I WISH to take issue with Ann Gorecki’s letter (TES, February 7). She seems unaware that the lead awarding body for childcare qualifications is the Council for the Awards in Child Care and Education (Cache).
This organisation offers awards for the training of childcare workers, including the national vocational qualification. The most prominent award in this area is the diploma in child care and education, the erstwhile Nursery Nurses Examination Board (NNEB) award.
Cache also provides a specialist award at level 3 for teaching assistants, training candidates to work with children from key stage 1 to 4. The diploma from 2002 also carries 360 University and Colleges Admissions Service points to allow entry to higher education.
I would, however, wholeheartedly endorse her final comment, that if we want a well qualified workforce we need to involve the local further education college: we are there to help.
Carol Hayes
Yale College
Grove Park Road, Wrexham
