Cyngor Gofal Cymru / Care Council for Wales

Preface

In my preface to the second edition, I stated the Care Council for Wales’s intention to regularly update the Framework to ensure that it continues to reflect, and meet the sector’s requirements and support employers to develop a skilled and qualified workforce now and for the future. This an update to that edition.

The Qualification Framework for the Social Care Sector in Wales is another strand of the Care Council’s work in supporting the aim of ensuring that children and adults who use social care services are able to rely on a workforce that is properly trained, appropriately qualified and effectively regulated.

The Qualification Framework for the Social Care sector in Wales was initially published in 2001 with a revised version being produced in 2003. This update describes those areas of change from the 2003 version. The update follows the pattern of the 2003 framework and should be used in conjunction with it.

The update has been required to reflect significant changes affecting the social care sector. These include:

· New National Occupational Standards in Health and Social Care and new qualifications based upon these

· New National Minimum Standards setting out qualification requirements have been agreed by the National Assembly for Wales

· New groups of staff are agreed for inclusion in the framework

The Qualification Framework is to be fully revised in 2011 with the agreement of a Sector Learning Strategy for the sector.

Overseeing of changes to the Framework is maintained by the Qualification Framework Development Group. The Care Council therefore wishes to thank and acknowledge the contribution of members of this Group, which comprises of representatives from the Care Council for Wales Workforce Development Committee, the Occupational Standards Group, employers and training providers.

Mutale Nyoni
Chair, Care Council for Wales

March 2003