1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how to manage legal advice cases and understand and resolve problems associated with managing a personal caseload.
2. Demonstrate how to prepare and analyse cases for representation and the ability to appropriately advocate on behalf of clients.
3. Demonstrate understanding and analysis of the role and function of social policy within the context of money advice.
4. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of the theories, concepts and principles of money and debt legal advice and casework.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the processes of debt recovery and the ability to apply appropriate strategies in common debt scenarios.

The summative assessment for this module is an online exam, with a duration of 2 hours and 20 minutes; this time includes scheduled screen-breaks for student wellbeing.
The online exam is set on a Pass/Fail basis. This exam will address all of the LOs 1 -5.
To achieve a pass in the online exam students must achieve a mark of 70%.
All students will be granted a second attempt at the online exam, where they have failed at the first attempt. Second attempts will be a Pass/Fail set at 70%.
Detailed feedback will be provided to all students who fail the exam at the first attempt.
There is no compensation available for this module.
Students will be provided with formative assessment feedback as they progress through the module. This will be in the form of weekly tasks including, end of unit quizzes, learning community discussion tasks, and case study activities, all of which receive either individual or group feedback.

The module content conforms to the requirements of the Money and Pensions Service Quality Framework for Individuals at casework/specialist level, and the associated National Occupational Standards(NOS). These are:
Support clients to make use of advice and guidance service (SFJGA2)
Provide information to clients (SFJLA5)
Evaluate and develop own practice (SFJAE2)
Develop and manage interviews with clients (SFJGA6)
Provide and receive referrals on behalf of clients (SFJGA5)
Enable clients to act on their own behalf (SFJBF3)
First line money and debt legal advice (SFJIB11)
Support clients to plan Implement and review Action (SFJBF1)
Negotiate on behalf of clients (SFJGB9)
Money and debt legal advice and casework (SFJIB12)
Manage personal caseload (SFJHA5)
Provide continuing support to clients (SFJBF2)
Manage Legal Advice Cases (SFJ1A2)
Prepare cases for representation in formal proceedings (SFJDA7)
Represent clients in formal proceedings (SFJDA4)
Influence changes to legislation, policy or practice (SFJH16)

The pre-requisite existing experience then demonstrates that they meet the following National Occupational Standards:
Support clients to make use of advice and guidance service (SFJGA2)
Provide information to clients (SFJLA5)

This 14-week module, delivered exclusively by Staffordshire University, offers existing advisers a flexible way of achieving accredited status, alongside their working commitments. The Certificate of Credit in Money Advice Practice (CertMAP) is the only debt advice qualification specifically for free-to-client debt advisers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.ż Awarded by Staffordshire University in partnership with the IMA, CertMAP is a university level 5, distance learning, module which covers all the main aspects of a debt caseworker’s role.

CertMAP forms part of theżIMA accreditation schemeżand is also accredited to casework/specialist level under the Money and Pensions Service Individual Quality Framework.

The module is presented in weekly ‘units’ (units include an introductory induction unit, and an end of module exam preparation unit).

Each unit will comprise a set of detailed core learning materials that include written, audio, and visual content, and links to practitioner resources. At the end of each unit, weekly tasks provide formative assessment opportunities and allow student progress and attendance to be monitored.

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: (22 hours):
8 hours live content delivery and support via Microsoft Teams
14 hours scheduled learning community input via module discussion boards

Guided Independent Study: (178 hours) This will be made up of:
Interacting with core learning content
Supplementary reading and research
Independent note taking
Relating theory to practice
Self-reflection
Preparation for online tests
Online formative assessment activities

Debt Advice Handbook (current edition), Child Poverty Action Group, London.

Students will need a device with internet access, and the ability to interact with Word and PDF documents.