What is the ECC?
The ECC is a pan-European award in social care. It has been developed with support from the Life Long Learning programme of the EU and will be linked to the European Qualification Framework. It currently covers up to fifteen countries of the European Union. The target is to cover all European countries. The ECC is governed by the ECC Board, a trans-national group of agencies using and promoting the ECC. The Certificate was developed to support workers mobility across Europe and promote a common foundation in care services.
To get the ECC candidates must pass an EU-wide standard exam of almost 100 questions testing their knowledge of the Basic European Social Care Learning Outcomes (BESCLO). The European Care Certificate proves the candidate has the minimum knowledge usually needed to work safely in the care sector. Of course, staff may still need to meet additional local training or qualification requirements and demonstrate their ability to speak the language of the country where they are seeking work.
Getting the ECC is easy and open to all
- Learners do not need to have previous experience in the social care sector or
to be in employment
- Learners do need to have a basic level of literacy (reading and writing) in the language where the test is being held and to be at least 16 years old
The ECC seal shows that courses and materials are compliant with the contents of the BESCLO
What is in the BESCLO?
The BESCLO are the proposed Basic European Social Care Learning Outcomes. The BESCLO move away from the old medical model of disability towards a human rights approach in social care services. They support the new thinking required by the UN-Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
These are the eight essential areas of knowledge in social care in the BESCLO agreed after piloting in an earlier LEONARDO project:
- Values of social care
- Promoting life quality for the individuals you support
- Working with risk
- Understanding your role as a care worker
- Safety at work
- Communicating positively
- Recognise and respond to neglect and abuse
- Develop as a care worker
What next?
If you are a potential candidate, an interested employer or a training provider who wants to implement the ECC in your educational programmes and would like to know how the ECC can help you, then please contact our website, or the ECC Board or your country´s Lead Partner for further information.
Contact
ECC Board:
ECC Secretariat – European Association of
Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD)
Av. d‘Auderghem / Ouderghemlaan 63
1040 Brussels, Belgium
Phone +32 2 2824610
ecc@easpd.eu or charlotte.boetticher(at)easpd.eu
www.easpd.eu or www.eccertificate.eu