Promoting Skills Development in Child Care ISC Forums

Promoting Skills Development in Child Care ISC Forums

ABH

The Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council (ISC) is the national peak body responsible for promoting skills development in the child care sector.

With the acute skills shortage currently facing the child care industry the ISC is working to improve access to training and training standards for child care workers across the country.

In December 2008 the new Community Services Training Package (CHC08) was endorsed by the Minister which will mean significant changes to child care qualifications, competency standards and assessment requirements. The ISC is working to support child care services as they transition to the new training package by offering a series of implementation forums over coming months.

ISC spokesperson Lisa Woodward said forums will be held in every state and territory.

'The forums will provide significant insight into the training package as it relates to individual states and territories and the community services and health sector as a whole' she said.

Lisa advises any child care service provider who can answer 'yes' to any one of the following three questions to attend one of the forums:

Do you need to improve recruitment and retention of your children's services workforce?
Do you have accredited professional development training implemented in your workplace?
Are you a Registered Training Organisation delivering in the children's services sector?

Why should you attend an implementation forum?
Children's services providers/employers:

Who are looking to explore improved opportunities for meeting their business and workforce needs
Who currently employ an apprentice or trainee or who are considering this as a recruitment and retention strategy
Who are looking to become a training provider in children's services and/or community services

Will benefit from Workforce Development Expert Facilitators, who will demonstrate how the new national competency standards and qualifications can assist you in structuring continuous professional development activities, broaden career pathways and improve staff retention for your organisation.

Training providers

Who are committed to and aspire to deliver contemporary, best-practice training and skills development in children's services through the new Community Services Training Package.

The Forum will be vital for training providers who are currently delivering qualifications from the CHC02 package and who are looking to transition into the new Training Package as required under the AQTF Condition 9 and to those looking to broaden their scope of registration.

Key outcomes of the day
To support the implementation of the new CHC08 Community Services Training Package the ISC will facilitate a series of one day implementation forums. The forums will enable you to:

Identify the major changes and shifts between the old and new competency standards and qualifications and assessment requirements
Gain industry representative feedback and perspective on best practice training delivery
Network with training providers with expertise in delivering training for your workforce
Access valuable information to incorporate into your training and assessment delivery strategies
Demonstrate your commitment to quality training and assessment delivery in the CS&H industries as an organisation interested in engaging in debate and discussion about training and assessment

The forum program has been structured to allow in-depth exploration of specific areas in the training package.

You will also have the opportunity to select three areas to learn more about through participation in the individual breakout-groups: Children's and Youth Services, Individual Client Services, Community Services and Development, Client Services including Community Coordination and Management, Chronic Disease and Self Management and Skill Sets

For more information on the implementation forums please contact: lisa.woodward@cshisc.com.au on 02 9270 6626 or matthew.palmer@cshisc.com.au on 02 9270 6615 or visit www.cshisc.com.au