The Institute for Apprenticeships has approved the Rehabilitation Worker standard ST0 431. The single biggest boost to regenerating the workforce for England is now in place. Here is the link to the standard.
Currently the only provider of the two year training course is Birmingham City University (BCU). The first cohort of students started in September 2018. The next intake will be in September 2019. It is not too early to be thinking about how employers can access their levy and identify potential apprentices. BCU have written an excellent guide to the whole process of applying for levy funds and the BCU application process. The Rehab Work apprenticeship - E-leaflet for employers.docx
RWPN as End Point Assessor Organisation (EPAO)
RWPN has been approved by the Education and Skills Funding Agency as an End Point Assessor Organisation (EPAO) for this standard. The End Point Assessment can be found here: assessment brief . RWPN's unique identifier as an EPAO is EPA0167.
Essex Cares has allowed us to share the JD for their Vision Rehabilitation apprentices who are currently learning at BCU. Sensory Rehabilitation Worker Apprentice JD.docx
COVID-19 - arrangements for apprentices undertaking their End Point Assessment in 2020 are currently being reviewed. We are talking to the relevant government bodies, the External Quality Assurance Organisation (EQAO), Birmingham City University and the apprentices to review the situation post-gateway. As of 26/4/20 the most likely outcome for full time apprentices is that the EPA will be rescheduled to September.
As an EPAO we have a Safeguarding Policy in place which can be viewed here The designated safeguarding officer is Simon Labbett who can be contacted via info@rwpn.org.uk or on 07395 131735
For information about Concerns and Complaints, Appeals and Fair Access arrangements for apprentices please refer to RWPN Trailblazer Quality Assurance Procedures
Read our Conflict of Interest Policy regarding End Point Assessments ST0431 RWPN Conflict of Interest Policy.docx
Supporting Evidence for Vision Rehabilitation
Vision rehabilitation services are crucial to ensuring blind and partially sighted people remain as independent as possible. Now, new independent research commissioned by RNIB, with support from the Department of Health, has identified that the cost of providing vision rehabilitation services is dwarfed by the financial benefits.
Independent research by the Office for Public Management (OPM) and based on a case study of services provided by Sight for Surrey has shown that the financial benefits of good vision rehabilitation services significantly outweigh the actual costs of delivering this service. In fact in the case study site, over £3.4 million of health and social care costs were avoided, reduced or deferred annually based on a service which cost an estimated £900,000 a year to deliver.
See the link below for more detail
Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) Statement on Vision Rehabilitation
https://www.adass.org.uk/adass-position-statement-on-vision-rehabilitation-may-2016