Health & Social Care (National Diploma)

Health & Social Care (National Diploma)

This two year course leads to a vocational qualification which will prepare you for a wide range of careers in the caring professions, including health, social care and working with young children. Work experience and practical activities are an integral part of the course combined with extensive coursework. To enjoy and succeed on this course, a high degree of commitment is required combined with an ambition to work in a care setting. A wide range of teaching methods is used, including individual assignments, small-group work and whole-class activities. The focus is on applying what you have learned to care settings and service users. The course is 12 units, equivalent to two A levels, and there are no exams.
Course Content
Six units are completed in the first year and six in the second. The units are varied and cover a range of specialisms in the Health, Social Care and Early Years settings.
In the first year we cover:
Working to Quality Practice in Care Settings
Working with Service Users in Care Settings
Behaviour Awareness in Care
Applied Practical Care in Settings
First Aid
Work experience in Health Social Care and Early Years settings
In the second year we look at:
Anatomy and Physiology
Working with People with Disabilities
Child Development
Developing skills to work with babies
Coping with Stress in Care Environments
Care in the Community
Work Experience
Work experience is an integral part of the course. You must be prepared to work in a wide variety of Health, Social Care and Early Years settings. There are coursework assignments and activities which need to be completed in a care setting. These form part of your portfolio.
Visits and Visitors
Throughout the course you will be able to meet practitioners are gain first-hand information about their work or research. Recent speakers have included Mencap, the Genetic Counselling Service and the Independent Living Network. You may have an opportunity to learn Sign Language or join other special interest groups in the college. You will also be able to visit universities to see how you might continue your studies.
Assessment
In each of the units you will be set a variety of written assignments which form the basis of your portfolio of coursework. You will need to be well organised as your final grade is determined by the quality of your portfolio. Your work is externally moderated twice a year. There are no exams but you must meet the coursework deadlines.
Is the National Diploma for you?
You will enjoy and benefit from this course if you are sure that you would like to:
pursue a career in Health, Social Care or Early Years after college;
acquire the skills and confidence to work with people in a care setting, dealing with people who may face a range of challenges.
You should also be certain that you want a course which is all coursework, with no exams.
The National Diploma and your future
You can use this qualification to go into higher education or other professional courses, leading to careers in health, social or public services such as Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Early Years teaching, Social Administration and Social Work.
Students at Long Road usually study an AS/A2 subject alongside this diploma. Depending on the career options you are considering, you need to think very carefully about the AS/A level subject you choose to partner your Health and Social Care course. For example, if you wanted the opportunity to train as a primary teacher you should also take at least one of the National Curriculum subjects at AS/A2 level.

Health and Social Care and Early Years Diploma or Society, Health and Development Diploma?
We also offer the Health and Social Care National Diploma and recommend you read the course description for that course too. Here are some points to consider:

Society, Health and Development will enable you to:

* study the ways in which professionals work to support people's health and development within the structures of our society
* see how all the comples issues within society, health and development are integrated, and so gain an overview of these issues
* take a complete programme of study worth three and a half A levels
* take a qualification which is assessed bu both exams and coursework.

Health and Social Care will enable you to:

* study the ways in which professionals work to support people's health and development within the structures of our society
* focus on distinct areas in health, social care and early years and study those topics separately
* obtain a recognised qualfication woth two A levels that can be combined with a wide range of other courses
* develop a board range of personal skills which do not form part of the formal assessment
* take a qualfication which is only assessed by coursework.