By when do trainee ToDs have to acquire the mandatory qualification?

We have been asked the following question: If a trainee ToD is unable to begin the mandatory training in their first year, can he or she work as a ToD in a service overseen by a qualified ToD? Should the mandatory training be acquired within 3 years?

The answer is yes – the or she can start under supervision but the MQ must be achieved within three years of starting to work with deaf children. The three-year period does not start again if they change jobs. It is not guidance so much as law (2003 regulations).