|
FDAP QUALIFICATIONS :: Drug & Alcohol Prof. CertificationCriteria & EvidenceTo be eligible for Certification as a Drug & Alcohol Professional (either Registered or Accredited status), practitioners must provide evidence of competence in each of nine compulsory National Occupational Standards (NOS) units, and one specialist option. NOS units DANOS compulsory units Assess and act upon immediate risk of danger to substance users [AB5] (Either) Carry out assessment to identify and prioritise needs [AF2] (or) Carry out comprehensive substance misuse assessment [AF3] Generic "core" compulsory units (core "Health & Social Care" units from Level 3 NVQ in Health & Social Care) Promote effective communication for and about individuals [HSC31] Promote, monitor & maintain health, safety & security in the workplace [HSC32] Reflect on and develop your practice [HSC33] Promote choice, well-being and the protection of all individuals [HSC35] Other generic compulsory units (from “Health & Social Care” & “General Health” NOS) Relate to, and interact with, individuals [HSC233] Promote equality, diversity, rights & responsibilities of individuals [HSC3111] Make use of supervision [GEN36] Specialist DANOS options Support individuals who are substance users [AB2] Provide services to those affected by someone else's substance use [AB7] Raise awareness about substances, their use and effects [AD1] Develop & disseminate information & advice about substance use... [AD4] Test for substance use [AE1] Develop, implement and review care plans for individuals [AG1] Prescribe controlled drugs for substance users [AH1] Supply and exchange injecting equipment for individuals [AH3] Support individuals through detoxification programmes [AH7] Supervise methadone consumption [AH9] Employ techniques to help individuals adopt sensible drinking behaviour [AH10] Counsel individuals about their substance use... [AI1] Counsel groups of individuals about their substance use.... [AI3] Evidence
There are three types of evidence of workplace competence against a particular NOS unit:
"Direct evidence" = Qualification based on an up-to-date (within three years) direct assessment of competence against a particular unit (or its exact equivalent), and validated by an independent, qualified NVQ assessor.
"Complementary evidence" = An externally-validated, competence-assessed qualification, providing supportive evidence of someone’s competence in that unit. "Workplace assessment" = An internal assessment of competence against the unit concerned, carried out by the person’s line manager/supervisor. Only qualifications formally “recognised” by our independent Professional Certification Advisory Panel (PCAP) can be accepted as direct or complementary evidence of competence against a given unit. For a map of the externally-validated evidence (direct or complementary) recognised by the PCAP, click on the link at the top right hand side of the page. For more details on workplace assessments, click on the "workplace assessment" link at the top of the page.
Criteria
Accreditation For the DANOS compulsory units, the four “core” generic compulsory units, and one option, the evidence required for Accreditation is:
For each of the three “other” generic compulsory units the evidence required for Accreditation is:
To be eligible for Accreditation, the applicant must have the required evidence for Accreditation for all nine compulsory units and their one option.
Registration
A practitioner who does not have all of the evidence required for Accreditation will be eligible for Registration if, for all nine compulsory units and their one option, they have:
Re-Certification Certification is valid for three years. To be eligible for re-certification, a practitioner must: (i) have an up-to-date workplace assessment confirming their on-going competence; (ii) have held continuing FDAP membership since last certified. Notes Professionally qualified practitioners
Health and social care professionals
Being qualified to practise in the UK in a regulated health or social care profession (doctors, psychiatrists, pharmacists, nurses, BPS chartered psychologists, social workers, probation officers and youth workers), is recognised as complementary evidence for all four “core” compulsory units. ==> Health and social care professionals need to provide qualification evidence (direct or complementary) for the two DANOS compulsory units and their one optional unit only.
In addition, for health and social care professionals, any qualification in working with substance users, at Level 3 or above, will be accepted as meeting the qualification-based evidence requirements for the DANOS compulsory units and a number of optional units (including AB2, AD4 & AG1). ==> To be Accredited, those health and social care professionals who already have a qualification in working with substance users need only confirm their competence through workplace assessments where required.
Teachers As with health and social care professionals, being qualified to teach in the UK is recognised as complementary evidence towards all four “core” compulsory units. ==> UK-qualified teachers need to provide qualification evidence (direct or complementary) for the DANOS compulsory units and their one optional unit only.
Counsellors
Being Accredited as a Drug & Alcohol Counsellor by FDAP is recognised as complementary evidence for all nine compulsory units and the two counselling options (AI1 and AI3). ==> FDAP Accredited Counsellors do not need any additional qualifications to be eligible for Accreditation as a Drug & Alcohol Professional - and need only to confirm their competence in each of the units with workplace assessments where required. [NB There is no additional charge for those Accredited by FDAP as a Counsellor to become Accredited as a Drug & Alcohol Professional also.]
Being Accredited as a Counsellor by the BACP and being on the UK Register of Counsellors are each recognised as complementary evidence towards the four “core” compulsory units. ==> BACP Accredited and UKRC Registered Counsellors do not need only confirm their generic competence through a workplace assessment to be eligible for Accreditation as a Drug & Alcohol Professional, but will require additional qualifications in relation to the DANOS compulsory units and their specialist option.
Vocationally qualified practitioners
Those with OU/FDAP Professional Award for Drug & Alcohol Practitioners)
The 10 unit Professional Award meets the qualification requirements for Accreditation in full. ==> Those achieving the 10 unit award within the last three years do not need to provide any further evidence to be eligible for Accreditation, while those awarded the qualification more than three years ago need only confirm their on-going competence through an up-to-date workplace assessment (see the FDAP website for more details about this award).
Those with Advanced Apprenticeship in Community Justice (substance misuse pathway)
Being Accredited as a Drug & Alcohol Counsellor by FDAP is recognised as complementary evidence for all nine compulsory units and a number of options. ==> Practitioners awarded the Advanced Apprenticeship do not need any additional qualifications to be eligible for Accreditation as a Drug & Alcohol Professional - and need only to confirm their competence in each of the units with workplace assessments where required. Those with NVQ at Level 3+ in Health & Social Care An NVQ in Health & Social Care at Level 3 or above will provide the qualification evidence required for the four “core” compulsory units, and depending on the options taken, may also provide the qualification evidence required for the compulsory DANOS units and one or more optional units too. ==> To be eligible for Accreditation, practitioners with the Health & Social Care NVQ need additional qualification evidence only where any of the non-generic units required are not included in their NVQ itself. Those with other NVQs at Level 3+ re working with people in health, social care or criminal justice settings NVQ’s at Level 3+ in: Advice & Guidance; Care; Community Justice (working with victims, survivors & witnesses / working with offending behaviour); Counselling; Custodial Care / Healthcare; Health; Mental Health; Policing; Psychological therapies; Youth Justice Services; and Youth Work, are accepted as providing all of the complementary evidence required for the four “core” compulsory units not covered directly by the NVQ itself. ==> As with the Health and Social Care NVQ, to be eligible for Accreditation, practitioners with another relevant NVQ need additional qualification evidence only for any of the non-generic units not covered by their NVQ. “Top up” evidence
There are a number of ways in which practitioners who already have most of the evidence they require for Accreditation can “top up” their qualification evidence for a small number of units where necessary.
The OU/FDAP Professional Development Awards are vocational awards based on an assessment of competence against a particular NOS units. They can cover from one to four NOS units according to the applicant’s needs (click here for more details).
The Awards and Certificates in Working with Substance Misuse (Levels 3 and 4) are nationally accredited NOS-based vocational qualifications. Applicants can select two to five units from a set of options (depending on the level and complexity of the units concerned). |
|
