Who is the IQF for?

The IQF has been developed for anyone who currently works with - or would like to work with - children, young people and their families.

It will provide enhanced continuity and quality of qualifications, training and skills across all occupational groups in the children and young people's workforce.

Employers, learners and training providers will all benefit from a clear, consistent and coherent qualifications framework.

The IQF will, most importantly, benefit children and young people and their carers, parents and guardians by helping to make sure that the people working with them have the right qualifications for the job.

• Employers want to be sure that the children and young people their organisation works with are safe, and receive high quality care and services. This depends upon having the right staff with the right skills. The IQF will bring clarity to the qualifications structure, so that employers can be sure that job applicants have  the right qualifications for the job. They will also be able to identify which qualifications a member of staff needs so that they can progress in their career.
  
• Learners are people working in children's and young people's services, or those wanting to enter the workforce.  The IQF is being developed in consultation with employers, training providers and employee representatives across all sectors, and will be a framework that will deliver the clarity about qualifications that learners need. The IQF will make sure that qualifications and their component parts have greater meaning and credibility, so that skills and experience will be recognised. Learners will be able to see how qualifications gained in one sector will be relevant to others and what qualifications they need to progress in their careers. This will help them to feel valued and confident about their future careers.
  
• Trainers want to know what qualifications will be needed, so that they can plan ahead and make sure those qualifications are available for learners in the children's workforce. They need to know how qualifications compare with each other, whether qualifications gained in one sector are relevant to another and what qualifications will be in demand in the future.

The IQF will provide a clear map of qualifications both within and across sectors of the children and young people's workforce. Employers and learners will have the information they need to plan ahead.

Resources

'Clear Progression 2008' - IQF Implementation Plan - Feb 2008
‘Clear Progression' - Information for employers - April 2007
‘Clear Progression' - Information for workers - April 2007