Common Core Of Skills And Knowledge For The Children's Workforce

'Every Child Matters — Change for Children' has resulted in the development of a common set of skills and knowledge for all those who work with children.

The calendar of courses includes information on the common core of skills and knowledge that relate to each course.

Full information about the Common Core can be found in the Government Document 'Common Core of Skills and Knowledge' (PDF file).

Below is a brief overview of the different levels and how they relate to each other and the courses provided in this programme.

Which level of training is appropriate for you?

All training is offered at four levels: A, B, C and M.

All workers fit into one of three levels of practice. You need to match your group with the level of training offered when making your training and development choices in consultation with your supervisor or manager

Group A
Group A workers have contact with children and young people and with their parents/carers. They have a responsibility to contribute to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the community but do not necessarily have specific organisational responsibility to intervene in the lives of children and their families

Group B
Group B workers work regularly with children and young people and adults who are parents/carers. They have considerable professional and organisational responsibility for safeguarding and promoting children’s well-being. They have to be able to act on child welfare concerns and to contribute appropriately to the safeguarding process.

They require the skills and knowledge to manage effectively the interface between themselves and those from Group A, who may approach them with concerns about a child’s welfare, and Group C to whom referrals will be addressed.

Group C
This group of people have particular responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. People in this group hold particular professional or organisational authority and a substantial degree of personal responsibility and autonomy to act on child welfare concerns. They work extensively within a multi-agency context. They often have responsibility for the work of others.

Group M
This group consists of those who have managerial or supervisory responsibility for workers from all or any of the other groups.

When deciding whether a course is appropriate, potential applicants should discuss with their line manager how the course fits in with their prior learning experience, current expectations of their role, and developmental needs.

A line manager supporting an application is agreeing that the course meets the needs of the applicant at the appropriate level as outlined above.