Intellectual Disability Practice
Major Award - Classroom Near You Course

Access to the Programme
Mature Applicants with relevant life and work experience are welcomed. Our Course Advisor is available to meet with prospective learners to discuss and advise on the course details, career and academic opportunities and assess your suitability for the course.

Entry Criteria
Entry criteria / prerequisites Level 4 Certificate / Leaving Certificate (or equivalent) or relevant life experience detailed in a current Curriculum Vitae. Please provide details and attach a copy of either a current CV or Certificate. Learners must be a resident of Ireland / based in Ireland.

Learners applying to study on the 5M1761 programme must have a National Vocational Certificate (Level 4), Leaving Certificate or equivalent qualifications. Recognition of Prior Learning in the context of appropriate work/life experience, detailed in a CV and with supporting documentation, will also be considered.

Modules

The total credit value required for this certificate is 120. This will be achieved by completing:

All of the following components

• 5N1652 Intellectual Disability Studies - 15 Credits
• 5N1740 Community Inclusion - 15 Credits
• 5N1749 Empowering The Individual - 15 Credits
• 5N1753 Facilitating Learning - 15 Credits
• 5N0690 Communications - 15 Credits

A minimum credit value of 15 from the following components

• 5N1356 Work Experience - 15 Credits
• 5N1433 Work Practice - 15 Credits

A minimum credit value of 30 from the following components

• 5N1706 Challenging Behaviour - 15 Credits
• 5N1709 Understanding Special Needs - 15 Credits
• 5N1729 Applied Behavioural Analysis - 15 Credits

Learners will be able to:

• Demonstrate a wide breadth of knowledge of intellectual disability and the issues associated with the facilitation of living an independent life within the community,
• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the theoretical concepts underpinning the empowerment of persons with an intellectual disability, to enable them to make daily lifestyle choices and facilitate them to implement these choices,
• Demonstrate the use of a broad range of specialised skills and tools to support persons with an intellectual disability in the different phases of their lives,
• Contribute to the selection, implementation and review of strategies together with persons with an intellectual disability to develop a range of functional skills that can be applied in their daily lives,
• Apply a range of knowledge and skills in a wide variety of different contexts in enabling persons with an intellectual disability to develop socially valued roles and relationships,
• Demonstrate initiative and independence through working with a diverse range of groups and or teams in facilitating persons with an intellectual disability to develop socially valued roles and relationships,
• Critically evaluate own learning experiences and implement changes when working and communicating effectively as part of a team,
• Reflect on personal practice to inform self-understanding and personal development.

Assessment

Typically, QQI modules are 15 credits each – so completing 8 modules = 120 credits. 120 Credits are needed to achieve a QQI Major Award. However, sometimes a module will have as much as 30 credits, so completing one large module (30 Credits) plus 6 more normal modules (6 × 15 = 90) would achieve the 120 credits needed.

Grading
Pass 50% - 64%
Merit 65% - 70%
Distinction 80% - 100%

Tutor Support

At Forus Training, we have many different supports available for your learning.

Learner Pack

When you enrol on a course, you will receive a printed learner pack from your trainer on the first session of the event.
This learner pack contains clear assessment instructions and comprehensive material to support you as you complete the course.
The pack will also include induction information as well as forms that you will complete during and at the end of your course.

Trainer Support

The trainer provides support to learners, including issuing feedback on draft work you will submit. Expect to wait up to 72 hours for a response by email from your trainer. Many of our trainers have full time jobs as well as training with us this means they will have up-to-date sector specific information, but also means that you need to allow a little time for them to get back to you. Our trainers are current with practice in the sector in which they work.
Trainers can, by appointment, make time available to you before or after class to answer your queries that cannot be covered in the session. They can also make an appointment with you to discuss your work on a telephone call.

Assessment Upload Facility

We have a user-friendly assessment upload facility available to you.

Support with Preparing for Assessment

If it has been a while since you’ve studied, we have free, short presentations on Study Skills, Academic Writing and Harvard Referencing to assist you in your work.

Technical Support

Every Saturday, our Digital Ambassador Team holds a Zoom meeting – to assist learners with their technology related challenges - no question too small! The staff in this “Digital Ambassador“ role are experienced in accessing all of our systems, including the LMS and myforustraining.ie. They are positioned to assist with all the usual technology queries learners might have: Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel etc), email, file saving and organisation etc.
Technical support is available by phone to 044 9349400 or by email: hello@forustraining.ie or through the contact form on our website.

Compassionate Consideration

Where a Learner, pursuing an award, through no fault of his/her own, is unable to complete their assessment, the exit pathway below is in place to facilitate this Learner with an alternative course. The Learner is given the opportunity to obtain the Award by completing the course at an alternative date/location should they have relocated to an area where we provide the same award.
The following are examples of circumstances where a Learner is unable to complete their project/their course:
● Bereavement,

● Illness,

● Pregnancy,

● Relocation,

● Extenuating circumstances.

Please see P9 S7 C6 Compassionate Consideration Policy.

