Uk government has approved new inclusive hairdressing standards

The UK Government has approved the recent review of hairdressing National Occupational Standards, which take into account the evolving and diverse nature of the hairdressing sector. Habia, the Hair and Beauty Industry Authority worked alongside industry employers as part of an expert working group to review the existing National Occupational Standards and agree any necessary changes to maintain and improve standards of practice.

What does the new approved Hairdressing National Occupational Standards mean?

The latest National Occupational Standards (NOS) are written by professional employer experts to ensure they respond to the developments in the rapidly changing and diverse hairdressing sector. The public consultation took place in December 2020 with the draft standards to capture the views of the broader industry and this fed into the review of the national standards. Judith Hughes vice-chair of the Expert Working Group for Hairdressing explained the team has produced standards for the hair industry that are now more inclusive of all hair types. Habia chair Joan Scott explained: "There was a a great deal of interest in the hair standards as it was important they should be  inclusive of all hair types, including wavy, curly and coily hair.  The hair standards have been updated by employers to ensure they reflect current technical developments and meet the needs of the UK’s diverse community." British Beauty Council COO Helena Grzesk who joined the NOS Steering Group added: "Our aim is to amplify and celebrate the voices of all the communities the industry serves to ensure each and every one of us feels seen, heard, valued and excited to engage with the beauty industry. We are delighted to hear the new NOS for hair has been approved and we look forward to continuing our work with Habia to champion change in the industry." Employer and Chair of the overall NOS Steering Group Diane Hey pointed out that she's delighted with the approval and publication of the seven suites of National Occupational Standards (NOS), covering;  Hairdressing, Barbering, Beauty Therapy, Nails, Aesthetics, Trichology, Wellbeing and Holistic industries. She said: "These suites have brought new modalities forward, have established the level of practise standard expected, are fully inclusive and have been a monumental achievement! Thank you to all involved."

What are the National Occupational Standards for the hairdressing industry?

National Occupational Standards (NOS) are developed by Standard Setting Organisations (SSO) who consult with employers and other stakeholders across each of the UK nations, (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England). This consultation process allows any specific requirements to be considered by each nation and the result is a set of NOS that are suitable for use across the UK. The NOS, which are set out in a common format, are approved on a four-nation basis and content is scrutinised by SQA Accreditation. Each NOS has a published date stating when it was approved, and the most current NOS are listed in this database. There is also an anticipated review date and this will be used as a guide to when they require reviewing and feedback from stakeholders is taken to influence when this is commissioned.