Cyngor Gofal Cymru / Care Council for Wales

Introduction

The Qualification Framework for the Social Care Sector in Wales sets out the qualifications relevant for, and used by, the sector. The Framework was first published in August 2001 following development and extensive consultation over a period of nearly 2 years. The Framework has built on the Welsh Assembly Government list of Approved Qualifications identified for social care and social work posts within service settings and supported through government funding.

The sector wide consultations resulted in agreement on:

• the Recommended Occupational Qualifications for each function and setting defined within the Framework
• the content, style and format of the Framework

Since its first publication in August 2001 the Framework has been welcomed by employers, individual practitioners, education and training providers and others associated with the sector. It has been viewed as a useful tool for human resource planning and in commencing the work of mapping qualification routes and career pathways across the sector. It has provided a standardised benchmark giving guidance about the appropriate qualifications used, and required by, the sector that was further enhanced by the revisions in the second edition.

In 2011 an interactive version of the Qualification Framework will be available on the Care Council website which aims to simplify access to specific information and to link with an interactive career framework tool which is currently being developed.