The nationally recognised NVQ Certificate or Diploma in Health and Social Care will help you to gain the skills and understanding you need to:
- deliver an excellent level of care
- develop a clear understanding of your specific role and responsibilities
- create a safe and healthy environment for yourself and those you care for
- have your achievements acknowledged
Is this qualification right for you?
We offer the Health and Social Care qualification at level 2 and 3.
- The level 2 Certificate is for care workers who support and assist individuals. It’s aimed at home care assistants, community support assistants and residential or day care assistants
- The level 3 Diploma is ideal if you're involved in specialist tasks with supervisory or developmental responsibility for other care workers. It’s aimed at senior care workers, health care workers, home care organisers and community support workers
We’ll help you work out what level suits you best before you start.
How will you learn?
As the Health and Social Care NVQ is a work-based qualification, you’ll either need to be employed and sponsored by your employer or be doing voluntary work or a work placement.
Only selected centres offer this qualification and work experience, so you’ll need to see whether it’s available in your local area and contact your local centre to find out more.
If they do offer it, you’ll then be enrolled and supported by your tutor, either at your local centre or workplace depending on your circumstances. You’ll then be assessed on the tasks you do at work, learn new skills related to your job and create a portfolio of evidence to show what you've achieved.
Getting your qualification
You'll achieve your qualification when your portfolio of evidence is assessed and signed off.
How much will it cost?
Thanks to Government funding, your courses and qualification may be subsidised or free depending on your circumstances. Your centre will be able to tell you more about this before you enrol.
How long does it take?
Up to 12 months, but we'll agree a target end date to suit you.
What do you learn?
Depending on the qualification you’re working towards, your job role and experience, we’ll work with you to put the right set of courses together. This could include:
Values
It's your duty of care to promote a personalised approach to care-giving. Understanding the values and principles supporting your role can help you to provide more holistic person-centred care. These courses can help you to:
- understand how duty of care contributes to safe practice
- understand the role of risk assessment
- know how to address and respond to conflicts or dilemmas, complaints
- establish consent when providing care
- support, implement and promote active participation, well-being and the individual's right to make choices
- know how to recognise and respond to signs of suspected or alleged abuse and reduce the likelihood of abuse
Depending on the level you're working towards, and your individual needs, the courses you could do for this part of your qualification are called:
- The Role of the Health and Social Care Worker
- Introduction to Equality and Inclusion
- Promote Equality and Inclusion
- Introduction to Duty of Care
- Principles for Implementing Duty of Care
- Introduction to Personalisation in Social Care
- Promote Person Centred Approaches in Health and Social Care
- Implement Person Centred Approaches in Health and Social Care
- Principles of Safeguarding and Protection in Health and Social Care
Safe Care
You have a shared responsibility with your employer to create a safe and secure workplace. These courses will help you to protect yourself, your colleagues and those you care for. You’ll learn how to:
- resolve and report hazards in the workplace
- move and handle those you care for safely
- take steps to control and avoid infection
- prepare, handle and serve food and administer medication safely
- handle materials, equipment and waste safely and appropriately
- react appropriately in emergency situations
Depending on the level you're working towards, and your individual needs, the courses you could do for this part of your qualification are called:
- Move and Position Individuals
- Cleaning, Decontamination and Waste Management
- Promote and Implement Health and Safety in Health and Social Care
- Contribute to Health and Safety in Health and Social Care
- The Principles of Infection Prevention and Control
- Causes and Spread of Infection
- Meet Food Safety Requirements when Providing Food and Drink
- Undertake Agreed Pressure Area Care
- Administer Medication to Individuals and Monitor the Effects
Supported Living
With the right help, many people who need care can actually live at home, rather than in a care setting. These courses explore the social, physical and emotional factors that might impact on an individual’s ability to live at home. These courses will give you the skills to:
- identify the factors that impact on an individual’s ability to live at home, including nutritional needs, hygiene, pain management and behavioural issues
- understand the regulations that govern what help is available, and other legislation, policy and procedures
- understand the direct payment system of funding for people who need assistance in the home
- review a care package and act appropriately if an individual’s needs change
Depending on the level you're working towards, and your individual needs, the courses you could do for this part of your qualification are called:
- Provide Support to Maintain and Develop Skills for Every Day Life
- Support Individuals to Live at Home
- Support Individuals at the End of Life
- Support Individuals to Eat and Drink
- Principles of Supporting an Individual to Maintain Personal Hygiene
- Support Individuals to Maintain Personal Hygiene
- Support Individuals to Access and Use Services and Facilities
- Provide Support to Manage Pain and Discomfort
- Understand Positive Risk Taking for Individuals with Disabilities
- Support Positive Risk Taking for Individuals
Communication
Helping people to communicate is an integral part of your job – but it’s not just as simple as talking and listening. These courses will help you to develop your communication skills so that you build better, more trusting relationships with colleagues and those your care for. You'll learn to:
- identify specific communication needs by consulting the individual, their family or carer and their care plan
- understand the importance of non-verbal communication signals
- identify different aids to communication including assistive technologies
- communicate with people with dementia, learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorders
- record and manage confidential information in line with Data Protection legislation and the Caldicott Principles
- understand how cultural differences and physical impairments can affect communication
Depending on the level you're working towards, and your individual needs, the courses you could do for this part of your qualification are called:
- Introduction to Communication
- Promote Communication
- Support Individuals with Specific Communication Needs
Handling Information
As a health and social care worker, you might deal with sensitive information. Make sure the information you handle is dealt with effectively, responsibly and safely. These courses will help you to:
- collect the right information to inform your decisions
- understand requirements for handling information
- implement good practice in handling information
- support others to handle information
Depending on the level you're working towards, and your individual needs, the courses you could do for this part of your qualification are called:
- Promote Good Practice in Handling Information
- Handle Information in Health and Social Care Settings
Personal Development
To keep improving at work, you need to explore the qualities and attributes that all good care workers share and measure your current performance against what is expected of you under professional codes of practice. These courses will show you how to:
- analyse your strengths and weaknesses as a social care worker
- seek feedback from colleagues on the work that you do
- identify areas you need to develop and improve on in your work
- embrace formal support systems such as appraisals, supervision and mentoring
- draw up a development plan and set targets for achievement
Depending on the level you're working towards, and your individual needs, the courses you could do for this part of your qualification are called:
- Introduction to Personal Development
- Engage in Personal Development
