Ensuring members of the children's workforce have the right training, qualifications and ongoing professional development is vital to ensure the best possible outcomes for children, young people and families. Efforts to reform qualifications and training continue apace in a sector also grappling with budget cuts, staffing shortages and political upheaval.
Despite the turbulent times, the past year has seen the publication of a long-awaited workforce strategy for the early years sector, which heralds the development of a new suite of qualifications. The sector was particularly pleased by the reversal of the requirement for Level 3 practitioners to hold English and maths GCSEs, which many felt was creating a recruitment and retention crisis.
This year has also seen the publication of a major review of youth justice, with plans to boost the number of frontline staff in young offender institutions by 20 per cent. New opportunities for those seeking to work in the sector will come with the establishment of the role of youth justice officer.
Elsewhere, social workers are facing the establishment of a new regulator and controversial assessment system, although the roll-out will be more cautious than previously thought.
Play workers are losing qualifications as awarding bodies close courses to new registrations. An endeavour to create an apprenticeship for the sector has failed - although play employers have come together to try again.
The health sector continues to explore new routes into nursing, with the launch of postgraduate programme Nurse First, but applications to study nursing have slumped by 23 per cent after bursaries were replaced by student loans. Health visitor and district nurse roles are under threat, although new opportunities are opening up in the mental health workforce, with two new funded training routes.
Read the qualifications and training guide online here
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Social work
Youth justice
Family courts
Early years
Play
Health
Youth work
Education
Directors
