Accredited Personal Adviser Learning Programme
10-unit Level 4 Advanced Award for Personal Advisers, delivered primarily online with some in-person sessions, co-delivered alongside care-experienced young people
I really enjoyed the PA course and it has improved my direct work with the young people that I work with. The units that I learned made me reflect on my practise, increase my knowledge and improved my work. The best bit for me was learning from the young trainers.
⎯⎯ Katie Borg, Personal Adviser, Haringey
Why enrol on the PA Learning programme?
The first accredited programme of its kind in England, the Personal Adviser Learning Programme by Become ensures that Personal Advisers (PAs) have the knowledge, skills and behaviours to support young care leavers to live the life they choose.
If you’re looking to learn how to better navigate the system and advocate for young people’s rights, then this programme is for you.
The programme has been co-designed with PAs, Leaving Care Service Managers, and young care leavers. It is supported by funding from The Clothworkers’ Foundation.
Training content and time commitment
The learning programme covers the following topics:
Unit 1: Effective interpersonal communication with care leavers
Unit 2: Understanding the impact of trauma and how to provide support
Unit 3: Understanding legislation to ensure care leavers can access their rights and entitlements
Unit 4: Professional communication within the Personal Advisor role
Unit 5: Pathway planning – developing a holistic and personalised approach
Unit 6: Supporting care leavers’ mental health
Unit 7: Supporting care leavers who were former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC)
Unit 8: Promoting quality relationships and positive sexual health
Unit 9: Supporting care leavers with personal safety
Unit 10: Getting the most out of supervision
Units 1 and 10 are full day learning sessions, delivered in-person. Units 2-9 are delivered online, with the majority of sessions lasting 3.5 hours.
The estimated time commitment for each PA is 75 hours for the qualification. This comprises 40 hours of guided learning, and 35 hours of independent study hours. Assessment is undertaken based on a portfolio of evidence. Assessment is based on a portfolio or evidence submitted electronically via the Laser Learning platform.
This was the first course relevant to my role. I’ve had a lot training about children in care from my local authority, but as Personal Advisers we are working with adults who make their own decisions, so it’s quite a big jump in how to support them.
⎯⎯ Programme participant
Meet the trainers
Scroll to meet the trainers of our Personal Adviser Learning Programme
Katy Hudson
Training & Development Manager at Become
I joined Become in Jan 2021 as the Training & Development Manager and have had the responsibility of developing the PA Learning Programme, alongside delivering training to other professionals who work alongside care-experienced young people. I have 30-years’ experience of working within the education and social care sectors, with a specific focus on supporting children in care and care leavers or the adults around them since 2012.
Brian Smith
Training Officer at Become
I have been working at Become since mid-2023 as a Training Officer, delivering the PA Learning Programme and other training on supporting care-experienced young people to professionals such as foster carers, residential workers, student support workers and employers. My background is in Youth and Community work and I have worked for local authorities, advice and guidance services, uniformed groups, schools, pupil-referral units and faith based organisations.
Jenny Tabley
Training Officer at Become
I work at Become as one of their Training Officers. I am responsible for delivering both in-person and online training to a variety of organisations, including local authorities, Universities, and other charities. I have worked within the youth sector for over 20 years, delivering training, managing volunteers and creating material for residential youth programmes.
Course Fees
Participating Leaving Care Services contribute £1,600 + VAT per PA learner. This package includes:
- Guided learning sessions (40 hours)
- Marking an assessment of learners’ portfolios of evidence
- Additional needs support where necessary
- In-person events at start & end of course
- Learning registration fees with CACHE
- Access to Laser learning management system learner tutorials
- Regular communication from Become’s Training Team to PA’s and their Managers
Accreditation and Qualification
Programme participants can secure a customised ‘Level 4 Advanced Award for Personal Advisers: Supporting Care Leavers’ with the awarding body NCFE/CACHE. Customised qualifications are unregulated qualifications, so do not have a UCAS credit value, but have been given a rubber stamp of approval by professionals in the field.
Laser Learning, an approved NCFE/CACHE Centre, administrates the PA registration and certification, and provides internal quality assurance around marking and assessment. Annual External Quality Assurance of Become and Laser Learning demonstrates consistently high quality portfolios and assessment.
Express your interest
To express your interest in joining the next cohort of the Personal Adviser Learning Programme, or for further information, contact [email protected]
