Meera has been running an after school club for five years. She has a Level 3 qualification and is looking to develop her skills and find a new challenge in the playwork field.
There are a number of development opportunities available to Meera. Before she makes a decision she will need to understand about the changes to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), as it will help her choose an appropriate qualification.
CHANGES TO THE NQF
In September 2004, the regulatory authorities for England (QCA), Wales (ACCAC) and Northern Ireland (CCEA) made changes to the levels used to define qualifications. These changes affect qualifications which were previously Level 4 or 5.
The old Level 4 has been divided into Levels 4, 5 and 6 and the old Level 5 now relates to Levels 7 and 8. These changes make the framework more comparable with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. The new and old level for each qualification can be seen on the OpenQuals website.
The QCA definition states, 'Level 4 qualifications recognise specialist learning and involve detailed analysis of a high level of information and knowledge in an area of work or study. Learning at this level is appropriate for people working in technical and professional jobs, and/or managing and developing others. Level 4 qualifications are at a level equivalent to Certificates of Higher Education.'
TRAINING COURSES
A wide variety of Level 4 training courses exist, but if Meera wants to be sure the course she chooses is approved, she should look for a SkillsActive Endorsed Course.
There are currently two courses at Level 4, offering very different challenges, but both will appeal to Meera's desire to stretch herself and learn something new.
Improving Practice through Evaluation
Common Threads are offering a practical, two-day course that will help Meera support her team's personal development.
Shelly Newstead, who wrote the course says, 'By completing this course she will make sure the evaluations she carries out within her team are effective in improving the quality of service to children.'
Learners are led through identifying the aims and objectives of their setting - what the setting is hoping to achieve and how staff would need to act or react to achieve these aims. They are taught the difference between monitoring and evaluation and how to set SMART objectives. The first day also covers monitoring and evaluation techniques and how to manage the change process using the evaluation cycle.
There is a gap of around six weeks between the course's two days to allow participants to try out their new skills and return to the group to reflect on their experience and assess progress.
New Thinking in Playwork
Wendy Russell, playwork trainer and consultant, has been running 'The New Thinking in Playwork' course since 2001. The course offers a journey of discovery for participants and introduces past and current theories of play as well as some of the work of current thinkers in the playwork sector.
There are no entry requirements, apart from participants being 'prepared to think'. The assessment is accessible to a wide range of abilities.
Wendy explains the reasoning behind the course, 'People tend to come on the course not having had much academic learning, and they struggle to begin with. Qualifications based on the National Occupational Standards up to Level 3 imply that there is a correct way to do playwork. Training and qualifications at Level 4 start to encourage a critical evaluation of theory.'
New Thinking in Playwork involves exploring a wide range of theories on play and playwork, and using observation of children at play to see if those theories make sense. Participants are encouraged to talk about their experiences and build observation skills. Observation in this context is not about assessing children's development or behaviour; it is to help the playworker gain a better understanding of how children play so they can do their job better - their job being to support play.
'Each course I've done goes in a completely different direction,' says Wendy.
QUALIFICATIONS
Training courses are useful to gain new skills, but gaining a Level 4 qualification could give Meera a new challenge and expand her career choices. A Level 4 qualification would be useful if she wanted to become a play development officer, a senior practitioner or specialise in therapeutic play.
Certificate of Higher Education in Playwork
Meera may decide that a distance learning qualification will fit in well with her existing commitments. The University of Gloucestershire runs a Certificate of Higher Education in Playwork, normally completed part time over two years.
The course is made up of ten modules and students normally study five modules each year. However, this is a flexible course and she may wish to take more or fewer modules over a shorter or longer period of time.
As this is a distance learning programme, she will need access to a computer and be familiar with using word processing packages, e-mail and the internet.
At the start of each semester there is a short residential course where Meera will receive initial guidance, support and materials. On-going contact with fellow students and tutors will be through regular web-based discussions, e-mail and telephone.
The qualification will allow her to study within four distinct strands:
* Play and playwork
* Learning and personal development
* Management
* Community development.
Within these strands, students will explore the disciplines of sociology, psychology, natural sciences and management.
Later she could progress to the Diploma in Higher Education in Playwork and then to a Degree in Playwork.
Scottish and National Vocational Qualifications
If Meera is prepared to wait she could be one of the first candidates to start on the new Level 4 NVQ in Playwork in England. A candidate must show, through assessment visits and a portfolio, that they have the skills, knowledge and understanding set out in the National Occupational Standards.
Sue Hook from SkillsActive was involved in the development of the first National Occupational Standards for Playwork at Level 4 and says, 'I think it's really important that we have progression routes for playworkers, and the new Level 4 NVQ and SVQ are an essential part of this.
'We consulted widely with playworkers and playwork people to develop the National Occupational Standards which underpin the Level 4 NVQ and SVQ to make sure these qualifications reflect the needs of the sector.'
The Scottish qualification based on the Level 4 NOS received accreditation in December 2005, and the first candidates will be starting soon. An awarding body in England, Edexcel, is in the process of developing an NVQ using the standards and colleges are likely to start accepting candidates in September 2006.
Hospital play
Meera's experience in playwork has given her a broad understanding of the way play can help children and young people cope with anxiety, fears and difficult situations. If she would like to pursue this approach, she could consider a career as a hospital play specialist.
She could enrol for a Level 4 qualification in hospital playwork - she already has a Level 3 qualification, at least three years' experience of working with children and is aged 20.
A suitable qualification is Edexcel Level 4 BTEC Professional Diploma in Specialised Play for Sick Children and Young People, which is offered by a number of colleges as a part-time, one-year course.
There are six units of study and typically learners will be asked to produce a portfolio of work, a project and undertake various other shorter assignments.
This qualification is recognised as the requirement for application for professional registration with the Hospital Play Staff Education Trust (HPSET). The qualification and professional registration together form the recognised NHS qualification and standard for hospital play staff.
In addition to gaining the qualification Meera would need 200 hours of supervised work experience in a hospital play setting.
Julia Richards is a playwork consultant
Further information
* SkillsActive, www.playwork.org.uk
* New Thinking in Playwork, wendyrussell @ntlworld.com, 0115 841 2387
* National Association of Hospital Play Staff, www.nahps.org.uk
