Foundation Degrees ready for launch

Leadership & Management for Children's Care and Leadership & Management for Social Care

Over the past year, HE providers have been working together to develop two new Foundation Degrees in order to equip managers in care settings with the skills needed to ensure the delivery of high quality care services in both local authority and independent care organisations. The Health, Social Care and Early Years Sector Group and the Leadership, Management, Innovation and Enterprise Sector Group joined forces to respond to demand from employers for an accredited higher level qualification for experienced staff who hold few formal qualifications and are new in management roles or are aspiring to be managers. The two Foundation Degrees - Leadership and Management for Children's Care and Leadership and Management for Social Care - share a common structure which is then contextualised according to the care setting. In some circumstances this makes it possible for both groups to learn together and from each other, sharing experiences and understanding different service approaches. After all, care services for adults have an impact on children too.

Foundation degrees are aimed at learners in the workplace, so approximately 50% of the programme is work-based. Employers will be offered a flexible learning package which could include a blend of distance, work-based, centre-based and/or e-learning as appropriate. Support in academic study skills will also be provided where needed. Students who have completed similar qualifications report that the experience of studying in this way has raised their confidence levels enormously, broadening their skills and understanding so they can make more informed decisions in their work. A range of institutions have been involved in developing the programme: University of Bradford, Leeds Trinity and All Saints, Wakefield College, Calderdale College, Joseph Priestley College, Leeds City College, Skills for Care and Children's Workforce Development Council and the Foundation Degrees will initially be offered through Wakefield College, Calderdale College, and University of Bradford from autumn 2009 with Joseph Priestley College preparing to deliver in 2010.

Foundation Degrees in Leadership & Management

For more information contact:

Alison Hedley - WYLLN HSCEY Sector Officer, Escalate, University of Bradford

email: a.hedley@bradford.ac.uk