Habilitation VI UK Statement on Apprenticeship proposals graphic

Statement on Apprenticeship Proposals

HabVIUK Guidance on completing Consultation Questions

*Update – New extension to response deadline is now 12th September. Please continue to submit your responses.

These are for guidance only, members should make their own decision on appropriate responses, however, Habilitation VIUK, together with the habilitation course providers at IOE and BCU, are recommending opposition to these proposals.

Habilitation VIUK would support the notion of an apprenticeship tied to a higher level academic qualification that matched the standards.

You will find the specification and survey here

An outline of the vision impairment specialist can be found here

Q1 2 3 4 are straightforward responses based on personal circumstance

Q5. Do you agree that the Occupational Profile is clear, and does it describe the roles adequately?

HabVIUK believes the answer to this should be fully disagree. There are substantial holes in the occupational profile and poor understanding of the depth of the role of the Hab Specialist.

Q6. Do you agree that the Duties in the standard accurately reflect the roles of Vision Habilitation Specialist and/or Vision Rehabilitation Specialist?

Again the position of HabVIUK is that the Trailblazer group have failed to comprehend the full role of hab specialist and have disregarded the need for a recognised academic qualification to underpin the habilitation standards. HabVIUK believes the answer to this should be fully disagree.

Q7. Do you agree the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours section accurately reflect the roles of Vision Habilitation Specialist and/or Vision Rehabilitation Specialist?

HabVIUK believes the answer to this should be fully disagree. Investigation of the knowledge, skills and behaviours included in the specification indicates a lack of understanding of the curriculum delivered by hab specialists. For example the hab options do not specify the range of early years independent living skills, concept development and the developing brain. There is also no reference to the impact of puberty, the adolescent brain and adolescent resistance and risk taking.

There are an infinite number of changes and transitions throughout this period that are not reflected in this document. Transition is a major component of habilitation, and does not feature in the specifications. There is no reference to the Curriculum Framework nor the Quality Standards for Habilitation Training.

Q8 &9 are also giving cause for concern.

Q8. The Rehabilitation Workers Professional Network has recognised the rehabilitation standard since it was created. Do you think this should continue with the new standard?

HabVIUK recommends answering No to this question, however, RWPN are happy with the content of the Rehab element and it is only the Hab element that HABVIUK is taking issue with. The standards for Rehab workers may be more acceptable, but even here, there are elements included that are currently in top up courses. The reason for opting for no is to require the Hab element be removed from the Spec. There is a concern that workers could become a jack of all trades and a master of none with training spread too thin. To date there has been no consultation with apprenticeship course providers to ascertain if there are issues with this model.

Q9. Do you feel the Vision Habilitation Specialist option should be recognised by a professional body?

HabVIUK recommends answering NO to this question. Habilitation VI UK will not recognise any qualification, including the apprenticeship, if it will not meet the Quality Standards for Habilitation Training. Habviuk has fought to develop standardised professional qualifications, that would be undermined by this apprenticeship and the introduction of a lesser level of practitioner would again diminish the profession. The specification is inadequate.

Q10. Finally, do you wish to make any further comments that have not been covered elsewhere

This is the only opportunity to give your views on the proposed apprenticeship standards. You may like to include some of the above points, or draw from the points raised on the HabVIUK Outline of the proposed Vision Impairment Specialist – Habilitation apprenticeship Spec. There does not seem to be a limit on the characters as it was still allowing typing at over 4000 characters.

The HabVIUK Executive will be happy to provide further details should you require – please contact secretary@habilitationviuk.org.uk

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