie

Ho hum!

As an assessor I can say quite a lot of things about the NVQ and applicants that are presented to me by setting managment.  The NVQ is there not as an academic qualification , but there to assess the candidates already learnt and acquired skills and how they demonstrate work based knowledge via practice and understanding, which should be provided as on-going training within the setting.

It is the settings Management that employ these candidates who should be responsible for ensuring that prior to these people being taken on in their setting that perhaps they check that they have a good level of english to be able to communicate effectively with parents, carers and other team members, but more importantly for the children they will be caring for.  This can be spotted usually from the start interview and should be monitored by the Manager/supervisor over a short period prior to being taken on.

You would be surprised at the amount of people I have to assess, that can not communicate with the others in their team.  They are also unable to communicate with children in the simplest of terms to enhace conversation etc.,  The prefer as you have highlighted to talk about anything un childcare related in order to get through the day!

NVQ's are not a training ground for childcare applicants, but the responsibility of Management to ensure staff are fully versed in polices, procedures, welfare requirement, can work and understand Every Child Matters and the UN conventions on the rights of the child, undertake observation and assessment and plan for the individual needs of a child.  Why, is this not happening? because applicants are often young, do not have skills to undertake other jobs and think childcare is an easy option! - you only have to listen how they communicate with each other in the setting and staff room to know that they do not have the skill, empathy or understanding of how to communicate effectively to enhance children's learning.

Sadly this is  happening in most of the nurseries I am assessing in I am shocked to the core quite frankly.  Assessors are not teachers (or so we are being constantly told), if we advise candidates on best practice we fear uprise from management who feel threatened.

In short most assessors are qualified to a high standard.  We understand the directives from Every Child Matters, CWDC, etc.,  But the government are using NVQ's as a quick route for qualifications that no longer hold a valid ground for ensuring the workforce is correctly trained.

Settings often can not afford the time, finance or manpower to train staff in-house.  But when settings sign up a candidate to undertake the NVQ under train to gain, they essentially hold the responsibility to ensure their staff are trained and fully equipped to be ASSESSED!  So please do not blame the assessors - blame the setting management for lack of staff training. 

In relation to NVQ's and the drop in standards - look at the government initiative now on train to gain, to have an upskilled workforce on paper - sounds brilliant!.  But then take a close look at the time frames training providers are given to bring them through the NVQ process, 6 months for a level 2 and 9 for a level 3.  Once these timeframes have elapsedf funding is withdrawn so training providers are under pressure to get these candidates through - Ready or Not!!

Then ask if training providers are really concerned for the welfare of the child, or just getting bums on seats and funding from the government for these places.  I know which one I have experienced over the last year with the introduction of Train to Gain.  Some really good setting Managers have also seen a decrease in good qualified staff under this regime and are shocked.

I am afraid for the children who are being cared for so called qualified staff who hold a piece of paper.  Watching some of these staff members in practice saddens me, what saddens me further is that others are being instructed by them.

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