| Name of Qualification | Level | Purpose of the Qualification |
| National Certificate in Social Services | 4 | The NC in Social Services (Level 4) is a qualification that prepares people for paid or unpaid social service work at a beginning level of competency. People awarded this qualification are able to work with limited autonomy, under professional and managerial supervision. The certificate does not qualify people to be professional practitioners in the social services, for example as a counsellor or a statutory social worker. Top of page |
| National Diploma in Community Work | 6 | The ND in Community Work (Level 6) is designed as a basic professional qualification for people seeking employment as a community worker. People awarded the diploma are able to work in the social services industry under professional supervision, with a considerable degree of autonomy and accountability for achieving outcomes as a community worker at a professional level.
The diploma leads on from the NC in Social Services (Level 4) and the National Certificate in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 4).
There is some overlap between this diploma and the ND in Youth Work (Level 6), the ND in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 6), the ND in Counselling (Level 6) and the ND in Social Work (Level 6).
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| National Diploma in Counselling | 6 | The ND in Counselling (Level 6) is designed as a basic professional qualification for people seeking employment in the social services as a counsellor. People awarded the diploma are able to work in the social services industry under professional supervision, with a considerable degree of autonomy and accountability for achieving outcomes as a professional counsellor. The ND in Counselling (Level 6) leads on from the NC in Social Services (Level 4) and the NC in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 4). There is some overlap between this diploma and the ND in Youth Work (Level 6), the ND in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 6), the ND in Community Work (Level 6) and the ND in Social Work (Level 6). Top of page |
| National Certificate in Employment Support | 4 | The NC in Employment Support (Level 4) is an entry-level qualification for people who provide employment support services. They may work in employment support service settings or provide employment support as part of their work in government departments, community support, human service, mental health or social service settings. People awarded this qualification are able to provide employment support for a diverse range of people, who may include disabled people, mental health consumers/tangata whai ora and others who are disadvantaged in the labour market for a variety of reasons. This qualification can lead on to the ND in Employment Support (Level 6) as well as other human services, mental health and social services qualifications. Top of page |
| National Diploma in Employment Support | 6 | The ND in Employment Support (Level 6) is a qualification for people who provide employment support services. People awarded this qualification are able to provide employment support for a diverse range of people, who may include those who are disabled, mental health consumers/tangata whai ora and others who are significantly disadvantaged in the labour market for a variety of reasons. The elective section of the qualification enables people to choose to analyse leadership, management and managing change in employment support; support Māori service users to access employment support services; support mental health consumers/tangata whai ora to access employment support services; support a disabled student through the transition process from school to work; or support Pacific Islands service users to access employment support services. While this qualification does not lead on to any other national qualification, it may be a pathway to other human services and social services qualifications. Top of page |
| National Certificate in Iwi/Māori Social Services | 4 | The NC in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 4) recognises the knowledge and skill level required to work as a paid or unpaid social service worker at a beginner's level of competency in social service agencies or organisations. The NC has particular emphasis on the knowledge and skills required to work in whānau, hapū and iwi social services; marae based social services; and Māori social services. This qualification can lead on to the ND in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 6), the ND in Community Work (Level 6), the ND in Counselling (Level 6) and the ND in Social Work (Level 6). The NC in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 4) is not designed to qualify people to be professional practitioners in the social services, for example as counsellors or statutory social workers. Top of page |
| National Diploma in Iwi/Māori Social Service | 6 | The ND in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 6) is designed as a basic professional qualification for people seeking employment in whānau, hapū and iwi social services; marae based social services; and Māori social services as a Kaiāwhina or Kaitautoko. The ND in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 6) leads on from the National Certificate in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 4) and the National Certificate in Social Services (Level 4). Top of page |
| National Certificate in Social Service work with Abuse, Neglect and Violence | 4 | People awarded this qualification are able to assess presenting issues in a situation of abuse, neglect and violence; identify, respond to and report signs in a situation of suspected abuse, neglect or violence; and provide support for a person affected by abuse, neglect or violence. This qualification may lead on to the ND in Social Service Work with Abuse, Neglect and Violence (Level 6) as well as the other vocational and professional qualifications in social services at levels 4 and 6. Top of page |
| National Diploma in Social Service Work with Abuse, Neglect and Violence | 6 | The ND in Social Service Work with Abuse, Neglect and Violence (Level 6) is designed for professional social service workers whose area of practice is working with those who have experienced abuse, neglect and violence, and/or those who are perpetrators of abuse, neglect and violence. People awarded this qualification are able to assess; establish protection and safety plans; investigate and manage intake; and provide counselling for people who have experienced abuse, neglect and violence or who are perpetrators of abuse, neglect and violence. They are able to conduct case reviews of interventions. Top of page |
| National Diploma in Social Work | 6 | The ND in Social Work (Level 6) is designed as a basic professional qualification for people seeking employment in the social services as a social worker. People awarded the ND in Social Work (Level 6) are able to work in the social services industry under professional supervision, with a considerable degree of autonomy and accountability for achieving outcomes as a professional social worker.
