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Children, Young People and Families Practitioner Apprenticeship

This Level 4 Apprenticeship is ideal for anyone working with children, young people and families, including carers, to achieve positive and sustainable change in their lives.
Level
4
Duration
24 months
Location
Workplace

As a Practitioner you will demonstrate a passion to care for and about children, young people and families. You will be skilled in recognising and assessing the complex needs that children, young people and families often present. You will agree with the child, young person or family any specific interventions or referrals.

You will work alongside other professionals and organisations to share the responsibility for improving outcomes. Each piece of work with a child or family will be different and you will exercise judgement on a range of evidence-based approaches to inform your practice.

You will regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your methods and actions. Regular supervision with an experienced practitioner will encourage reflection on your practice. At the end of the apprenticeship, the high quality of your practice will be making a real difference to those that you work with.

When does the course start?

You can start this apprenticeship at any time, please contact us for further information.

What does the course cover?

This apprenticeship covers the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to be a Children, Young People and Families Practitioner, these include:

Knowledge

  • Communication that enables the voice of the child, young person or family members to be heard
  • Multiple factors that contribute to uncertainty in the lives of children, young people and families
  • Equality, rights, diversity and cultural differences, and the values of the organisation in which you are working
  • The range of potential safeguarding risk factors (e.g. domestic violence, membership of gangs, missing children, online activity, radicalisation and Prevent agenda), the different forms of harm to children and vulnerable adults (e.g. neglect, child sexual exploitation, physical abuse, emotional abuse) and the local and national thresholds for safeguarding
  • the safeguarding requirements contained within mandatory local safeguarding training or nationally accredited equivalent
  • Child, adolescent and adult development
  • The spectrum of needs and how they may be met
  • The principles of effective assessment and the importance of analysis and professional judgement

Skills

  • Communicates in a way that enables the voice of the child, young person or family members to be heard
  • Encourages individuals to engage positively with their community and relevant agencies and actively participate in the way their care and support is delivered
  • Actively promotes respect, equality, diversity and inclusion
  • Works together with children, young people and families to keep them safe and manage risk and promoting the development of skills the family need to successfully manage risk themselves
  • Works with and supports other professionals to respond to safeguarding concerns
  • Identifies the influences on the individual and the family and supports them to make informed choices
  • Leads on the development and recording of holistic plans, delivery of interventions and evaluates their effectiveness
  • Identifies and addresses barriers to accessing resources

Behaviours

Care: Respecting and valuing individuals to keep them safe, being affirming and working with them to help them make a positive difference to their lives

Compassion: Consideration and concern for children, young people and their families, combined with an understanding of the perspective of those you work with

Courage: Honesty and a positive belief in helping children, young people and families. Being confident when faced with confrontation, holding a safe space to manage and contain really difficult behaviours and working with children, young people and families to challenge and enable them to fulfil their potential 

Communication: Your work is based on building effective relationships, being perceptive and empathic and building a good rapport

Competence: The relationships you build to effect change for children, young people and families will be informed by social care ethics and values and will be developed through reflective practice.

Commitment: Creating sustainable change in others by working alongside children, young people and families and being authentic, consistent, patient, persistent and resilient

How will I be assessed?

Your progress and development will be assessed at regular stages - this is likely to be a combination of assignments, activities, exams, reflective discussions, expert witness testimonies and observations in the workplace.

The employer and training provider will formally sign-off your readiness for the independent End Point Assessment (EPA) at 'gateway'. Gateway is the point at which you have met and can confidently apply the minimum knowledge, skills and behaviours required, as detailed within the apprenticeship standard.

Performance in the EPA will determine your overall apprenticeship grade i.e. pass or distinction.

When will I attend?

This apprenticeship programme consists of 'on-the-job' and 'off-the-job' training. You will receive on-the-job training from your employer and will also be allowed 20% off-the job training, which will involve independent study.

Your independent study will be recorded in a reflective learning log, to capture evidence of your experiences, reflections and achievements.

A Skills Development Tutor will be allocated to you and will deliver learning and assessment sessions with you on a regular basis, liaising with your work-based mentor to monitor progress.

This will give you the opportunity to do real work, developing work-based skills that employers value and helping you to progress in your chosen career.

What will I achieve?

On successful completion, you will achieve the following:

  •  Level 4 Children, Young People and Families Practitioner Apprenticeship Standard
  • Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare
  • Functional Skills Maths and English (if required)

 You may wish to progress to a higher level of study, please speak to your Skills Development Coach for information.

What are the entry requirements?

Ideally, you will hold a minimum of a GCSE grade C/4 in English and maths or equivalent.

If you do not hold a Level 2 English and maths qualification you must achieve these prior to taking the End Point Assessment.

 To work in this industry you will need an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

How much does the course cost?

There is no cost to the apprentice. Please get in touch for further information.