02 Mar 2021
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/Merit/Distinction
Assessment Methods
Why choose this qualification?
The qualification has been developed following consultation with further education colleges and adult and community learning who requested new level 2 qualifications that were graded. It is intended primarily for learners post 16 who are interested in Health and Social Care but have not studied Health and Social Care at key stage 4 or who have not achieved higher grades in this subject.
The qualification may be used within a 16-19 study programme and is intended to give learners the knowledge, understanding and skills that will enable them to progress to further study in health and social care at a higher level.
The qualification is part of a suite of graded qualifications that Gateway Qualifications has developed to complement the Suite of Skills qualifications in Health and Social Care. The level 2 units in the qualification have the same content and pass criteria as some of the units in the Suite of Skills qualifications in Health and Social Care but also include merit and distinction criteria.
The qualification includes an optional unit in Improving own Employability skills. This could be used with learners who are on a programme that encompasses a work placement.
Learners also have the option of completing a substantial project in an area of Health and Social Care. This will support the development of independent learning and research skills that are essential for further study.
Rules of Combination
Learners must achieve a total of 45 credits including the completion of 3 mandatory units from Group M and the remaining credits from optional units in Group O. All the optional units are at level 2 and include sector specific units and some generic units.
Units
Learners must achieve 3 units from this group.
Communication in Health and Social Care
Duty of Care in Health and Social Care
Equality and Inclusion in Health, Social Care or Children’s and Young People’s Settings
Learners must achieve 38 credits from the optional 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
Diet and Nutrition
Food Safety in Health and Social Care and Children's and Young People's Settings
Health and Safety in the Workplace
Health and Social Care Project
ICT for the Workplace
Improving own Employability Skills
Infection Prevention and Control in Health and Social Care or Children's and Young People's Settings
Maintaining Quality Standards in the Health Sector
Mental Health and Disorder
Moving and Positioning Individuals
Numeracy Skills for the Workplace
Person-Centred Approaches in Health and Social Care
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 Autism
Understanding Disability
Understanding Learning Disability
Understanding Sensory Loss
Working in Health and Social Care
What is the purpose of this qualification?
The qualifications are specifically targeted at level 2 learners who require stretch and challenge and they support progression to further education and study at a higher level or to further training. They also support the consolidation of key skills in literacy and numeracy and the development of independent learning in particular through the option of undertaking a project in the specific sector.
What skills, knowledge, or understanding does this qualification develop?
Learners will develop sector specific knowledge, understanding and skills together with underpinning transferable skills that support progression to a range of level 3 qualifications within the sector or related areas.
How is this qualification different from other, similar qualifications?
Learners planning to progress to level 3 should take these qualifications rather than the Skills for Suite as the addition of grading to each unit supports stretch and challenge.
What are the progression options?
These qualifications provide the additional stretch and challenge that will support learners to progress to the next level of vocational learning
What are the English and maths progression options?
The qualifications contain optional units in communications skills and numeracy. These should support learners to further develop their English and maths skills and enable them to progress to the next level.
Progression & Entry Requirements
There are no prior entry requirements to these level 2 qualifications. While some learners may have taken level 1 in the particular sector many learners will be studying a particular sector for the first time.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.
The following assignments can be used to help successfully deliver our qualifications and assessments.
Assignment – HSC – Communication in HSC
Assignment – HSC – Duty of Care in HSC
Assignment – HSC – Equality and Inclusion in HSC, Social Care, Young People’s Settings
Related Qualifications
- Gateway Qualifications Entry Level Diploma In Skills for Health and Social Care (Adults and Children) (Entry 3)
- Gateway Qualifications Level 1 Diploma In Skills for Health and Social Care (Adults and Children)
- Gateway Qualifications Level 2 Diploma In Preparing for Further Study in Health, Social Care and Social Work