The Work with Parents National Occupational Standards (NOS) aim to define the competencies* required to carry out the functions carried out by the Work with Parents Workforce.

*Competence is defined as "the ability to perform to the standard required in employment across a range of circumstances and to meet changing needs" (QCA).

Overview

The NOS have been developed and reviewed against the final draft of the 2010 Functional Map for Work with Parents and have been also reviewed against the draft functional map for Key Workers (2010). The NOS are intended as a high level strategic overview of the competencies required to fulfil the tasks required in the work with parents sector. The NOS are not designed to describe specific roles; role definitions are normally based on a number of the functions, as defined within the functional map, and therefore a number of the standards. There is no expectation, therefore, that a job role would encompass all the performance requirements across every standard, rather that specific jobs utilise appropriate standards.

The standards do not equate directly to qualifications, but are used to derive relevant competency-based qualifications for the work with parents sector. The standards have been devised based on best practice for the definition of NOS. Each comprises a number of performance criteria which an individual should demonstrate to be competent in the sector. Each standard also has
underpinning knowledge and understanding, although in the NOS there is not an immediate and direct relationship between an individual performance criterion and a knowledge and/or understanding statement; the latter underpin the whole of the standard.

National Context

It should be noted that the approach to working with parents differs across the four nations of the UK. The NOS have been written to enable the differences to be accommodated and to enable different terminology to be applied as appropriate.  However, regardless of the national context, at the heart of work with parents is the parent-child relationship. It should also be noted that, when read, the approach will need to be contextualised in line with inevitable legislative, educational and political changes, which are likely to evolve over time. At the time of writing, it is expected that the policy area relating to working with parents across England is likely to undergo change as new government becomes established and new priorities are identified.

Benefits of National Occupational Standards

To employees

Download the National Occupational Standards for Work with Parents Click Here

To view the Principles and Values that underpin the Work with Parents sector Click Here