SQA issue qualification revisions, reviews and updates

The Scottish Qualification Agency (SQA) have issued new guidance on several qualifications within the care sector.

SVQ 4 Leadership and Management for Care Services

With the development of the revised National Occupational Standards (NOS), SQA submitted a re-accreditation paper to be able to continue to offer this qualification. On 6 August 2014 they were successful in gaining re-accreditation for the award and it will now be called SVQ 4 Care Services Leadership and Management.

The new re-accredited award will be live on SQA’s website soon.

HNC review in Early Education and HNC review in Social Services

The mandatory Units are nearing completion and are expected to be validated this month. As both the new HNCs will have the same mandatory core Units, this is a significant milestone in the development.

The HNC Social Services is expected to be validated in December 2014 with the HNC Childhood Practice early next year as there is a significant number of new optional Units being written.

G9YK 23 SVQ 3 in Community Justice: Work with Victims, Survivors and Witnesses at SCQF level 6

Skills for Justice (SfJ) identified the need for a volunteer pathway to be added to this award. Over the course of 2013 a working group was set up to decide on the appropriate Units that would make up the new pathway. The working group met on several occasions and devised the structure for the new pathway. This was then submitted to SQA Accreditation and on 27 September 2013 it was successfully accredited.

The new structure has been updated and can be viewed on the product page.

SfJ is currently working on a review of SVQ 3 Working with Victims, Survivors and Witnesses. SfJ will be reviewing the qualification to ensure that Units are still fit for purpose and that the qualification still meets the needs of the organisations that use it.

Key members of the sector met in mid-July to look at the award structure and the Units. An online consultation is in progress to gather opinions on a newly proposed structure.

Qualifications coming soon

    PDA in Perioperative Care — award in development
    PDA Carers Strategy — award in development
    PDA Children’s Hearings in Scotland: Area Support Team — award in planning stage
    PDA in HIV — award in development
    PDA in Sexual Health — award in development
    PDA Residential Child Care — award in planning stage

The PDA in Perioperative Care is progressing well with validation taking place in mid- November. The Units are nearing completion and Stage two of the development will start work on the PDA in Renal Care.

The PDA Carers Strategy is well under way and this award is on track to be validated early 2015.

The PDAs in HIV and Sexual Health are in the final phase of development and it is hoped they will be live towards the end of 2014.

To keep on top of new developments, visit: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqacare