What is the purpose of this qualification?
This qualification provides a wide range of introductory skills, as well as core knowledge relevant to health and care, alongside generic employability skills which are needed both in the health and care sector and across other sectors.
It is anticipated that this qualification will be of specific relevance to:
• Young people who are aspiring to a career in the health and care sector but are not yet sure in which precise area, and who intend to access level 3 qualifications or a level 3 apprenticeship but need a fairly extensive learning programme at level 2 before they will be ready to access level 3.
• Young people and adults usually with prior attainment at level 1 and below, including those who have had a significant break from or disjointed experience of education, who wish to work in the health and care sector but need a fairly extensive grounding in the subject and an opportunity to develop more general workplace skills over an extended period before identifying the most appropriate job roles and applying for work.
What skills, knowledge, or understanding does this qualification develop?
This qualification provides a range of introductory skills, as well as core knowledge, relevant to health and care, alongside generic employability skills which are needed both in the health and care sector and across other sectors. Mandatory units include:
• Working in Health and Social Care
• Person-Centred Approaches in Health and Social Care
• Communication in Health and Social Care
• Equality and Inclusion in Health, Social Care or Children’s and Young People’s Settings
Optional units include knowledge and skills relevant to different job roles in the sector (such as disability awareness, first aid, food safety) alongside generic employability skills (such as leadership skills and setting and meeting targets at work).
How is this qualification different from other, similar qualifications?
This qualification is part of a suite which includes an Award, Certificate and Diploma. Learners should take the Certificate if, before progressing to employment (with further training where possible), to a level 3 Apprenticeship or to a Level 3 qualification, they need an extended introduction to the sector including the opportunity to build up a range of skills and knowledge, explore a number of potential job roles and career pathways in the sector, and gain a set of more generic workplace skills. The Diploma will be suitable for learners who would benefit from an extended period of time working at level 2, up to 2 years, before they are ready to progress to employment or to a level 3 qualification or apprenticeship.
Which sector does this qualification support?
This qualification could lead to a number of roles in health and social care such as healthcare assistant, community care worker, older people support worker.
What are the progression options?
Learners can progress to a Level 3 certificate or diploma in Health and Social Care in any of the available pathways, including Tech level qualifications, Access to Higher Education Diploma in Health and Social Care or Early Years, or to an advanced Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care in any of the available pathways.
Progression & entry requirements
Learners do not need any prior qualifications or a specific level of attainment to take this qualification although they will benefit from having English and Maths skills at level 1.
