Key Facts
Qualification purpose
Prepare for further learning or training and/or develop knowledge and/or skills in a subject area
Qualification Grading Type
Pass
Assessment Methods
Why choose this qualification?
We looked at our current offer in the Health and Social Care sector and saw that there were a lot of units that needed indicative content added or in some cases other amendments to ensure that the Health and Social Care qualifications offered by Gateway Qualifications remained up to date and desirable for centres to offer to their learners.
We carried out a full review of all units that are currently in the ‘Skills for Health and Social Care’ qualification suite. Several new units have been created and others have been updated to ensure that our qualifications are fit for purpose and support progression. We have added indicative content to existing and new units and, in some cases, have amended credit values and guided learning hours (GLH) in response to feedback from centres. For these reasons, we believe that our new ‘Health and Care’ qualification suite supports the changes within the Health and Social Care sector.
Rules of Combination
Learners must achieve 39 credits. They must complete the at least two mandatory units from the Mandatory Group (M), totalling at least 5 credits. In addition, they must complete a minimum of 24 credits from the remaining units in Group M and the units in Group O1 (Optional Units - Health and Care) and 10 further credits from either Group O1 or Group O2 (Optional Units – Employability Skills, English and Maths). At least 25 credits must be at level 2 or above. Learners cannot include more than one unit with the same or similar title.
Units
A minimum of 5 credits must be completed from this group
Communication in Health and Social Care
Equality and Inclusion in Health, Social Care or Children's and Young People's Settings
Person-Centred Approaches in Health and Social Care
Working in Health and Social Care
A minimum of 18 credits must be completed from this group
Activity Provision in Health and Social Care
Basic First Aid Principles
Care of the Elderly
Dealing with Loss and Grief in Health and Social Care
Dementia Awareness
Diabetes Awareness
Digital Skills for Work
Duty of Care in Health and Social Care
Food Safety in Health and Social Care and Children's and Young People's Settings
Health and Safety in the Workplace
Infection Prevention and Control in Health and Social Care or Children's and Young People's Settings
Introduction to Autistic Spectrum Condition
Introduction to Disability Awareness
Introduction to Learning Disability
Introduction to Mental Health
Introduction to Physical Disability
Introduction to Sensory Loss
Maintaining Quality Standards in the Health and Social Care Sector
Planning a Healthy Diet
Protection and Safeguarding in Health and Social Care
Stroke Awareness
Support Individuals to Eat and Drink
Supporting an Individual to be Part of a Community
Team Work in Health, Social Care or Children's and Young People's Settings
Understand How to Handle Information in Social Care Settings
Understanding Risk within Health, Social Care and Children's and Young People's Settings
A maximum of 10 credits may be completed from group O2a, O2b and O2c.
A maximum of 10 credits may be completed from group O2a, O2b and O2c.
Applying for a Job
Career Planning
Communication Skills for Work
Customer service skills
Exploring Entrepreneurship
Exploring and Presenting Enterprise Ideas
Interview Skills
Introduction to Self-Employment
Leadership Skills
Making the most of work placement
Negotiation Skills
Numeracy Skills for Work
Searching for a Job
Self-Management Skills for Work
Setting and Meeting Work-Related Targets
Skills for Creative Thinkers
Skills for Effective Participants
Skills for Independent Enquirers
Skills for Reflective Learners
Solving Work-Related Problems
Time Management
Working in a Team
Working with Colleagues
A maximum of 10 credits may be completed from group O2a, O2b and O2c.
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Engage in Discussion
Engage in Discussion
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Listen and Respond
Listen and Respond
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Read for Information
Read for Information
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Read for Purpose and Meaning
Read for Purpose and Meaning
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Speak to Communicate
Speak to Communicate
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Write Fluently and Accurately
Write with Accuracy
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Write to Communicate
Write to Communicate
A maximum of 10 credits may be completed from group O2a, O2b and O2c.
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Making Calculations
Making Calculations
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Money, Time and Temperature
Money, Time and Temperature
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Numbers, Decimals, Fractions and Percentages
Numbers, Decimals, Fractions and Percentages
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Numerical Relationships, Algebra and Ratio
Numerical Relationships, Algebra and Ratios
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Using and Communicating Data
Using and Communicating Data
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Using Probability
Using Probability
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Using Size, Shape and Space
Using Size, Shape and Space
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.Funding information
Learning Aims Search
The Hub provides a Learning Aims Search which you can use to check the funding status of any qualification or unit.
View this qualification on the ESFA’s Hub website
Additional funding information for qualifications eligible for the High value courses for school and college leavers offer
This qualification is included on the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) list of High value courses for school and college leavers: a one-year offer for 18 and 19-year-olds.
This offer provides additional funding for one-year to encourage and support delivery of selected level 2 and 3 qualifications in specific subjects and sectors in response to coronavirus (COVID-19). The ESFA will fund young people aged 18 and 19 for an additional programme of study of high value level 2 and 3 qualifications for up to a year from September 2020 if they cannot find employment or work-based training.
What the offer includes
- a £400 uplift to be paid once per learner to cover the costs of putting on additional courses at short notice, recruiting extra learners, and preparing staffing and facilities
- adjustments to retention payments (16 to 19 funding) and job outcome payments (ESFA AEB) to compensate where learners leave early and take up employment or an apprenticeship
- increased rate to fund 18-year-olds on larger programmes at the rate for 16 and 17-year-olds
We have done our best to collate and summarise the key information, and wherever possible we alert our providers to changes in funding policy.
This funding information is provided in good faith and it is always advisable to check directly with the funding agencies before committing to delivery.