There has been a full review of current funding mechanisms for social work post-qualifying training, carried out by JM Consulting Ltd. A copy of the full report is available from www.dh.gov.uk.
The outcomes of the review are similarly available, www.dh.gov.uk.
Under the current system, funding for PQ is allocated to the General Social Care Council (GSCC), who distribute it via regional PQ consortia. Under the new system, funding will be allocated to skills for care in liaison with Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and managed by Regional Planning Networks for PQ (RPNPQ), which will be fully integrated with Learning Resource Networks and manage training for both adults and children's social services.
However, the report identified that employers are responsible for the training and development of their staff. To help them do this, the local authority National Training Strategy Grant has a £13m sub-programme, specifically to support employers in taking forward PQ training and development of their staff.
In 2006/07:
- consortium funding will be maintained in accordance with the usual contract for the year to 31 March 2007;
- GSCC will receive £1.157m to support the final year of the Practice Teaching Programmes and PQ consortia, some of whose functions will end on 31 March 2007;
- Skills for Care/CWDC will receive £478k to fund infrastructure costs for RPNPQ, bids for early start courses and service user and carer involvement.
In 2007/08:
- GSCC will receive £290k to support the closure of PQ consortia;
- Skills for Care/CWDC will receive £1.960m to fund infrastructure costs for RPNPQ, service user and carer involvement, support to those with no employer who are unable to access other funding and an initiative fund to reward good employers or fund new initiatives or pilots;
- £500k to support those students who have started accredited programmes under the existing system.
There has not been a decision yet about how the funding in 2007/08 will be allocated, but there is a meeting in September 2006 for key people from DH, DfES, GSCC, Skills for Care and the CWDC for discussion of these issues and an update will be posted here as soon as outcomes are notified.
Candidate PQ Bursaries
Each year, the General Social Care Council (GSCC) makes available a small fund to support individual candidates who are working towards either the Post Qualifying Award in Social Work (PQSW) or the Advanced Award in Social Work (AASW). Candidates may apply for these funds through the local PQ Cornsortium, which will set local priorities for allocation of the fund. All monies must be expended by 31 January each year.
These bursaries are a small contribution towards the cost of fees and are unlikely to cover the full consts involved in an award.
Eligibility
Candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria for an award to be made:
(i) hold one of the following - DipSW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent. Please note that certain specialist qualifications do not provide
eligibility, e.g. CRCCYP, CRSW, CRCC, DTMHA;
(ii) have been resident in the UK for three years immediately prior to application for funding;
(iii) must, at the time of applying, be resident in England or Wales;
(iv) should be registered with a PQ consortium, either where they work or if not in employment, in the area where they live.
NB GSCC is not able to support students who are or will be working in the Probation Service, or Local Authority Education Departments.
If the applicant is a CAFCASS candidate (including self-employed) they are under contract from the Lord Chancello's Office and funding
will not come from the Department of Health.
Applications must be supported by documentary proof (e.g. a letter offering a place on a programme of study). Consortia may refuse to nominate applications if they do not receive satisfactory proof that the applicationis valid.
Claim Criteria
Payments can only be made in respect of the following areas:
- tuition fees, travel and dissertation expenses for accredited programmes leading to the attainment of one of the awards;
- consortium registration fee;
- mentoring arrangement fees;
- consortium assessment fees.
For the Far SW PQ Consortium, the local priority areas are:
(i) to support outcomes via accredited programmes at PQ or AA level;
(ii) to support outcomes for portfolio routes at PQ or AA level via mentoring and assessment claims;
(iii) to support Practice Teachers and Approved Social Workers who have undertaken assessed training and already hold 60 professional
credits, to complete PQSW;
(iv) to support candidate registrations;
(v) to limit any claim in respect of tuition fees to £500 maximum per person.
Please note that:
- in making allocation decisions within competing demands, priority will be given to outcomes over registrations;
- where there is competition, priority will be given to ensure that the Consortium meets its equal opportunities targets.
Application Forms & Deadlines
Application forms are available from the PQ Consortium with which candidates are registered.
In the Far SW, completed application forms should be returned to the Far SW PQ Consortium as soon as possible but in any event at the latest by Monday, 8 January 2007. Contact us link.
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