The content of this Pathway has been agreed by Social Care Wales. This is the only Apprenticeship Pathway in the Health & Social Care sector approved for use in Wales that is eligible for Welsh Government funding.
Learning Programme Content
The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:
- Qualifications,
- Essential Skills
- On/off the job training
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 2 Pathway - Health Sector is 77 credits
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 2 Pathway - Social Care (Adults) is 77 credits
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 3 Pathway - Health Sector is 92 credits
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 3 Pathway - Social Care (Adults) is 92 credits
The total minimum credit value required for the Level 3 Pathway - Social Care (Children and Young People) is 92 credits
Entry requirements
As a guide, the Health and Social Care Pathways are suitable for applicants who have at least four GCSEs grades D to E including English and Maths.
Employers would be interested in applicants that:
- Are keen and motivated to work in a health and/or social care environment
- Are willing to undertake a course of training both on-the-job and off-the-job and apply
- this learning in the workplace
- Have previous work experience or employment in the sector
- Have a Welsh Baccalaureate
- Have GCSEs, Key Skills or Essential Skills in English and Maths
- Have completed tests in basic numeracy, literacy and communication skills and have reached a minimum of level 1 in communication by qualification or assessment.
The job roles covered by the Pathways involve working with adults and children at risk and are therefore liable to a clean enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.
In addition there are a range of characteristics and personal attribute that are required for all workers in these sectors, and employers are increasingly using values based recruitment.
A current driving license may be an advantage and may be required for some roles, especially in rural locations.
It should be noted that the practice qualifications contained within this Pathway requires the collection of evidence from actual work activities and therefore people undertaking the level 3 qualifications must be undertaking tasks that meet the level 3 descriptors in order to complete the qualification.
Level 3
Entry requirements for the Level 3 pathway are the same as for the Level 2. However apprentices must be operating at level 3:
Achievement at level 3 reflects the ability to identify and use relevant understanding, methods and skills to complete tasks and address problems that, while well defined, have a measure of complexity. Including taking responsibility for initiating and completing tasks and procedures as well as exercising autonomy and judgement within limited parameters.
Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)
Level 2: Health Sector
Level 2: Health Sector Qualifications
Participants must achieve one of the following Competence / Practice and Knowledge /Core qualification(s) below.
| Level 2 - Health and Social Care: Practice Qualification (Adults) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarding Body | Qualification No. | Credit Value | Total Qualification Time | Combined / Competence / Knowledge | Qualification Assessment Lanaguage(s) |
| City & Guilds | C00/1253/4 | 35 | 350 | Competence | English-Welsh |
Essential Skills Wales (ESW)
| Level 2: Health Sector | Level | Minimum Credit Value |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 1 | 6 |
| Application of number | 1 | 6 |
Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh
On/Off the Job training
| Pathway | Minimum On the Job Training Hours | Minimum Off the Job Training Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Level 2: Health Sector | 1138 | 312 |
On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
Total Knowledge/Core qualifications are a minimum of 30 credits, and the Competency/ Practice qualifications a minimum of 35 credits. With the required ESWs at 12 credits. This pathway has a total credit rating of 77
The total amount of training hours - which includes both on and off-the-job learning for this Pathway is 1450 training hours. (over 12 months)
On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)
- 6 credits / 45 GLH Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Communication
- 6 credits / 45 GLH Level 1 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number
Other additional requirements
Enhanced DBS checks are required and some offences may stop Apprentices from working in this sector.
Job roles
Health Care Worker or Health Care Assistant
These roles provide vital assistance to healthcare professionals in diagnosing, treating and caring for patients. Many are involved in looking after the well-being and comfort of patients. They work in a variety of settings, depending on their role, including clinics, people's homes and hospitals
Social Care Worker
Social Care Worker Undertake a range of roles supporting the physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs of people who use social care and support services, to live independently in a range of settings including residential and day care, in the service user’s own home, or other community setting.
Domiciliary Care Worker
Support individuals (e.g. older people, people with learning disabilities, people with mental health problems, people who are physically disabled, people with chronic health conditions) to live in their own homes.
Support Worker
Support people to live in e.g. sheltered housing projects, supported housing projects. They offer support to the physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs, to undertake community or social activities to support independent living.
Reablement Assistant
Support people (as above) to develop or regain life skills such as mobility, shopping, cooking, lost through e.g. disability or trauma.
Residential Care Worker
Provide support and care to individuals (e.g. older people, people with learning disabilities, people with mental health problems, people who are physically disabled, people with chronic health conditions) within a residential care setting.
Day Care Assistant
Provide support and care to individuals (e.g. older people, people with learning disabilities, people with mental health problems, people who are physically disabled, people with chronic health conditions) within a day care setting.
Home Care Assistant
Support individuals (e.g. older people, people with learning disabilities, people with mental health problems, people who are physically disabled, people with chronic health conditions) to live in their own homes.
Care and Support at home
Support individuals (e.g. older people, people with learning disabilities, people with mental health problems, people who are physically disabled, people with chronic health conditions) to live in their own homes.
