“The Officers not only from my LA but the others in the region, who were involved in this development activity, gained a breadth and depth of knowledge about the post ECM integrated services agenda that has stood them, and their LAs and therefore the region, in very good stead. I commend the approach of peer based, evidence based, real time learning.”

“As a DCS we know that succession planning is really important. I have been pleased to see how colleagues have been able to use the developmental opportunities from VSC courses to increase the breadth and depth of their knowledge and skills, building towards their next career steps in children’s services.”

“Integrated services for children require resilient, high calibre leadership. Involvement in VSC courses offers colleagues opportunities to develop necessary skills and useful networks to build their leadership skills for the future.”

Competence Framework

During the period 1999 - 2002 the VSC and the Local Government National Training Organisation completed the development of a competence framework for staff in LEAs. This has now been revised to reflect the move to Children's Services.

A competence framework is made up of a 'functional map' and a complete set of 'occupational standards'. Appendix 1 is a glossary of terms to help those who are unfamiliar with the terminology.

The functional map in English and Welsh is complete and can be viewed at Appendix 2. The associated standards are now available to VSC subscribing LAs. These standards are needed to assess performance both in the work place and through nationally validated qualifications such as NVQs.

Essentially competences are a language that can be used to describe jobs and the level of performance that is required to do them successfully. As such they have a wide range of uses. They can be used for job descriptions, performance appraisal, individual development plans and for designing training/development programmes to meet identified needs.

The functional map can already be used for these purposes albeit with less precision than will be possible when the final standards are published. All VSC accredited training events state the intended learning outcomes together with those elements of the competence framework being addressed by the course/event content. A number of the partner universities have already designed their Masters' programmes to reflect the competence framework.

Appendix 1

VIRTUAL STAFF COLLEGE
OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS: COMPETENCE

Glossary of Terms

Competence - being able to perform 'whole' work roles to the standards expected in employment in real work environments.

Key Purpose - an all-encompassing statement designed to capture all the unique features of a sector, and will normally represent activities to which hundreds or thousands of people contribute.

Functional Map - the range of functions that are carried out within a specified occupational sector (in this case education and children's services management)

Key areas, Key roles, Functional Units, Functional Elements - successive sub-divisions of roles and functions, until they are expressed at a level which individuals either alone or in teams will carry out directly.

Standards - external (to individuals reference points describing what he/she would have to do to demonstrate competence in a particular functional area. (Note: these can be national reference points as in occupational standards and NVQs or local within a particular organisation setting out what level of performance is required in that specific context).

Performance Criteria - more detailed descriptions of the evidence that is required to demonstrate competence.