This document outlines policies and procedures for securing work placements for vocational learners. Learners can be employed already or secure a volunteer placement. The Alliance will ensure placements provide effective experience to develop skills while protecting learners and maintaining positive professional relationships. Employers must have liability insurance and settings expectations must be clear to safeguard children. Learners require criminal record checks before unsupervised contact and may contribute to staffing ratios when competent volunteers. Placements can be paid employment or voluntary, and the Alliance will liaise with employers or host workplaces to establish expectations and support learners' development.

1. ReviewJuly2015
Placement
Policy and
Procedure
Pre-schoolLearning Alliance programme
In vocational training at level 2 and above, learners must practice their skills and use their
knowledge in the real work environment.
At recruitment to the training programme vocational learners can be:
 Already in employment, and planning to use this situation as her/his practice
experience
 Not in employment, but with the agreement of a workplace to host her/his
practice experience as a volunteer.
 Not in employment with no suitable a workplace to host her/his practice
experience, as a volunteer yet agreed.
The safeguarding needs of learners aged 16-18 years, learning with the Alliance as part of
a study programme with work experience will be met.
This policy aims to ensure that all work-based practice experience is effective in
developing learners’ knowledge and skills and those learners and employers/hosts have a
mutually positive professional relationship.

2. ReviewJuly2015
Information about
placements
It is vital that employmentorvoluntary
placementsare securedas early as possible.
Insurance
Employersare requiredtoholdEmployers
Liabilityinsurance. There isanagreement
amongthe UK insurance industrythat people
on workexperience will be regardedas
employeesbyall UKinsurers andcoveredby
EmployersLiability policies.
All Pre-school LearningAlliance/RSAsetting
insurance policiesincludedemployerliability
insurance whichcoverspeopleonwork
experience.
Clear expectations
Several seriouscase reviewsof recentyears
have indicatedthe importance of childcare
settingsmakingcleartheirexpectationsabout
the behaviourof staff and volunteers.
It is the settingswhere:
 soundproceduresare followed,and
 there isa good level of professional
dialogue between staff,
where childrenare likelytobe safeguarded
mosteffectively.
Criminal Records Bureau checks /
Disclosure and Barring Service
An enhanced CRBcheckscost £44 per person.
The Disclosure andBarringservice update
systemwill meanthatthischeckonlyneedsto
be carriedout once. Learnerswho workor
whowishto workin the childcare orhealth
and social care sectors are stronglyadvisedto
registerforthe DBS Update service. This
service costs£13 per year(2013) and allows
employersorpotentialemployerstoaccessa
person’scheckonline.
Instructions are givenonthe website
https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-serviceand
shouldbe followed carefully.
Settings mustensure thatadultslookingafter
children,orhavingunsupervisedaccessto
them, are suitable todo so.
 Employedlearnersmustfollow their
settings’arrangements.
 Notemployedlearnerswill be helped
to obtainCRB and strongly
encouragedtosign-uptothe DBS
update service.
Learners must have a satisfactory DBS/CRB
checkin place at the start of a work
placement. Voluntaryworkpractice
experience cannotbeginuntilthisisresolved.
DBS/CRB checkscan take several weeksto
process. If the start of a work placementis
heldupbecause a checkis notavailable this
will impactonprogressandcouldhinderthe
learner’s timelycompletion.
Afterfourweekslearners whohave yetto
secure employmentorvolunteering
placementwillbe requiredtowithdraw from
study.
The DBS update service wassetupin2013. It
isbecomingone of the normal range of ways
of checkingaperson’ssuitability.
Specificlegal requirementsofthe Early Years
FoundationStage (p.16)
These are:
“3.9 Providersmustensure thatpeople
lookingafterchildrenare suitable tofulfil the
requirementsof theirroles.Providersmust
have effectivesystemsinplace toensure that
practitioners,andanyotherpersonwhois
likelytohave regularcontactwithchildren
(includingthose livingorworkingonthe
premises),are suitable.
3.10 Ofstedis responsible forcheckingthe
suitabilityof childmindersandof persons
livingorworkingona childminder’spremises,

