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About the course

This Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare has been specified by the sector skills council Skills for Care, in consultation with employers, learning providers and those who use services in the Residential Childcare sector.

This qualification constitutes part of the children’s homes regulations which came into force in April 2015. This qualification will develop and assess the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to effectively work with children and young people in a residential childcare establishment.

The qualification has core shared knowledge and skills that support the vision of the Government and employers providing integrated services and the portability of skills and knowledge across the residential childcare workforce. As such, the content of the qualification is applicable to a variety of roles, for example: Residential Childcare Worker, Support Worker – Residential Childcare, Residential Childcare Officer and Childcare Practitioner.

Ground Rules

You are expected to demonstrate how you have met at least 488 Guided learning Hours by the end of the course. You are expected to be fully active and demonstrate learning throughout your enrolment. We regularly host several online web conferences advertised under “Events”. Unfortunately, face-to-face contact is currently limited due to the ongoing pandemic. In the meantime, you are encouraged to supplement your learning by requesting tutorials and utilising the resources provided. Learners should bear in mind that the course is not just about submitting assignments. You will need to focus on participating in course activities and completing coursework. Assessors have the right to withhold your assessments in line with the “service level agreement’ you have signed if your course participation is below expectation. More information regarding ground rules is located under “Getting Started”.

Induction

Before starting your course, you will need to attend an induction. This has to be either face-to-face or online. Dates and times are published under “Events”. It is your responsibility to book an induction session to fully understand how your course is delivered and assessed and how to use this site. This is also an opportunity to discuss your needs, prior learning, deadlines and ground rules. Your assessor can also provide you with a mini-induction as part of your initial meeting.

Fair and Healthy Assessments

We operate both fair and healthy assessment policies and procedures. Our fair assessment is based on the principles of assessments that must be reflected when decisions are made. This involves ensuring that your evidence is sufficient, current and authentic. The assessments will need to be valid, reliable, fair and fully reflect how learning outcomes and the criteria have been met. We provide a reasonable course duration for you to work safely and demonstrate competency. While we support learners to work fast track, this should not compromise the quality of evidence and place a burden on safe working procedures.

The assessment environment has to be conducive to ensure that the quality of assessment is not compromised by making harried decisions or assessing too much work within a short time. Our policies and procedures align with other initiatives, such as the safe management of learners.

Our healthy assessment policies are underpinned by the need to ensure that assessors work in a healthy environment. Feedback timescales must be adhered to to ensure sufficient time allowance is given without putting any pressure on assessors.

You need to submit your work at least seven working days in advance for a whole unit to be assessed in time for the next appointment. Where you seek formal feedback for a partially completed unit, your work has to be submitted at least three working days before the appointment.

Assessments

This course is assessed by a portfolio of evidence which has to be submitted for both internal and external quality assurance. You will be assessed using various methods, including completing unit worksheets for all fourteen units. You should not complete more than two units per calendar month. All coursework should be submitted as you progress. You should not leave everything until the end of the course as this will result in severe delays or potential charges if you exceed the course duration.

What is means studying at Level 3?

You will be assessed at the same level as someone completing A-Levels. Achievement at Level 3 reflects the ability to identify and use relevant understanding, methods and skills to complete tasks and address problems that, while well defined, have a measure of complexity. It includes taking responsibility for initiating and completing tasks and procedures and exercising autonomy and judgment within limited parameters. You will be expected to use references and reflect an awareness of different perspectives or approaches within your area of study or work.

Quality Assurance

Your work will be internally quality-assured at least twice. This involves reviewing your evidence and performance to see if you are meeting course requirements, such as participating in course activities and meeting guided learning hours. All assessment decisions will be reviewed at this time.

It is possible for the quality assurer to disagree with your assessor and request additional actions. If this happens, you will be informed about this and given guidance on the actions required. It is also possible for you not to even hear there was a problem with your work depending on a number of factors, such as available alternative evidence from forums, reflective journals, learning logs or CPD records.

Progress Indicator

This progress indicator displayed on the course only measures your progress generated by clicking on the resources located on the right-hand side. The counter will record any clicks, even those made within seconds. Your course completion is only determined by meeting all course requirements, which will involve submitting your completed portfolio of evidence for quality assurance.

Contact

All communication with your assessor will need to be done on this platform. You will also need to use this platform to submit your coursework. You must email (contact@etutor.org.uk) if you require admin or IT support. The course-dedicated day for the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare is Friday, when all assessments and support are usually expected to occur. Tutorials can take place on any day (including evenings) if you have booked at least a week in advance.

We wish you all the best with your course and look forward to signing off on your work. All candidates who meet all course requirements are guaranteed to be signed off.