STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients

This unique, specialist Advanced Certificate is the first comprehensive mapping of the legislative, welfare, financial and practical issues surrounding the care and advice provided to vulnerable and elderly clients and their families.

STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients - Course Overview Podcast

Designed and delivered by an expert in the field, Caroline Bielanska, this course is divided into two parts.

Part One will take one month to complete and covers:

• Professional Conduct
• Capacity Legislation (including international elements)
• Working for Vulnerable Clients
• Adults with Mental Capacity
• Adults without Mental Capacity

Part Two takes three months to complete and covers:

• Key Processes (including instructing experts and drafting trusts)
• Obtaining State Support from NHS, Social Services and DWP
• Handling Difficult Situations (including challenging the NHS/local authorities, objecting to the registration of an LPA or EPA, dealing with safeguarding concerns and challenging families)

By the end of this course, you will be able to confidently adopt a more holistic approach to helping elderly and vulnerable clients safeguard their future, and be able to:

• Offer a specialist service differentiating you from other providers
• Streamline your processes to improve professional efficiencies
• Manage risk in a highly complex service area
• Develop business opportunities in a growing market

Delivered through our online learning platform and a three-day, face-to-face workshop for each part of the course, the final assessment is a 3,500 word assignment that needs to be completed at the end of Part Two. Please note that both parts of the programme must be taken and the assignment passed in order to gain the STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients.

We recommend that you review the course materials prior to attending each three-day workshop. However, the majority of study will take place during and following the workshop and you should spend 4-6 hours per week in preparation for the assignment.

Successful completion of each part provides you with 30 Diploma Level credits (60 STEP Diploma Level credits overall) towards STEP membership.

This Advanced Certificate is also part of the STEP Diploma in Advising Vulnerable Clients and although the STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients can be completed as a stand-alone qualification, completing it as part of this Diploma will award you the full 120 credits at Diploma Level.

More information on entry advice can be found in the Entry Criteria and Guidance section below.

To register for the STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients, applicants must first obtain 60 Entry Level credits. Guidance on how to gain these credits can be found on the STEP Qualifications and Membership Framework page.

Course Dates - Vulnerable Clients - 2019

Course Dates - Vulnerable Clients - 2020

Part One:

• £1,950 (+UK VAT)
• £1,745 (+UK VAT) – STEP Full Member Discounted Fee

Part Two:

• £1,950 (+UK VAT)
• £1,745 (+UK VAT) – STEP Full Member Discounted Fee

Should you wish to enrol for both parts together a special rate is available as follows:

Combined Course:

• £3,705 (+UK VAT)
• £3,315.50 (+UK VAT) – STEP Full Member Discounted Fee

A staged payment plan is now available for delegates who are self-funding or those who are sole traders.  Please contact us for further details.

The course fee includes:

• bespoke hard copy course manual, containing precedents, checklists and support tools
• three workshop days for each part of the course
• access to the online learning platform containing:
  • self-assessment materials
  • distance-learning support
• access to an online community of practice
• assessment fees

Please note that it is mandatory to maintain your STEP subscription whilst you are studying a STEP Advanced Certificate or Diploma and you will be invoiced by STEP for your annual fees. For further details regarding membership categories, please visit www.step.org/categories.

Tutors and Authors

The content for the STEP Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients has been developed by Caroline Bielanska TEP with support from fellow senior STEP members Patricia Wass TEP, Clive Barwell TEP and Julia Abrey TEP.

Caroline Bielanska TEP - Caroline Bielanska Consultancy

Caroline is a legal trainer and independent consultant, advising older and vulnerable adults who have limited physical and/or mental capacity. Read More

Patricia Wass

Patricia heads up the Court of Protection team for Foot Anstey LLP. She specialises in mental capacity law and issues relating to the elderly and regularly contributes to leading legal journals. Read More

Clive Barwell

Clive has been advising elderly clients since 1971 and was accredited by the Society of Later Life Advisers in February 2010 and appointed Head of Later Life Advice at Towergate Financial in 2011. Read More

Julia Abrey

Julia specialises in elder law and Court of Protection matters and is Head of the Withers’ Elder Law team. She has a particular interest in international and cross border mental capacity. Read More

If you would like further information about this qualification, why not come along to one of our Professional Development Open Evenings?

All are welcome to attend and you will have the opportunity to speak with the Course Director.

Our Professional Development Open Evenings will allow you to explore the programmes and development pathways available, whilst providing you with a platform to network with other industry practitioners, and meet members of the CLTI/STEP team.