The ND in Social Work (Level 6) leads on from the NC in Social Services (Level 4) and the NC in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 4).
There is some overlap between this diploma and the ND in Youth Work (Level 6), the ND in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 6), the ND in Community Work (Level 6) and the ND in Counselling (Level 6).
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| National Certificate in Whānau/Family and Foster Care | 4 | The NC in Whānau/Family and Foster Care (Level 4) is designed for people who are custodial carers providing care for children and young people from their own whānau or family and/or providing foster care for children and young people who are placed with them by approved agencies. In the context of this qualification, custodial carers do not include adoptive parents or birth parents. People who have completed this qualification could progress to the ND in Whānau/Family and Foster Care (Level 6) and/or one of the national diplomas in the social services, such as the ND in Counselling (Level 6), the ND in Iwi/Māori Social Services (Level 6), the ND in Social Work (Level 6) and the ND in Youth Work (Level 6). Top of page |
| National Diploma in Whānau/Family and Foster Care | 6 | The ND in Whānau/Family and Foster Care (Level 6) is primarily designed for people who are experienced custodial carers for children and young people. It builds on the NC in Whānau/Family and Foster Care (Level 4). The ND is for carers who wish to progress beyond the NC and develop higher levels of competency. It is anticipated that most people who wish to complete this qualification will have completed the NC in Whānau/Family and Foster Care. There are some unit standards in common between the two qualifications. At present, there is no higher level qualification in Whānau/Family and Foster Care, but people who have completed this qualification could seek entry into other higher level qualifications on the New Zealand Register of Quality Assured Qualifications. Top of page |
| National Certificate in Youth Work (Youth Leadership) | 3 | The NC in Youth Work (Youth Leadership) (Level 3) is a qualification for people who are interested in working with young people by assisting a professional youth worker as volunteers. This certificate is designed for a youth worker assistant within a youth organisation, with limited autonomy under the supervision of a professional youth worker. Holders of this certificate have the necessary knowledge and skills to assist in the implementation of projects and programmes (for example, holiday and after school programmes). This is a stand-alone qualification. However, it may be used as a first step on the pathway towards professional training for youth work in the social services industry. It can lead to the NC in Youth Work (Level 4) but it is not a prerequisite for that certificate or any other national qualification. Top of page |
| National Certificate in Youth Work | 4 | The NC in Youth Work (Level 4) is an entry-level qualification for youth work. It is a qualification for people at a beginner's level of competency who with to work as paid or unpaid youth workers in youth organisations. Some of these people may be or have been youth worker assistants who wish to become youth workers. This qualification recognises that youth workers are employed in a variety of youth work settings, such as church groups and recreation programmes for young people. The certificate leads to the ND in Youth Work (Level 6), which is the qualification for professional youth work. Top of page |
| National Diploma in Youth Work | 6 | The ND in Youth Work (Level 6) is designed as a basic professional qualification for people seeking employment as youth workers. It leads on from the NC in Youth Work (Level 4). This diploma provides recognition of the skills required for professional youth work in statutory, voluntary and church agencies and organisations, and in private practice. This qualification recognises that youth workers are employed in a variety of youth work settings, such as church groups and recreation programmes for young people. There is some overlap between this diploma and the ND in Community Work (Level 6), the ND in Counselling (Level 6) and the ND in Social Work (Level 6). Top of page |
| National Certificate in Tamariki Ora - Well Child Services with strands in Mainstream, Māori, and Pacific | 4 | The NC in Tamariki Ora is designed for people providing well child services for children under five years of age within the context of whānau and family. People with this qualification are able to demonstrate communication skills within whānau/families, respond to conflict in well child services, arrange referrals to other service agencies and create and store records in a well child service agency setting. Top of page |
