Learning Disability Qualifications Programme

Background
Following the transfer of the Learning Disability Awards Framework (LDAF) from the Department of Health to Skills for Care in April 2006, we have been working in partnership with the Valuing People Support Team (VPST), The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC), Skills for Health and the ‘In Control’ Project to develop a new approach to learning and qualifications for people supporting people with a learning disability.
The work of this partnership is co-ordinated through the Learning Disability Workforce Development Commissioning Group and reports directly to the National Learning Disability Workforce Development Group.
The Commissioning Group has agreed a new approach to learning and qualifications for workers supporting people with a learning disability with the aim of developing a flexible, inclusive and simple to understand programme.
Learning Disability Induction Award
The Learning Disability Induction Award covers the Common Induction Standards in the context of supporting people with a learning disability.
It is available through four awarding bodies: City and Guilds, Edexcel, National Open College Network (NOCN) and Education Development International PLC (EDI). See the Awarding Bodies Page for contact details
Completion of the Induction Award will enable workers to demonstrate that they have met the requirements of the Common Induction Standards in a learning disability context. Achievement of the award will also lead to progression within the health and social care sector and demonstrate achievement and evidence towards NVQs at the appropriate level.

• Learning Disability Qualifications - Guidance document (pdf 105kb)
• Learning Disability Qualifications - Easy read version (pdf 333kb)
• Supporting people with learning disabilities - New approach to learning and qualifications (Extract from 'Update London' the Skills for Care London regional newsletter, Winter edition, piece written by Michael Armstrong)