ARC - Scotland - Flying Start

Flying Start: an enhanced route to SVQ3 (with the option to progress to the full HEC award)

All social care employers are expected to provide high quality personalised and person-centred services and this creates many challenges, not least how best to train and support front line staff to work in ways which reflect positive values and attitudes.

The most important resource available to a social care worker is him or herself. We know from those who use services that workers need to be able to offer meaningful and enabling relationships. Equally important is the need for workers to continually reflect on their practice.

The Flying Start programme has been developed in partnership by ARC and the Thistle Foundation in response to a perceived need to put more emphasis on values during the SVQ process.

The Thistle Foundation delivers, in collaboration with Queen Margaret University, the Higher Education Certificate in Person Centred Approaches. This is a 13 module accredited course for social care workers taking two years to complete. An external evaluation of the course concluded that:

"Feeling confident in the theory behind your practice empowers you as a practitioner to do the best for the person you support and to be a champion for high standards of practice in your team and in your organisation" (Lisa Curtice, SCLD, 2006)

She further suggests that workers who have a clear understanding of their own values, attitudes and prejudices are better placed to offer person centred support, and to form effective, empowering support relationships.

Around 400 social care workers, representing some twelve employer organisations, have completed, or are in the process of completing, the HEC. Most have told us that the first three 'core' modules: Understanding Self; Active Listening and Understanding Others have a significant and lasting impact on self awareness, ability to reflect and hence on workplace practice. This is backed up by feedback from employers.

The Flying Start programme will offer these core values based modules and additionally the Working with Risk module, because of its close fit with the evidence requirements of the SVQ core units.

SVQ candidates choosing to register on the Flying Start programme can therefore expect to combine aspects of a highly regarded (indeed award winning - National Training Awards and ESF Lifelong Learning) academic programme with the high quality of SVQ process which ARC Scotland is renowned for.

Responsibilities of candidates

Candidates, in addition to registering with SQA for the SVQ3 award, will also be required to matriculate as an associate student with Queen Margaret University. Entry requirements must be met (candidates without qualifications can matriculate by demonstrating prior experience and learning).

Candidates will have the support of an assessor to gather and record the evidence of competence required for an SVQ3. The project work and written assignments completed for the taught modules will also offer a rich source of evidence. Work has been undertaken to ensure that the learning outcomes of the modules and the evidence requirements of the SVQ units are consistent with one another.

Successful completion of the written assignments will result in the award of SCQF level 7 credit points by Queen Margaret University [10 points for each of the first 3 modules; 5 points for the final module].

In order to achieve the academic credit points, candidates must fulfil the attendance requirements of each module, as well as meeting the set criteria of the module assignment.

Responsibilities of employers

Download the Working Agreement

Continuing professional development

Successful completion of modules and the award of academic credit points offers candidates the option of going on to complete the Higher Education Certificate in Person Centred Approaches, within timescales prescribed by QMU regulations.

The HEC is recognised by the SSSC for the registration of social care staff in Adult Residential Care and Housing Support Services. The content of the course is applicable for staff working with any social care client group.