Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020
158. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Skills the provisions that will be made for students in the third year of college studying social care and who have been unable to complete their 400 hours, ten-week work placements due to Covid-19 in view of the fact there is a requirement that they need to complete their placements to allow them to progress to the fourth year of college to obtain a degree. [7318/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak, significant work has been undertaken by a stakeholder group chaired by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and including the representative bodies of education providers to address issues relating to the maintenance of the quality and standards of teaching and learning, assessment and qualifications. This group has focused on the implementation of alternative arrangements, where appropriate and necessary, to meet both these standards and, where applicable, the educational accreditation criteria established by Professional Recognition Bodies (PRBs).
In the case of Social Care, the awards standards established by QQI reflect the accreditation criteria that have been set out by CORU, Ireland's multi-profession Health and Social Care Regulator and consequently the relevant PRB for this profession. Engagement is ongoing between members of the stakeholders group, QQI and CORU to ensure that necessary arrangements are put in place to maintain standards of education and training in this area so that students can progress e.g. from third year into fourth year or, where relevant, graduate with the relevant professional competencies that have been set out by CORU and which are reflected in QQI’s award standards.
