The Suffolk Brokerage | Qualification Credit Framework in Social Care

QCF Diploma in Health and Social Care Level 2

The level 2 qualification is aimed at those who support and assist individuals with their physical or emotional care, daily living needs or maintaining their independence. It is extremely relevant for home care assistants, community support assistants, healthcare assistants, and residential or day service assistants.

This qualification is a work based award and learners' skills and knowledge are assessed in the workplace whilst they are working directly with individuals and colleagues. They must be working in a real health or social care setting on a full or part time basis and in paid or voluntary work. If learners require any additional training prior to assessment this can be based in or out of the workplace or by distance or e-learning.

This qualification is named up of a number of mandatory and optional units. There is the choice of three pathways to take depending on your work setting:

•    Generic Qualification
•    Dementia Pathway
•    Learning Disability Pathway

The rules of combination and number of units/credits required for the full qualification through either of the three pathways can be found below:

Level 2 Health and Social Care Diploma qualification structure

Group A – Mandatory units
CREDITS: 24 credits must be achieved from all 9 mandatory units
(4 shared core plus 5 HSC specific)

Group B – Optional context / specialist knowledge units
CREDITS: Min 2 Max 7
Generic qualification – free choice of units
Dementia Pathway DEM 201 Dementia awareness required - then free choice
Learning Disability Pathway LD 201 Understand the context of supporting an individual with learning disabilities required - then free choice

Group C units – Optional competence units
CREDITS: At least 15 credits must be achieved
Generic pathway – free choice of units
Dementia pathway At least 2 credits/ 1 unit from DEM 204, DEM 209, DEM 210 or DEM 211 required - then free choice
Learning Disability Pathway At least 2 credits/ 1 unit from LD 202 or LD 203 required - then free choice

Summary
Total credits for HSC Diploma level 2 = 46 credits or more
(Credits from Group A – 24 credits Combined credits from Groups B and C must total at least 22 credits)

For full details of all available units please click here

QCF Diploma in Health and Social Care Level 3

The level 3 qualification is aimed at individuals who often work without direct supervision or on their own, perhaps in a user's own home.

This qualification is a work based award and learners' skills and knowledge are assessed in the workplace whilst they are working directly with individuals and colleagues. They must be working in a real health or social care setting on a full or part time basis and in paid or voluntary work. If learners require any additional training prior to assessment this can be based in or out of the workplace or by distance or e-learning.

This qualification is named up of a number of mandatory and optional units. There is the choice of three pathways to take depending on your work setting:

•    Generic Qualification
•    Dementia Pathway
•    Learning Disability Pathway

The rules of combination and number of units/credits required for the full qualification through either of the three pathways can be found below:

Level 3 Health and Social Care Diploma qualification structure

Group A – Mandatory units
CREDITS: 28 credits must be achieved from all 9 mandatory units
(4 shared core plus 5 HSC specific)

Group B – Optional context / specialist knowledge units
CREDITS: Min 2 Max 7
Generic qualification – free choice of units
Dementia Pathway DEM 301 Understand the process and experience of dementia required - then free choice
Learning Disability Pathway LD 201 Understand the context of supporting an individual with learning disabilities required - then free choice

Group C units – Optional competence units
CREDITS: At least 23 credits must be achieved
Generic pathway – free choice of units
Dementia pathway Either DEM 304, DEM 312 or DEM 313 required - then free choice
Learning Disability Pathway Either LD 302 or LD 303 required - then free choice

Summary
Total credits for HSC Diploma level 3 = 58 credits or more
(Credits from Group A – 28 credits. Combined credits from Groups B and C must total at least 30 credits)

For full details of all available units please click here