The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has launched a specialist qualification to support fire and rescue services’ (FRS) engagement and interactions with children and young people.
The qualification was developed as part of NFCC Prevention Hub – a workstream that supports a person-centred approach to FRS work in the community.
Covering topics such as child development, trauma informed practice, communication and more, the ‘Level 2 Award in Fire & Rescue Service – Introduction to Working with Children and Young People’ is being piloted and rolled out in February.
NFCC Chief Executive Officer Susannah Hancock comments: “This is a really positive development that will help fire and rescue services engage with and support young people in their communities. We’re looking forward to delivering the training, with the pilot session taking place in Merseyside later this month. Everyone who has worked on the development of this qualification share the end goal of supporting better outcomes for children and young people, keeping them and their communities safe. It will give those working towards the qualification the confidence that they’re receiving training to a consistent national standard, which has been developed in consultation with their peers”
The brand-new qualification was developed in collaboration with FRS employers and Ofqual regulated awarding organisation SFJ Awards. Managing Director of SFJ Awards David Higham comments:
“Interacting with children and young people is a central part of FRS work in terms of prevention as well as in the daily course of business for certain roles.
“This qualification sets a path to enable FRS staff and volunteers to carry out these activities to a standardised level of knowledge and skill.
“Furthermore, the new qualification offers formal recognition of the fantastic work carried out by staff and volunteers and provides platform for further development and progression.”
The Level 2 Award in Fire & Rescue Service – Introduction to Working with Children and Young People is initially available to staff and volunteers who work with children and young people as part of their role within the UK fire and rescue services. The total qualification time is 20 hours with 14 hours of guided learning.
The course will be offered via a three day train the trainer delivery in four regions across the UK in Spring and Summer 2025, with booking details having been shared with the relevant fire and rescue services.
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