Application Form – Internal Quality Assurance verifier (IQA) qualification funding support 2025/2026 - January 2026

Overview

Application Form – Internal Quality Assurance verifier (IQA) qualification funding support 2025/2026. 

The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (the Social Care Council) has funding, from the Office of Social Services (OSS), Department of Health, to support the social care workforce’s learning and development.

This funding is to train staff to become vocational qualification internal quality assurance verifiers, in the field of Health and Social Care, across the independent (community & voluntary and private) and statutory sectors in Northern Ireland (NI). Private training organisations are also eligible to apply for this funding.

It is important to note that preference will be given to applications that lead to the internal assurance of the assessment processes and practice of the Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice, the entrance level qualification on the Care in Practice Framework (the CiP Framework) available for social care practitioners.

Priority will be given to applications from independent and statutory sector organisations.

Applications will only be considered to support internal quality assurance verifier training for the following Health and Social Care (Northern Ireland) qualifications[1]:

• Level 2 Certificate in Safe and Effective Practice.
• Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care (NI).
• Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care (NI).
• Level 4 Certificate in Principles of Leadership and Management for Adult Care Health and Social Care.
• Level 4 Diploma in Health and Social Care.
• Level 5 Diplomas in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care (both Adult Management and Adult Residential Management pathways).

Applications for this funding opportunity can only be made through this online application form. 

The deadline for making applications for funding is 5pm on 17^th February 2026. The Social Care Council intends for all employers to be informed of application outcomes by 27^th February 2026.

IQA Qualification Funding Support – ‘RULES/TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR FUNDING OF INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE VERIFIERS’ - Please ensure you read the full list of terms and conditions which are provided in the 'related documents' linked to the bottom of this page. These notes and guidance documents will provide further detail about eligibility and will be helpful to those completing this application form.

A summary of these key terms are as follows: 

1. We seek to ensure that opportunities for funding support are made available to independent sector (community & voluntary and private), statutory organisations and private training providers through communications to social care employers/ managers, learning and development staff, organisational development staff and private training providers. This is done using direct communication and posting information on the NI Social Care Council (Social Care Council) website.
2. Priority will be given to applications from independent and statutory sector organisations.
3. Calls for applications are communicated with the deadline stated for employers to make applications.
4. Only applications that have been fully completed will be initially considered for funding support. Where incomplete, the Social Care Council will reject the application or request further information.
5. Funding is available for qualification fees only for staff who have not yet started the qualification/s. Funding is not available to cover staffing costs and/or absences while qualifications are completed.
6. The Social Care Council does not pay VAT. All costs must be quoted as net figures.
7. Applications for funding support must be signed off by a CEO, Director or a Senior Manager in an organisation with the understanding that learners will complete the qualifications and the employer will provide support for their employees for the duration of the course.
8. It is the responsibility of employers to source the training provider(s) for delivery of the internal quality assurance verifier qualification(s).
9. Employers must ensure that staff members they are applying for have the right to work in line with the following requirements, see: right to work – Search – GOV.UK.
10. Applications must be received by the Social Care Council by 5pm on 17^th February 2026. The Social Care Council will aim to inform social care organisations of the outcome of their applications by 27^th February 2026 at the latest.

[1] The qualifications listed are current but will be superseded by the reviewed qualifications, aligned with the Care in Practice Framework (CiP Framework), see: https://careinpractice.niscc.info.