Since September 2014, Ofsted-registered out-of-school clubs and holiday play schemes have no longer been required to employ staff with childcare or playwork qualifications. Coupled with swingeing cuts to local authority play services, there are now few qualifications for playworkers and the number is decreasing.
Earlier this year, awarding bodies the Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education (CACHE) and City & Guilds closed many of their play qualifications to new registrations. Following lobbying by the sector, registration for some qualifications was extended, but others are no longer available, including City & Guilds Level 3 Award and Levels 3 and 4 Certificate in Playwork, and CACHE's Level 2, 3 and 4 Award and Levels 2 and 4 Certificate in Playwork. In addition, potential trainees only have until November this year to apply for City & Guilds Level 4 Award in Playwork - for other qualifications, registration has been extended to July 2018 or August 2019.
"Awarding bodies need a critical number of registrations for each qualification to ensure it is financially viable. If registration fees are not forthcoming, qualifications will be deleted," says Play England trustee Lesli Godfrey. "If you're wondering whether to register on a playwork qualification, now is the time to act."
Other qualifications include City & Guilds Level 2 Apprenticeship in Playwork. Leeds Beckett University offers a BA (Hons) in Childhood Development and Playwork and the University of Gloucestershire offers an MA inProfessional Studies in Children's Play.
Available funding has been targeted mostly at playwork apprenticeships and can only be accessed by larger training centres. The government is currently introducing more funding for apprenticeships through its Apprenticeship Levy. A group of play employers recently applied for approval for a playwork apprenticeship, but was unsuccessful. The group is now looking to expand its membership under the leadership of CACHE in order to refine and resubmit a proposal.
While council-run services have been slashed, there are some job opportunities in the private and third sector. Islington, for example, has contracted a community interest company to run six adventure playgrounds. Positions are also available in prisons, women's refuges, hospitals, schools and soft play centres.
Some specialised roles such as hospital playworkers require specific training. For example, a hospital play specialist will usually need to take a qualification such as the Foundation Degree in Healthcare Play Specialism as well as holding a Level 3 professional childcare qualification.
Read more from CYP Now's Children's Workforce Guide to Qualifications and Training
