What is the purpose of this qualification?
The primary purpose of this qualification is to support learners to progress to a higher level vocational qualification, specifically an Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma relating to health, social care or social work. This qualification is designed for adult learners who are aspiring to higher education, lack the necessary qualifications to apply for a degree course but are not yet ready to embark on a preparatory Level 3 qualification, such as an Access to HE Diploma. The Diploma in Preparing for Further Study in Health, Social Care and Social Work (as opposed to the Certificate of the same title) is particularly suitable if learners have been advised that they would benefit from an extended Level 2 course before moving on to an Access to HE Diploma.
There is a Level 2 Certificate and Diploma in Preparing for Further Study in Health, Social Care and Social Work. The Certificate will be appropriate for most learners preparing to progress to an Access to HE Diploma.
What skills, knowledge, or understanding does this qualification develop?
This qualification includes one mandatory unit:
• Health, social care or social work project
Learners must then select further units from a list of optional units. These include knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to all the possible progression routes from the Diploma, e.g.
• Reflective practice in health, social care or social work
• Communication in a health, social care or social work context
• Person-centred approaches in health, social care and social work
Learners can also choose units which are specific to the particular pathway you are planning, e.g.
• Social care provision
• Human reproduction
• Introduction to social work.
Learners can also decide to take a unit, ‘Effective Learning’, which will give you the opportunity to focus explicitly on developing the study skills they will need to succeed on an Access to HE Diploma and on a degree course.
How is this qualification different from other, similar qualifications?
The Diploma in Preparing for Further Study in Health, Social Care and Social Work is intended to support your progression to an Access to HE Diploma in a related area. The Diploma will provide learners with a firm foundation in terms of knowledge, skills and understanding of health, social care or social work, while at the same time giving learners the opportunity to develop and practise their study skills. Learners will have the chance to practise producing written work in the format expected of individuals when they progress to an Access to HE Diploma and to experience the same approach to assessment, making them better prepared for further study.
Which sector does this qualification support?
This qualification is not intended to support progression to employment. Depending on the combination of optional units that learners choose so they could progress to an Access to HE Diploma in any of the following areas:
• Health
• Health and Related Health Professions
• Health and Social Care
• Health Professions
• Health Professions and Social Sciences
• Midwifery
• Nursing
• Nursing and Midwifery
• Nursing, Midwifery and Health Studies
• Paramedic studies
• Psychology and Counselling
• Psychology and Sociology
• Psychosocial Studies
• Science and Health Professions
• Social Science
• Social Studies
• Social Work
• Social Work and Related Professions.
What are the progression options?
There is a Level 2 Certificate and Diploma in Preparing for Further Study in Health, Social Care and Social Work. The Certificate will be appropriate for most learners preparing to progress to an Access to HE Diploma. However learners should take the Diploma if they have been advised that they would benefit from a significant period of time developing their knowledge, skills and understanding at Level 2 before progressing to an Access to HE Diploma, perhaps because learners have been out of learning for a long while or are studying in English for the first time.
The Diploma may also be the right choice if they are still uncertain about the specific Access to HE Diploma they want to progress to and need time to explore several different progression options within the broad field of health, social care and social work.
Progression & entry requirements
There are no specific entry requirements, in the form of prior qualifications or levels of attainment, for this qualification. However, if at the start of their course learners have not already achieved Level 2 English and maths (in the form of functional skills or GCSE), they can expect to be offered the opportunity to include English and maths in their programme alongside the Diploma in Preparing for Further Study in Health, Social Care and Social Work.
Learners must be aged 18 or over to take this qualification. The minimum vocational content for this qualification is 90% (if learners choose to include the unit ‘Effective Learning), the maximum is 100%.
