Understanding changes to Scottish care qualifications

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is planning to make changes to the titles of Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs).

SQA Accreditation, which is part of the SQA, quality assures qualifications offered in Scotland by approving awarding bodies and accrediting their qualifications.

They do this by checking awarding bodies and their qualifications against published regulatory principles and accreditation criteria. They also have the responsibility of credit rating qualifications in Scotland and have recently provided an update about changes they are making to remove the SVQ levels from the SVQ title.

• The current naming convention for SVQ titles is: SVQ 3 in Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF level 7.
• The anticipated change will be: SVQ in Social Services and Healthcare at SCQF level 7.

Although the name of the SVQ titles are changing, the level of the qualifications will stay the same.

What is the SCQF?

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) is Scotland’s national learning framework which aims to help learners, employers and others to understand the range of Scotland’s qualifications.

The SCQF uses two measures to recognise learning: level and credit.

Level

SCQF levels range from 1 to 12. The level gives an indication of the complexity of a course based on SCQF level descriptors. The level descriptors are used by SCQF Credit Rating Bodies to determine the complexity of learning and is a central element of the criteria and principles used by the SSSC when considering qualifications for registration.

Credit

This gives an indication of the volume of study required to achieve a qualification. Usually one credit equates to 10 notional learning hours.

Following a three year pilot to introduce credit rating there are currently 473 unique Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) titles. Of these, 421 have now been credit rated against the SCQF. When the remaining 52 SVQs are due for review they will also be credit rated.

What’s happening next?

With greater use of the SCQF and the increasing number of qualifications and learning programmes, it is important that learners, employers and others are clear about qualification titles and aware of anticipated changes to the naming of SQA titles.

The SQA has set up an internal group to develop an implementation strategy and communication plan to take these changes forward.

The SSSC is now using the revised titles in anticipation of the changes.

If there are any issues or factors which you think the SQA should be considering as part of their work for this year then please send to: [email protected]