Foundation Skills Version 3
Version three of the Foundation Skills qualification, the National Certificate in Health, Disability and Aged Support (Foundation Skills) (Level 2) was launched on 1 July 2011.
Reviewed Foundation Skills
The main changes in version 3 are:
- There has been a reduction in the number of compulsory units from nine to four.
- There is now a range of elective unit standards that employers can choose from, including the opportunity to complete one level 3 unit standard.
- The number of elective unit standards available will continue to grow as more unit standards are developed to meet the changing needs of the sector.
- The content supports contract and standard requirements, including the Age Related Residential Care Services Agreement.
- Version 3 of Foundation Skills contains all of the unit standards from version 2. This means employers and trainees who like the content of version 2 will not need to change their existing training plans.
It is no longer be possible to enrol your trainees in version two of the National Certificate in Community Support Services (Foundation Skills) level 2. Trainees currently enrolled in version two are able to continue on this version and need to complete their qualification according to their original timeframe.
Trainees are expected to have completed Foundation Skills version 3 within 9 months of enrolling in it (the average completion timeframe).
More Information
Click here to view the structure of Foundation Skills version 3.
Click here for detailed information on what will be available from 1 July (coinciding with the launch of Foundation Skills v3)
What's changed?
The key differences between version 3 of Foundation Skills and previous versions are shown below:
Fee and funding available
Fee
The qualification fee for the reviewed National Certificate in Health, Disability, and Aged Support (Foundation Skills) (Level 2) is $200 (GST inclusive).
Included in this price is entry of the trainee into the NZQA system and related credit registration costs plus a framed certificate and a badge. Printed resources are not included in this price.
Literacy funding available
$270 (GST inclusive) is available for every trainee who completes a pre literacy assessment. This will be paid to the workplace on a monthly basis once Careerforce has received confirmation of the completed pre assessment. In 2012 this funding, if available, will shift to a part payment for the pre assessment and a further payment on confirmation that the post assessment has been completed. Click here for more information
Enhanced Foundation Skills resources
Learning Resources
From 1 July 2011 Foundation Skills learning resources such as workbooks will not be included as part of the qualification fee. Instead, employers will need to purchase the learning resources they require online at shop.careerforce.org.nz. The price of workbooks will range from $10-$20 each (excluding GST and freight).
Premium workbooks for Foundation Skills
Careerforce has developed new and improved workbooks for the four compulsory unit standards in the revised version of Foundation Skills national certificate, and for the infection control unit standard. Premium workbooks contain enhanced literacy features. These include:
- Colour coding and symbols to guide trainees through the different sections.
- Step-by-step guidance and examples.
- Language that is easy to understand.
- Key words are in bold, and defined the first time they’re used.
- Main concepts highlighted to assist understanding.
- Simple, non-repetitive instructions for the learning activities.
Click below to view some of these features:
Premium workbooks are professionally designed and in full colour, and are available now for $20 each (plus GST and freight) from shop.careerforce.org.nz
Over time all new Foundation Skills unit standards will have these enhanced literacy features.
Glossary and study hints
Click here to download the free Glossary and study hints resource. Printed copies can be purchased online at shop.careerforce.org.nz
Assessment Resources
Careerforce has renamed, re-written and re-designed the workplace assessment portfolios (WAPs) and trainee assessment portfolios (TAPs) for new and significantly changed unit standards within Foundation Skills. They will now be called ''assessor's guides' and 'trainee's assessments' and have simpler language, sample answers, and make greater use of colour coding to guide people through different sections.
Feedback from the sector has lead to the following improvements to assessments:
- language that is easier to understand
- sample answers that guide trainees in the type of response they are expected to give
- colour coding
From 1 July new trainee’s assessments will be available as free PDFs on the Careerforce website. Printed copies will be able to be ordered online for $5 each (excluding GST and freight).
New unit standards for Foundation Skills
Six new unit standards become available on 1 July 2011 as part of the revised Foundation Skills qualification. These are:
- Describe communication with people with a communication disability in an aged care, health or disability context, level 2. (26982)
- Support a person to eat and drink in an aged care, health or disability context, level 2. (26978)
- Provide key comfort cares and report changes in the condition of a person at the end of his or her life, level 2. (26980)
- Describe the immediate response to the death of a person in a home, community or residential setting, level 2. (26979)
- Describe the use of enablers, restraints and safe restraint practice in an aged care, health or disability context, level 2. (26976)
- Describe dementia, interaction with, and support for people with dementia in an aged care, health or disability context, level 3. (26974)
Five new unit standards become available in August 2011 as part of the revised Foundation Skills qualification. These are:
- Describe continence, incontinence, interventions, and required reporting in an aged care, health, or disability context, level 2. (27140)
- Identify infectious conditions and apply infection control practices in an aged care, health, or disability context, level 2. (27142)
- Support a person to use moving and assistive equipment safely in an aged care, health, or disability context, level 3. (26977)
- Provide support to people of different ethnicity in an aged care, health, or disability context, level 3. (26970).
- Describe risks, impacts, and actions for falls and minimise risk of falls in an aged care, health, or disability context, level 3. (26981)
More information
