Tutor Standardisation Training Wednesday October 1 st, 2014 Level 2 Training

Agenda 09:30 – 10:00Registration and Coffee 10:00 – 10:15Welcome and Introduction to AIM Awards Counselling qualifications 10:15 – 10:30  Why are we here?  What do we hope to achieve?  How do we begin to achieve it?  Learning Outcomes for the Day 10:30 – 10:45Introduction to new Specification and Level 2 10:45 – 11:00Any Questions? 11:00 – 11:30  Understanding Level Descriptors  Assessing Levels  Schemes of Work  Lesson Plans  Getting up close and personal with Specification

Agenda – Part 2 11:30 – 11:45Setting the Level –Assessing Level 2 (Group Exercise) 11:45 – 12:15  Assessing the journal (Skills)  Assessing the Learning Statement (Introduction) 12:15 – 12:30Feedback 12:30 – 13:15Lunch 13:15 – 13:45AIM Administration and Procedures 13:45 – 14:15Setting the Levels and Assessing Level 2 Skills Practicals / Group work/Exercise 14:15 – 14:30Feedback 14:30 – 15:00Any questions 15:00Close

Objectives 1.a good understanding of the term “level” in the context of QCF qualification 2.a good understanding of the principle of using level descriptors to judge standards 3.reached agreement with colleagues on the location of a pass/refer boundary, for the level under consideration 4.understood the importance of mapping learning outcomes to a scheme of work, to both assessment and verification processes 5.applied the principles of assessment to exemplified written work

Objectives 5.applied the principles of assessment to exemplified written work 6.applied the principles of assessment to practical role-play; 7.understood the administrative processes necessary to record and report candidate achievements 8.know and understand the importance of AIM’s coursework deadlines 9.know the role of external verifiers and other awarding body officers 10.know other sources of help and/or tutor support from the awarding body and tutor networks

What are QCF Qualifications ? QCF qualifications are made up of units that have a credit value (10 hours of learning equals 1 credit) Qualifications can be one of three different sizes: Awards (1 to 12 credits) Certificates (13 to 36 credits) Diplomas (37 credits or more) Each qualification has a level of difficulty from Entry to Level 8 Level 2 is equivalent to GCSE Level 3 is equivalent to A-level Level 4 is equivalent to first year of a university degree

QCF Qualifications What is a Unit? Title:Unit 1 An Introduction to Counselling Level:2 Credit value 3 credits Learning outcomes The learner will: Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1. Recognise the difference between Counselling and Counselling Skills or other helping activities 1.1 Compare the difference between counselling and counselling skills/other counselling activities 2. Studied BACP's Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy (2010), and its implications for counsellors' actions 2.1 Demonstrate knowledge of BACP's 'Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy' (2010) 3. Know the personal qualities needed for the ethical use of counselling skills 3.1 Describe the personal qualities required for the ethical use of counselling skills CREDIT VALUE: Arrived at by estimating the learning time and dividing by ten. Process focuses on the learning outcomes and assessment criteria not the mode of delivery TITLE: Should be clear, unambiguous and reflect achievement specified in learning outcomes and assessment criteria LEVEL: Indicates relative demand, complexity and depth of learning and degree of learner autonomy ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: Should relate to a specific learning outcome: at least one criterion to each outcome. They should be observable, measurable and indicate the standard expected when the learner is assessed. LEARNING OUTCOMES: When identifying ask the question ‘what do learners need to know, understand or be able to do as a result of this learning experience?’. The answer should take the form of a series of broad statements that describe the result of the learning process.

Key features of a Unit Units are the building blocks of the QCF – they provide the basis for constructing qualifications and awarding credit A unit is defined as a coherent and explicit set of learning outcomes and related assessment criteria, with a title, credit value and level Each unit must be capable of contributing towards at least one qualification Unit achievement will be recognised through the provision of a credit record if the full qualification is not achieved Units can be used in more than one qualification (spiky profiles)

Learning Outcomes Learning outcomes address the question ‘What do learners need to know, understand or be able to do as a result of this learning experience?’ Learning outcomes must articulate what a learner is expected to achieve rather than the learning process or activities. Learning outcomes should form a coherent group of statements that relate to each other and to the title of the unit. All learning outcomes in a unit are of equal importance in terms of achieving the unit and must be completed before the credit can be awarded Assessment Criteria are the means by which a judgment is made whether or not the learner has evidenced the learning outcome

New Suite Developments No major change in subject content Comprehensive teacher guidance Specification (ie learning outcomes and assessment criteria) separate from teacher guidance Structure to allow for professional recognition and entry onto an AVR Guided learning hours from levels 2 to 4 provide the minimum training requirements for BACP accreditation Manageable assessments

Timeline – Dependent on Ofqual Accreditation First examination/award of new qualifications at all levels – June 2015 AIM Awards are prepared to look at a Level 2 Skills exam from January 2015 provided there is demand Introduction to Counselling will remain on demand from September 2014

Level 2 Certificate LEVEL 2Unit NoUnitsCredits/GLH Full Qualification Assessment Certificate in Counselling Skills J/506/3040 Skills acquisition and practice Mandatory 9 Credits 45 GLH 15 Credits 75 GLH 150 NLH Externally-assessed exam + internally- assessed role-play D/506/3030 Counselling: Working with Grief and Loss Options – choose 1 from 4 Each: 6 Credits 30 GLH Internally-assessed journal K/506/3032 Counselling: Communicating with Children and Young People Internally-assessed journal M/506/3033 Counselling: Working With Trauma Internally-assessed journal J/506/3037 Counselling: Skills For the Workplace Internally-assessed journal

Regulation update Ensuring that AIM Awards counselling qualifications remain fit for purpose in a changing professional climate…. Students ask….. If I do this course, will I be….. A “qualified” counsellor? A “recognised” counsellor? An “accredited” counsellor? ….and will I be able to get a job/ start a private practice? Much depends on how the profession is regulated both now and in the future

Voluntary Regulation A profession which is voluntarily regulated usually Maintains a register of individual practitioners Sets educational standards (currently at Level 4) and an independent accreditation system Requires professional competence among its registrants through a programme of continuing professional development Provides codes of conduct, ethics and practice Has in place a complaints mechanism for members of the public Has in place a fitness to practise procedure that is accessible to the public Requires registrants to have adequate professional indemnity insurance.

Voluntary Regulation  For a profession which is voluntarily regulated there is – No Legal Protection of Title – No legal requirement for a single definitive register of practitioners – No legal underpinning of disciplinary procedures and sanctions – No requirement for external appointment of members of the governing council  There are several organisations in the counselling and psychotherapy field including:  the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) National Counselling Society (NCS)

Voluntary Regulation A regulator is there to protect the general public A professional association exists to support its members. There is a risk of a conflict of interest if an organisation tries to perform both roles. The current Government asked an organisation now known as the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) to develop a quality assurance scheme to approve voluntary registers in the health and social care fields. There are a number of organisations that have already succeeded in having their registers approved by the PSA, these include : British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) National Counselling Society (NCS) United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

Voluntary Regulation Although not a legal requirement….  Being registered will be a useful way for practitioners to demonstrate to employers and the public their commitment to providing good quality care.  The approved registers will be promoted by the Department of Health, PSA and the organisations holding the registers as the first place to look for practitioners.  Being on an approved register is a requirement for some employment opportunities, for example with the NHS and some private sector employers.

Assessing Level 2 StatementQCF Level 2 QCF Level 3 1.To know 2. To Understand 3. To be Competent

AIM Awards  Any questions?