Whether the sector decides to call it a single qualifications framework or an integrated one, what everyone wants to know is - how will transitional awards function on a practical basis? For those asking this question, the development of the awards goes some way to providing the necessary insights.
Over the past year, work has been progressing on new qualifications that will help workers in one sector make the switch to another without having to undergo a lengthy re-training process.
The sectors covered are Playwork and Children's Care, Learning and Development, which should receive accreditation from major examining bodies in the first half of 2006.
Officially entitled the Level 3 Award in Transferring from Playwork to Children's Care, Learning and Development, and the Level 3 Award in Transferring from Children's Care, Learning and Development to Playwork, the awards have been developed through a project funded by the DfES. They are being managed by SkillsActive and have benefited from input from a variety of associations and consultants, including the SkillsActive Playwork Unit and the National Day Nurseries Association.
Transferring skills
'These awards have been set up to answer a distinct need among workers who want to transfer existing skills to a new sector,' says Maureen Smith, consultant for the Children's Workforce Development Council.
'It became apparent that people working in regulated settings where Level 3 qualifications were required faced the prospect of having to complete two qualifications if they wanted to transfer their skills to an allied sector.
For example, a person working in a nursery who wanted to lead an after- school club needed a qualification in playwork to be able to do both jobs.
Before the introduction of these awards, this meant studying for an NVQ or equivalent qualification covering the new sector, which took a long time to complete and often involved extensive evidence collection.'
She adds, 'Many of the core subjects are the same for both qualifications, so there was repetition of content. This led to a situation that was time-consuming, costly and difficult for many people, especially if they were already working full-time.'
Rumblings of discontent eventually led to a round-table discussion last year to see if there was a way of developing transitional modules. The ultimate aim was to promote greater cross-sector mobility for staff working with children, young people and families.
'We explored some of the wider policy changes raised by the Government Green Paper Every Child Matters and considered the context for development that would allow workers to move between jobs more easily,' Ms Smith says.
'It became clear that, while there were specialisations in each sector, there was also significant crossover. What was required was an awards system that allowed for the gaps to be filled without forcing workers to repeat core subjects.'
Critical differences
The new transitional awards have been developed to meet the training and qualification needs of practitioners who already hold Level 3 qualifications.
'They focus on the critical differences between the knowledge and skills that someone who already has a Level 3 qualification in one sector can be expected to have, and the additional knowledge and skills required to be effective in the other,' Ms Smith says.
'Obviously there are differences between the two sectors and those differences shouldn't be underestimated.'
The playwork sector has welcomed the new awards, recognising them as a good way of addressing issues about the status of playworkers, which have recently been causing concern throughout the sector.
Paul Bonel, director of the SkillsActive Playwork Unit, says, 'Quality play opportunities facilitated by qualified playwork staff make a major contribution to healthy child development, as well as providing educational benefits. We see these awards as a model that, once proved, could easily be rolled out to other sectors within the children's workforce because they demonstrate that there are often huge areas of similarity between qualifications, as well as important differences.
'Addressing this is all part of a joined-up agenda that will help raise the status of playwork by giving workers more parity and an opportunity to enhance their qualifications.'
Crossing the divide
'Joined-up qualifications', 'joined-up jobs' and 'joined-up sectors' are buzzwords adopted by the awards steering group that also fit neatly with Government thinking about childcare. It is anticipated that, as the first qualifications of their kind, these new awards could well pave the way for more transitional awards in the future - for example, playwork to youthwork.
'Practitioners from both early years and playwork often cross the divide and work in both sectors, so it makes sense to formalise this arrangement with recognised qualifications,' Ms Smith says. 'By enabling people to develop their skills through transitional awards, we can deliver much more flexibility within the workforce and offer workers and employers many more opportunities.'
How it's shaping up
* Transitional awards have a simple remit. They are designed to plug the gaps within sector knowledge at Level 3.
Both awards involve 60 hours of study, which the steering group hopes can be carried out in as flexible a way as possible.
'This might involve a short full-time course, a part-time or evening course or even distance learning,' Maureen Smith says. 'We don't know exactly how this will work yet, as it will depend on what the training providers offer.'
To fill knowledge gaps, playworkers will study childhood development from birth to four years and aspects of early years practice, while early years workers will study children's development through play from eight to 16 years and aspects of playwork practice. In addition, both sets of candidates will visit the opposite workplace setting to allow for observation and reflection.
The steering group anticipates that both colleges offering the awards and awarding bodies will help with publicity, probably by taking part in a national launch and some regional promotional events once accreditation is finalised.
Further information
* www.cache.org.uk
* www.city-and-guilds.co.uk