Learner Welfare

P9 S6 C6 Learner Welfare Policy and practices are fully integrated throughout teaching and learning experiences by both Trainers and staff to effectively meet the health and wellbeing needs of all Learners. The Forus Training welfare policy is focused on the welfare of all Learners and addresses any particular challenges individual Learners may be experiencing during their learning experience. The learning environment includes welfare support provided by staff for Learners which is fully integrated throughout the teaching and learning and organisation of teaching and learning to effectively meet the personal, social (wellbeing) and academic needs of Learners and staff. Please see the policy here P9 S6 C6 Learner Welfare Policy.

Supports for Learners with Disabilities and Specific Learning Difficulties

Forus Training is fully committed to complying with relevant policies and legislation with respect to equality and disability. Registered and potential Learners with verified disabilities or specific learning difficulties may be given compassionate consideration and reasonable accommodation to enable them to successfully complete their programme. This is arranged by the Course Coordinator.
A reasonable accommodation is any action that helps to alleviate a substantial disadvantage due to an impairment or medical condition. Such accommodations are put in place to help reduce these barriers in order to provide equality of access and opportunity for all. Reasonable accommodations are made for Learners on a case by case basis and must be supported with medical documentation. Both P9 S2 C6 Evidence of Disability Form and P9 S2 C6A Application Form for Reasonable Accommodation can be found at the following link:
https://forustraining.ie/knowledge-base/how-do-i-a...

Modules

Disability Studies - Assignment - 60%, Examination - 40%
Community Inclusion - Assignment - 40%, Project - 60%
Empowering the Individual - Assignment - 40%, Project - 60%
Facilitating Learning- Assignment - 30%, Skills Demonstration - 30%, Learner Record - 40%
Communications- Portfolio/Collection of Work - 50%, Skills Demonstration - 50%
Work Practice - Portfolio/Collection of Work - 40%, Learner Record - 60%
Work Experience - Portfolio/Collection of Work - 60%, Skills Demonstration - 40%
Challenging Behaviour - Assignment - 40%, Project - 60%
Understanding Special Needs - Assignment - 60%, Learner Record - 40%
Applied Behavioural Analysis - Assignment - 30%, Skills Demonstration - 30%, Learner Record - 40%
Special Needs Assisting - Skills Demonstration - 60%, Learner Record - 40%
There is plenty of support for completing your assessments - you can submit a draft and receive feedback so that if you are veering off course your trainer can give you pointers as to how to improve your work for the final submission.

You will receive clear guidance and a document called a rubric to ensure that you have all the help necessary to know how to pick up marks and to work to your potential.

Upon successful completion of the programme, you will be awarded a Level 5 major award is Intellectual Disability Practice (5M1761). QQI is the awarding body. Forus Training is a provider of education and training programmes and we issue the certification to learners who have reached the standard for a QQI major award. The certificate you will receive on successful completion is a formal confirmation by QQI that you have demonstrated the knowledge, skill and competence required to achieve the named award. This Programme is validated by QQI and is coded Intellectual Disability Practice 5M1761. This certificate which will be issued to you by us is an award listed on the NFQ (National Framework of Qualifications). This ensures the certificate is nationally and internationally recognised and has many potential uses; for example, for further / higher education or employment in Ireland or abroad.

Classroom Near You - Traditional location-based training

Have the course run at your organisation, book a local training room or attend one of our public courses. Each module is delivered in 3 hour sessions over a period of 7/8 weeks. We can tailor the sessions to your organisational requirements.

Progression Achievement of this award will enable the learner to progress to other appropriate programmes at the next or higher levels of the National Framework of Qualifications. Awards learners who successfully can progress to:

QQI Level 6 Special Needs Assisting - 6N1957
QQI Level 6 Health Services Supervisory Management Skills - 6M4978
QQI Level 6 Social Care - 6M2218
QQI Level 6 Early Childhood Care & Education - 6M2007

Progression Opportunities

The Higher Education Links Scheme (HELS) links specific QQI Level 5 and 6 Advanced Certificates to reserved places in a variety of higher education programmes. For QQI CAO applicants there are 40 higher education institutions including universities, institutes of technology and private third level colleges offering places on a variety of courses such as;

Bachelor of Arts Applied Social Studies in Social Care at Athlone Institute of Technology

Up to 20 places are reserved for QQI students. Any QQI Level 5 qualification is acceptable. Applicants, however, must hold one or more of the following modules:

• Social Studies (5N1370)
• Care Provision and Practice (5N2705)
• Intellectual Disability Studies (5N1652)
• Care of the Older Person (5N2706)
• Understanding Mental Health (5N3772)
• Special Needs Assisting (5N1786)

For details, please contact the Central Applications Office at www.cao.ie

For information on these Healthcare Support Programmes, see www.forustraining.ie

Applicants must check information on the CAO and on the higher education provider’s website.

The basis for application to different higher education institutions Intellectual Disability Degree programmes is sometimes specific to one award and/or to specific attainment in specified awards.