Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the Quality Standards

ANNEX A: Qualifications for Staff Working in Children's Homes

1. Introduction

To establish whether an existing qualification is equivalent to either the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare; and/or the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare, the registered person should check whether the existing qualification has appeared in previous children’s homes legislation or National Minimum Standards (see table below).

1.2

The registered person should also establish whether the units completed in the candidate’s original qualification have content which corresponds with the units of the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare, and/or the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare. They should consider the relevance of the units of any original qualifications to the care of children as described in the home's Statement of Purpose.

1.3

The registered person should keep a record of the information they have considered to establish 'equivalence'.

1.4

Where a registered person identifies gaps in qualifications, they should act to ensure relevant units or qualifications are completed in a timely manner at an appropriate level.

2. Manager Qualifications

Caption: Manager Qualifications
Qualification held	Equivalent to	Notes
Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services with Children and Young People's Residential Management Pathway.	The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.	Equivalent as one replaced the other on the QCF framework.
Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services with Advanced Practice Pathway.	May be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare – see notes.	Registered Person to consider whether equivalent as 'leadership and management skills' would usually have been covered in the Children and Young People's Residential Management Pathway (see above). Registered Person to consider units completed in the original qualification against the Level 5 units*. Additional leadership qualifications may be required.
NVQ Level 4 Leadership and Management for Care Services	Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services with Children and Young People's Residential Management Pathway.	Equivalent as Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services with Children and Young People’s Residential Management Pathway replaced the NVQ Level 4 Leadership and Management for Care Services on the QCF. The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare has replaced both of the above qualifications on the QCF framework.
NVQ 4 Health and Social Care (Children’s Pathway)	May be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare – see notes.	NVQ 4 Health and Social Care contains practice leadership content but not service management and leadership content. To be equivalent, this qualification would need to be combined with a leadership and management qualification. The registered provider should check the units completed in the original qualification against the Level 5 units*.
Level 4 (or higher level) Leadership and Management Qualification	N/A	Level 4 leadership qualifications were typically undertaken to complement an NVQ 4 Health and Social Care qualification. Generic leadership and management qualifications may have content which corresponds with The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare. The registered provider should check the units completed in the original qualification against the Level 5 units*.
A Level 4 professional qualification	N/A	These qualifications may have content which corresponds with the Level 5*.

_{*The term: 'The Level 5' refers to the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare introduced in January 2015.}

3. Staff Qualifications

Caption: Staff Qualifications
Qualification held	Equivalent to	Notes
Level 3 Children & Young Peoples Workforce Diploma with social care pathway	The Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare	Equivalent as one replaced the other on the QCF framework.
NVQ 3 caring for children & young people NVQ 3 health & social care	Level 3 Children & Young Peoples Workforce Diploma with social care pathway	Equivalent as Level 3 Children & Young Peoples Workforce Diploma with social care pathway replaced NVQ 3 caring for children & young people and NVQ 3 health & social care. The Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare then replaced all of the above on the QCF.
Other NVQ 3	N/A	Registered Person to consider units completed in the original qualification against the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare units. Additional training or units may be required to fill any gaps in knowledge/skill.

Last Updated: February 9, 2022

v19