Introduction
You don’t usually need a qualification to start your career in the children and young people workforce. Many employers hire people based on their values and positive attitude. You can find more information about career pathways and qualifications on our Careers website(Opens new window).
Registration
Once you’re working in a role that requires registration, you have three months to apply for registration with us. Once registered you must gain a qualification within an agreed time, if you don’t already hold one.
The standard qualification for workers in children and young people services is the SVQ Social Services (Children and Young People), however we’ll also accept the SVQ Social Services and Healthcare to allow people to move more easily between different types of services. Registrants moving to another type of service must complete additional, specific learning as part of their continuous professional learning (CPL) to ensure they develop and evidence the necessary knowledge, skills and expertise in working with children or adults.
If you work in residential childcare or residential school care accommodation you need qualifications which demonstrate both practice and certificated knowledge.
There are more details of the qualifications we accept for registration on the Help with Register parts, fees and qualifications page.
Qualifications
SVQs
If you are working in a role and need to achieve a qualification it is likely you will work towards an SVQ. Your employer must support you to achieve a qualification if it is a requirement of your registration as set out in in the SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers.
SVQs are work-based qualifications available to people of all ages. As a sector skills council, we develop SVQs in partnership with industry and awarding bodies. SVQs assess skills, knowledge and values in relation to a specific job role or range of job roles.
SVQs are made up of units derived from National Occupational Standards (NOS). There are core and optional units and you can choose areas of study most suited to your role. Find more details on the National Occupational Standards website(Opens new window)
When you are ready to start your SVQ your employer will help you register with a training provider. This might be a college, or an independent or internal training centre. If you want to find training providers in your area see the Scottish Qualifications Authority(Opens new window) (SQA) website.
The key SVQs for workers in children and young people are:
- SVQ Social Services (Children and Young People) at SCQF levels 6, 7 and 9.
SVQs are designed to promote flexibility and progression. For example, if you have an SVQ Social Services (Children and Young People) you can get credit towards the SVQ Social Services and Healthcare at the same level.
Getting a qualification at college
You can gain a qualification in college before finding your first job in children and young people services or while you work. There are full time, part time and distance learning options. There are also professional development qualifications for those in work.
The key qualifications are below. If you don’t meet the entry requirements for courses which start at SCQF level 6 you should speak to the college so they can help you start your learning at the right level. There are courses at SCQF levels 4, 5 and 6 which can provide a pathway to the qualifications listed.
- NC Early Education and Childcare at SCQF level 6.
- HNC Childhood Practice at SCQF level 7.
- For PDA Childhood Practice at SCQF level 9 see childhood practice award.
The SQA Care website(Opens new window) provides a useful overview of social service qualifications.
Here is a list of colleges offering social service qualifications.
Childhood practice award
We approve and quality assure childhood practice award courses.
The childhood practice award is open to people who already hold a qualification suitable for SSSC registration as a practitioner in day care of children services (usually an SVQ Social Services (Children and Young People) at SCQF level 7 or HNC Childhood Practice). Managers and lead practitioners require a childhood practice award at SCQF level 9 or above for SSSC registration.
Find universities, colleges and training centres that offer recognised childhood practice awards below. You can access these awards in different ways depending on your prior learning and entry requirements set by the learning provider.
Apprenticeships
Doing an apprenticeship
An apprentice is someone who:
- is employed
- is learning on-the-job
- earns a wage from day one
- works towards an industry-recognised qualification.
There are a range of apprenticeships for the children and young people workforce. They are a good way of starting a career but there are also opportunities for experienced workers looking to progress.
Apprenticeships generally include a primary qualification, an SVQ, and extra learning opportunities in core skills or career skills depending on the SCQF level. Here are the available apprenticeships. You can read more about them on our Careers website(Opens new window).
- Foundation Apprenticeship Social Services (Children and Young People) at SCQF level 6
- Modern Apprenticeship Social Services (Children and Young People) at SCQF level 7
- Technical Apprenticeship Social Services (Children and Young People) at SCQF level 9
- Early learning and childcare (ELC) graduate apprenticeship at SCQF level 9 (see more information below)
Foundation apprenticeships are available to secondary school pupils. Speak to your careers adviser to find out more.
The best place to find modern apprenticeship vacancies is www.apprenticeship.scot(Opens new window) – search for ‘Social Services (Children and Young People)’.
If you’re interested in a technical or professional apprenticeship you should speak to your employer.
ELC graduate apprenticeship
The early learning and childcare (ELC) graduate apprenticeship provides individuals with the opportunity to access employment while gaining the required knowledge, skills and values to work as a practitioner in ELC. Individuals who take part in the graduate apprenticeship can access the same learning opportunities as those who take the traditional route of direct entry into college or university.
The ELC graduate apprenticeship is at SCQF level 9 and takes three years to complete. Its content is based on the Standard for Early Learning and Childcare and includes meta skills. These are the skills everyone needs as a learner and a practitioner.
We will accept the ELC graduate apprenticeship, delivered by identified learning providers, for registration at the practitioner level of job role in service type day care of children services.
The ELC graduate apprenticeship doesn’t replace the BA or PDA in childhood practice as it’s not a management and leadership qualification. You may be able to use the credits gained from the graduate apprenticeship towards a BA or PDA childhood practice. This may be achieved through the established process of gaining 60 SCQF credits at SCQF level 9 to register as a manager/ lead practitioner.
Anyone interested in applying for the ELC graduate apprenticeship should discuss entry requirements and recognition of prior learning (RPL) with the learning provider. Current providers are:
- University of the West of Scotland
- University of the Highlands and Islands.
The expectation is that only those universities currently delivering the BA in Childhood Practice (for managers) or universities entering into partnership with a college that is delivering the PDA (level) 9 in Childhood Practice (for managers) will be in a position to deliver the ELC graduate apprenticeship.
For a list of these providers see the childhood practice section of this page. If you are a university that would like to deliver this framework please contact [email protected]
Please visit www.apprenticeships.scot(Opens new window) for more information.
Funding for qualifications
Part time fee grant
If you’re studying a part time course at SCQF level 7-10 and have an income of £25,000 or less you may be eligible for the part time fee grant funding, provided by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
The level of funding depends on the number of SCQF credits you undertake and the type of qualification you are studying. Find out more and apply on the part time funding page of the SAAS website(Opens new window).
Recognition of prior learning
What is RPL?
Recognition of prior learning (RPL) means you can get recognition for the knowledge and skills you have already gained, to support your personal and career development and continuous professional learning (CPL). Prior learning can come from life experiences, school, paid or unpaid work, short courses or learning at college or university.
You may be able to use your existing learning, providing evidence of your knowledge, skills and understanding, for RPL to gain credit points towards a qualification to shorten the normal period of study. You can gain some credit for RPL but it’s not possible to achieve an entire qualification just using RPL.
Not all learning providers accept RPL, check with your chosen learning provider before starting your RPL journey. It can also support your CPL.
Read the recognition of prior learning (RPL) guidance to help you through the process of how to gather evidence and how you learning provider will assess it.