The content of this Pathway has been agreed by Skills for Justice (SFJ). This is the only Apprenticeship Pathway in the Legal & Financial Services sector approved for use in Wales.
Please note this Pathway is not eligible for Welsh Government funding.
Learning Programme Content
The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:
- Qualifications,
- Essential Skills
- On/off the job training
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 3: Pathway Custody or Detention Officer is 45 credits.
Entry requirements
The following skills and attributes are essential to apprentices in this occupation:
- good communication and influencing skills
- commitment to quality
- effective decision making
- care and understanding
- personal qualities and conduct
There are no formal entry conditions for this Pathway, however due to the nature of the work, applicants will be required to reach the age of 18 or over before applying to join this apprenticeship. Prior to being accepted as an apprentice, applicants will be subject to an online assessment test, if successful they will be invited to an assessment day.
This may include:
- Role plays
- Interview
- Numerical, reading and writing tests
- Health check and fitness test
- Demonstration of specific organisational entry requirements
Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)
Level 3: Custody or Detention Officer
Level 3: Custody or Detention Officer Qualifications
Participants must achieve the combined qualification below.
| Level 3 SFJ Awards Diploma in the Management and Care of Individuals in Custody or Detention | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarding Body | Qualification No. | Credit Value | Total Qualification Time | Combined / Competence / Knowledge | Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s) |
| SFJ Awards | C00/4175/9 603/6073/2 | 43 | 490 | Combined | English Only |
Please see Annex 1 for the relationship between the competence and knowledge units within the combined qualification.
Essential Skills Wales (ESW)
| Level 3: Custody or Detention Officer | Level | Minimum Credit Value |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 2 | 6 |
| Application of number | 2 | 6 |
| Digital literacy | 2 | 6 |
Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh
On/Off the Job training
| Pathway | Minimum On the Job Training Hours | Minimum Off the Job Training Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Level 3: Custody or Detention Officer | 150 | 280 |
On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
Level 3 Diploma in the Management and Care of Individuals in Custody or Detention - 43 credits/378 GLH/490 TQT.
On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
- 6 credits/60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication
- 6 credits/60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
- 6 credits/60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Digital Literacy
Other additional requirements
Learners will be required to reach the age of 18 or over before applying to join this Apprenticeship.
Job roles
Custody or Detention Officer
The main purpose of the role is to operate in a secure environment such as Detention Centres, Custodial Establishments and Custodial Services which are unique and often challenging places to work. The people in the care of the Custody or Detention Officer will have a variety of different needs and display varied behaviours. The role of the Custody or Detention Officer is to ensure those individuals are treated with dignity and respect and helped to find a new way of life whilst maintaining a safe, secure and structured environment.
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Progression
Level 3: Custody or Detention Officer
Progression into this pathway
Progression into this pathway can be from a variety of routes including:
- college (subject to the candidate meeting the minimum age requirements stated earlier in this Pathway) or direct entry from another occupation.
Progression on completion of this pathway will include:
Progression from this pathway, with further experience/training, may be into more senior roles within the Prison sector including:
- Security First Line Manager
- Intelligence Officer
- Team Leader
- Departmental Manager
- Detention (IRC and Escorting roles)
Progression from this pathway may also be into other roles within the Justice and Community Safety sector, for example: Police Officer, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) etc.
Equality and diversity
It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.
The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.
Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.
Training providers and employers MUST comply with the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to and promotion within, the industry.
New officers will receive training in Equality & Diversity as part of their induction programme.
Apprenticeships are seen as a vital route to encourage a greater diversity of individuals into the sector.
Skills for Justice will continue to monitor take up and achievement of all Apprenticeships in the Justice and Community Safety sectors and take steps to address any barriers to take up and achievement.
Skills for Justice recognises the principle that the Welsh and English languages should be treated on a basis of equality. Consideration should be given to those whose first language is Welsh or those who simply are able and choose to speak Welsh.
Employment responsibilities and rights
Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory. But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16 years -18 year group) receive a company induction programme.
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of this pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government/Medr Apprenticeships Guidance.
Further information may be obtained from: Medr
Annex 1 Level 3: Custody or Detention Officer
Relationship between competence and knowledge qualifications
SFJ Awards Level 3 Diploma in the Management and Care of Individuals in Custody or Detention - Qualification Specification can be found at:
Ofqual code: 603/6073/2
Qualifications Wales code: C00/4175/9
Total Qualification Time (TQT): 490 hours
Guided Learning Hours (GLH): 378
Credit value: 45
Qualification structure
The main objective of this qualifications is to provide learners with the knowledge, and many of the skills, required to work in custodial environments.
To achieve the Level 3 Diploma in the Management and Care of Individuals in the Custodial Environment, learners need to achieve the units in the qualification above, plus the units listed below:
- Understanding organisational, legal and moral responsibilities for individuals in custody
- Understanding offending behaviour and methods for reducing re-offending
- Recording and reporting in a custodial environment
- Use of force in custodial environments
- Searching individuals and custodial environments
- Escorting in custodial environments
- Model pro-social behaviour in working relationships with individuals