3. ReviewJuly2015
includingobtainingenhancedcriminalrecords
checksand barredlistchecks.Providersother
than childmindersmustobtainanenhanced
criminal recordsdisclosure inrespectof every
personaged16 and overwho:
 worksdirectlywithchildren;
 livesonthe premisesonwhichthe
childcare isprovided;and/or
 workson the premisesonwhichthe
childcare isprovided(unlesstheydo
not workon the part of the premises
where the childcare takesplace,ordo
not workthere at timeswhenchildren
are present).
3.11 Providersmusttell staff thattheyare
expectedtodisclose anyconvictions,
cautions,courtorders,reprimandsand
warningswhichmayaffecttheirsuitabilityto
workwithchildren(whetherreceivedbefore
or duringtheiremploymentatthe setting).
Providersmustnotallowpeoplewhose
suitabilityhasnotbeenchecked,including
througha criminal recordscheck,to have
unsupervisedcontactwithchildrenbeing
cared for.
[Learnersmustalsofollowthisrequirement]
3.12 Providersotherthanchildmindersmust
record informationaboutstaff qualifications
and the identitychecksandvettingprocesses
that have beencompleted(including the
criminal recordsdisclosure,reference
number,the date a disclosure wasobtained
and detailsof whoobtainedit).For
childmindersthe relevantinformationwillbe
keptby Ofsted.
3.13 Providersmustalsomeettheir
responsibilitiesunderthe Safeguarding
VulnerableGroupsAct2006.”
Young people
“3.28 Onlythose aged17 or overmaybe
includedinratios(andstaff under17 should
be supervisedatall times). Learnersonlong
termplacementsandvolunteers(aged17or
over) maybe includedif the provideris
satisfiedthattheyare competentand
responsible.”
At the beginningof theirperiodof studya
representative of the Alliance (oftenthe tutor
or assessor) will visitasettinghostingayoung
learner(agedunder18 year) to establishgood
partnershipcommunicationswiththe setting
managerand mentor.
Ratios
A learnerona short termplacementshould
not be countedinthe staffingratios.
However,where avolunteerisworkingfora
substantial periodof time inthe same setting,
for example,duringtheirperiodof study,it
wouldbe reasonable toinclude themin
ratios,if theyare consideredcompetent.
Insurance
“3.62 Providersmustcarry publicliability
insurance.”
Settinginductionandpolicies
From 3.18 “Providersmustensure thatall
staff receive inductiontrainingtohelpthem
understandtheirrolesandresponsibilities.
Inductiontrainingmustinclude information
aboutemergencyevacuationprocedures,
safeguarding,childprotection,the provider’s
equalitypolicy,andhealthandsafetyissues.”
Childrenfirst
Settingsmustalwaysputthe needsof the
childrenandfamiliestheyserve first.Learners
workingat the settingsmustnothinderthe
setting’sessentialwork.
Co-operation
The Alliance expectssettingsto:
 co-operate withlearners’tutorsand
assessorsinorderto helplearnersto
fulfil the requirementsof theircourse of
study.
 communicate apositive messageto
learners aboutthe value of qualifications
and training.
 ensure thatlearnersonworkpractice
experience whetheremployedor
volunteers are engagedinbonafide early
yearsworkthat relatestotheirtraining,
and providesthe necessarybackground
understandingof children'sdevelopment
and activities.