Progression
Level 2
Progression into the Apprenticeship
Apprentices will come from a wide range of backgrounds including:
- schools and colleges
- work
- work experience
- unemployment (possibly through pre-employment courses such as Traineeships)
- training or experience in the sector
- following redundancy
- vocationally related knowledge qualifications from the sector (especially level 1 and 2
- qualifications)
- Welsh Baccalaureate (PLL) Society, Health and Development
- Basic or Key Skills/Essential Skills Wales
Progression from the Apprenticeship
Progression within the health and social care sector affords a wide range of opportunities for apprentices to take on new roles and responsibilities. Progression should also not just be seen as vertical. In some instances progressing into another role at the same level may be just as rewarding as it offers the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge. This may involve specialising in working with a particular group of people e.g. supporting people with learning difficulties or dementia, or working in a particular setting such as supporting people at home.
Progression to Level 3 Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care (for those apprentices where job opportunities are available).
Please note apprenticeships in health and social care are not designed to follow level progressions but are related to job roles and function. People cannot therefore progress unless they take on a new role and new responsibilities. Learners must be undertaking level 3 tasks within their job role to be able to complete the qualification. This is required to demonstrate occupational competence.
Progression to some other job roles with the appropriate qualifications or experience could be.
- Social care worker
- Senior Care Officer/Support Worker (at level 3 with increased responsibilities, expertise and autonomy)
- Day Services Office
- Healthcare Support Worker
- Maternity Support Worker
- Physiotherapy Support Worker
- Occupational Therapy Support Worker
- Dietetic Support Worker
- Speech and Language Support Worker
The above list is not exhaustive and job titles may vary by employer.
Level 3
Progression into the Apprenticeship
Apprentices will come from a wide range of backgrounds including:
- schools and colleges
- work
- work experience
- unemployment (possibly through pre-employment courses or Skill Build)
- training or experience in the sector
- following redundancy
- vocationally related knowledge qualifications from the sector (especially level 1 and 2 qualifications)
- Welsh Baccalaureate (PLL) Society Health and Development
- Basic or Key Skills/Essential Skills Wales/New ESW
- Foundation apprenticeships
There are however a number of desirable personal characteristics outlined in the Entry Conditions of this Pathway. Enhanced DBS checks are required and some offences may stop you from working in these sectors.
Achievement at level 3 reflects the ability to identify and use relevant understanding, methods and skills to complete tasks and address problems that, while well defined, have a measure of complexity. It includes taking responsibility for initiating and completing tasks and procedures as well as exercising autonomy and judgement within limited parameters. It also reflects awareness of different perspectives or approaches within an area of study or work.
Progression from the Apprenticeship
Progression within the health and social care sector affords a wide range of opportunities for apprentices to take on new roles and responsibilities. Progression from this pathway may lead to further qualifications specific to the work context and to management opportunities through the Advanced Practitioner Level 5 Diplomas and Management and Leadership level 5 Diplomas.
A wide range of qualifications are available these may include further qualifications, further specialisation, progression to some management roles or progression to HE to undertake professional qualifications.
Progression should also not just be seen as vertical. In some instances progressing into another role at the same level may be just as rewarding as it offers the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge. This may involve specialising in a particular service group e.g. supporting young people with learning difficulties or in fostering or adoption services, or working in a particular setting such as supporting young people leaving care. The extensive number of units available in the sector enables a flexible approach to Continuous Professional Education and Learning both horizontally and vertically.
To become a qualified practitioner (e.g. nurse, allied health practitioner, healthcare scientist, teacher or social worker) apprentices would progress from their apprenticeship to undertake specific HE qualifications (often a 3 year university degree) but individuals would have to meet the specific entry requirement as outlined by their chosen HE providers.
Many health and social care apprentices complete their apprenticeship and continue to work as child care or support workers or move on to supervise other team members in senior positions.
The social care sector in Wales is also seeing the emergence of a new role: e.g. social service practitioners and information advice and assistance workers. These roles can offer further career progression opportunities with HE Cert Social Service Practitioner or SSP Level 4 work based learning opportunities provided by some employers.
Health and social care apprentices can move across both sectors.
Equality and diversity
It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.
The protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.
Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.
Skills for Health and Skills for Care and Development (Care Council for Wales) are
very aware that the Health & Social Care Worker role is predominantly female. Care has traditionally been seen as 'jobs for women' and the need to attract more men into the profession to ensure care can be offered by men to men is important. In addition as traditional heavy industry jobs are lost in Wales more men are looking for work in the service industries and care and health are two of the largest employers in Wales. Gender imbalance is not unique to this Pathway as it is also an issue for the health, care and support sector as a whole.
It is equally important from our labour market intelligence that we must increase the numbers of Welsh speakers in social care and improve access to services through the medium of Welsh by this initiative. This will meet the Government expectation of More than Just Words and the Active Offer where people are offered and can receive their support through the medium of Welsh if they want to.
The SSCs will continue to raise awareness and the need to promote equality and value diversity to employers, training providers and learners to try and encourage local recruitment to reflect the community. The SSCs seeks to improve the equality and diversity monitoring of all the Apprenticeships via registration data and its certification of completions to assist with a better understanding of this issue.
In addition the responsible SSCs are currently undertaking a marketing strategy producing materials to promote and to engage both learners and employers. This has involved producing bilingual material, which promotes both younger people and male images in the sector.
Employment responsibilities and rights
Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory. But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16 years -18 year group) receive a company induction programme.
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of this pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government Apprenticeships Guidance.
Further information may be obtained from: Welsh Government