Closure of adult social care apprenticeship frameworks announced

The current apprenticeships frameworks in Health and Social Care and in Care Leadership and Management will be withdrawn by Skills for Care and Development on 29 December 2017.

The planned closure comes after the approval of the new employer-led apprenticeship standards at Levels 2, 3, 4 and 5. Level 2 and 3 are already open for registration and level 4 and 5 are anticipated in the very near future or imminently.

This means that no one will be able to start an apprenticeship on the framework after the end of this calendar year, and all apprentices starting after that date will do so through the new standards.

The framework and standards will, as promised, run in parallel until then allowing employers and learning providers to get used to the new standards and begin to phase them into their organisations before the frameworks are fully closed in December.

The new standards are two-page documents setting out the essential skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to be competent in a clearly defined and unique occupation. The apprentice has to be assessed at the end, and the result graded. This end-point assessment test must be carried out by a body which is independent of the one which trained the apprentice and is on a new government Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations.

There are four roles which will be the subject of the new apprenticeship standards:

Adult Care Worker (equates to level 2)

Lead Adult Care Worker (level 3)

Lead Practitioner in Adult Care (level 4)

Leader in Adult Care (level 5)

Skills for Care CEO Sharon Allen said: “We are making this announcement now because we want to give employers the maximum of time to make any changes they need to migrate to the standards.

“The growth of apprenticeships is a real success story for adult social care and the new standards created in consultation with employers will play a key role in keeping that momentum going. Our dedicated apprenticeship team are here to help with any enquiries about these reforms.”

Both the frameworks and standards currently include the requirement to attain the relevant QCF Diploma but these Diplomas will be withdrawn on 29 December 2017 due to the introduction of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) on the 1 January 2018.

Funding of apprenticeships in the frameworks and standards are subject to Government rules and different funding bands apply to the equivalent framework/standard. Starts on either are paid for by employers through the levy-paying or co-financing models.

The ESFA expects to move from apprenticeship frameworks to standards over the course of the parliament. They are phasing the withdrawal of apprenticeship frameworks as employers take on apprentices on the new standards and ensuring issuing authorities and training providers have reasonable notice to prepare for the changes.

This list of apprenticeship frameworks contains the withdrawal date for all the frameworks they have either withdrawn or are withdrawing.

The information document explains why they are withdrawing apprenticeships frameworks and further information on the process of transitioning from frameworks to standards.

Proposal to withdraw fourth batch of frameworks

The frameworks included in this proposal have replacement apprenticeship standards that cover the same occupations. The proposed last date for new starts on these frameworks is 31 March 2018.

The final list for withdrawal will be announced in May. If they defer a withdrawal, that framework will be included in the next batch of proposed withdrawals.