4. ReviewJuly2015
Establishing work-
based practice
experience
The learneris employedina suitable setting
Employmentarrangementsof eachlearner
will be exploredduringthe interview and
enrolmentprocess. A learnermusthave a
realisticopportunitytopractice and
demonstrate theirskillsandknowledge.
Employersare encouraged toattend
informationsessions. Alliance staff will be in
contact employers.
Informationaboutthe nature of the practice
experience needed byalearnerwill be shared
withthe employer(handout,letterto
employer,Becoming a workplacementor
booklet).
PlacementInformationwithcontactdetails,
record of CRB/DBS checkand information
aboutthe learnergivenastheirpersonal
statementwill be providedtothe host
workplace.
Liaisonwitha learner’semployerwillinclude:
 Arrangementstosendemployer
feedbackona learner’sprogress,and
final outcome;
 Informationabouthowthe employercan
contact a responsiblepersonatthe
Alliance;
 Informationabouthowthe Alliance can
contact a responsiblepersonatthe
workplace;
 Healthand Safetyinformationaboutthe
workplace;
 Inclusionarrangements,particularlyfora
learnerwithlearningdifficultiesor
disabilities;
 Insurance arrangements;
 CRB/DBS arrangements;
The learnerisnot employed,buthas
agreementof a workplace to host her/his
practice experience asa volunteer.
Workplace practice experience arrangements
of eachpotential learnerare exploredduring
the interview andenrolmentprocess. A
learnermusthave a realisticopportunityto
practice and demonstrate theirskillsand
knowledge inthe workplace. Normal working
timesshouldbe discussedandexpectationsof
punctualityandreliability.
Where a learnerhasthe agreementhost
workplace amemberof theirstaff wouldbe
encouragedtoattend the information
sessions. Alliance staff willbe incontact host
workplacesstaff.
Informationaboutthe nature of the practice
experience neededbyalearnerwill be shared
withthe hostworkplace (handout,letterto
employer,Becomingaworkplace mentor
booklet). Agreementtoenable the learnerto
do this mustbe confirmedaspartof the
recruitmentprocess.If thiscannotbe
agreementanalternative placement/swill be
neededbythe learner.
PlacementInformationwithcontactdetails,
record of CRB/DBS checkand information
aboutthe learnergivenastheirpersonal
statementwill be providedtothe host
workplace.

5. ReviewJuly2015
Liaisonwitha learner’shostworkplace will
include:
 Arrangementstosend hostworkplace
feedbackona learner’sprogress,andfinal
outcome;
 Informationabouthowthe hostworkplace
can contact a responsible personatthe
Alliance;
 Informationabouthowthe Alliance can
contact a responsiblepersonatthe
workplace;
 Information aboutthe setting’smost
recentOfstedinspection;
 Healthand Safetyinformationaboutthe
workplace;
 Inclusionarrangements,particularlyfora
learnerwithlearningdifficultiesor
disabilities;
 Insurance arrangements;
 CRB/DBS arrangements;
The learneris not employedand has not yet
founda workplace to host her/hispractice
experience,asa volunteer.
It isvital that a learnerinthispositionfindsa
workplace tohosther/hispractice experience
as soonas possible. Recruitmentandteaching
staff may assist,andlocal contacts maybe
able to help.
If,afteraperiodof fourweeksfromthe start
of the course,alearnerisnotable to finda
workplace tohosther/hispractice experience
the learnershouldwithdraw.
A learnermusthave a realisticopportunityto
practice and demonstrate theirskillsand
knowledge inthe workplace,overa
reasonable periodof time.A late startto
placementthreatensthe likelihoodof their
success.
Once a hosthas beenfoundnormal liaison
arrangementsmustcome into place,aslisted
above.

6. ReviewJuly2015
During study
It ishelpful if course tutor,assessor,learner
and hostcommunicate well duringthe period
of studyandplacement.There willbe face-to-
face opportunities,forexample during
assessmentvisitstothe workplace.
If the placementwishesaregularupdate ona
learner’sprogresscanbe sentto an employer
or host’sconfidential emailaddress.
If at anytime there are concerns aboutthe
learner,theirwell-being,study,attendance
and progressanyof the partiesinvolved
shouldbe incontact.
Meetingswill be arrangedwhere anopen
discussionwouldhelptoresolve issues.
If a learnerdecidestowithdrawfromthe
course a letterconfirmingthisfactwill be sent
to the employerorplacementhost.
After the course end date
At the endof the course a letterwill be sent
to the employerorplacementhostconfirming
the outcome of the learner’sstudy.
Feedbackfromemployersandhost
placementsiswelcomedandvalued.