Curriculum

Health & Social Care

| Education | Curriculum | Health and Social Care
The Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Health and Social Care

 Who is the qualification for?

The Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Health and Social Care (Qualification Number: 603/0395/5), is for learners who want to acquire technical knowledge and technical skills through vocational contexts as part of their Key Stage 4 learning. The qualification recognises the value of learning skills, knowledge and vocational attributes to complement GCSEs. The qualification will broaden the learners experience and understanding of the varied progression options available to them.

 What does the qualification cover?

The Award gives learners the opportunity to develop sector-specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment. The main focus is on four areas of equal importance, which cover the:

  • Development of key skills that prove your aptitude in health and social care such as interpreting data to assess an individual’s health
  • Process that underpins effective ways of working in health and social care, such as designing a plan to improve an individual’s health and wellbeing
  • Attitudes that are considered most important in health and social care, including the care values that are vitally important in the sector, and the opportunity to practise applying them
  • Knowledge that underpins effective use of skills, process and attitudes in the sector such as human growth and development, health and social care services, and factors affecting people’s health and wellbeing.

This Award complements the learning in GCSE programmes such as GCSE English. It will complement the more theoretical aspects covered by GCSE Biology or GCSE Psychology by allowing you to apply your knowledge and skills practically in a vocational context.

 

Year 9 Year 10/11

Component 1:
A1 Human growth and development across life stages
Learners will explore different aspects of growth and development across the life stages using the physical, intellectual, emotional and social (PIES) classification.
• Main life stages:
• PIES growth and development in the main life stages.

A2 Factors affecting growth and development
Learners will explore the different factors that can affect an individual’s growth and development.
Different factors will impact on different aspects of growth and development.
• Physical factors,
• Social and cultural factors,
• Economic factors.

B1 Different types of life event
Life events are expected or unexpected events that occur in an individual’s life. Learners will
explore the different events that can impact on people’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social development.
• Physical events, to include:
• Relationship changes,
• Life circumstances.

B2 Coping with change caused by life events
Learners will explore how individuals can adapt or be supported through changes caused by life events. People may react very differently to the same type of event.
• How individuals adapt to these changes.
• Sources of support
• Types of support

Component 2

A1 Health and social care services
Learners will explore the health and social care services that are available and why individuals
may need to use them.
• Different health care services and how they meet service user needs
• Different social care services and how they meet service user needs.

 

A2 Barriers to accessing services
Learners will explore barriers that can make it difficult to use these services and how these barriers can be overcome.
• Types of barrier and how they can be overcome by the service providers or users.

B1 Care values
Learners will explore and practise applying the different care values that are key to the delivery of effective health and social care services.
• Care values.

B2 Reviewing own application of care values
Learners will reflect on own application of care values, including using teacher or service-user feedback.

Component 3:
A1 Factors affecting health and wellbeing.

Learners will explore how factors can affect an individual’s health and wellbeing positively or negatively. This links to, and extends, knowledge and understanding of life events covered in Component 1, but here the focus is on health and wellbeing.

 

  • Definition of health and wellbeing: a combination of physical health and social and emotional wellbeing, and not just the absence of disease or illness.
  • Physical and lifestyle factors that can have positive or negative effects on health and wellbeing.
  • genetic inheritance, including inherited conditions and predisposition to other conditions
  • Ill health (acute and chronic)
  • Diet (balance, quality and amount)
  • Amount of exercise
  • Substance use, including alcohol, nicotine, illegal drugs and misuse of prescribed drugs
  • Personal hygiene.
  • Social, emotional and cultural factors that can have positive or negative effects on health and wellbeing:
  • social interactions, e.g. supportive/unsupportive relationships,
    social integration/isolation.
  • Stress, e.g. work-related
  • Willingness to seek help or access services, e.g. influenced by culture, gender, education.
  • Economic factors that can have positive or negative effects on health and wellbeing:
  • Financial resources.
  • Environmental factors that can have positive or negative effects on health and wellbeing:
  • Environmental conditions, e.g. levels of pollution, noise
  • Housing, e.g. conditions, location.
  • The impact of life events relating to relationship changes and changes in life circumstances.

 

B Interpreting health indicators

B1 Physiological indicators

  • Learners will interpret indicators that can be used to measure physiological health, interpreting data
    using published guidance.
  • Physiological indicators that are used to measure health:
  • Pulse (resting and recovery rate after exercise)
  • Blood pressure
  • Peak flow
  • Body mass index (BMI).
  • Using published guidance to interpret data relating to these physiological indicators.
  • The potential significance of abnormal readings: risks to physical health.

B2 Lifestyle indicators

Learners will interpret lifestyle data in relation to risks posed to physical health.

  • Interpretation of lifestyle data, specifically risks to physical health associated with:
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Inactive lifestyles.

C Person-centred health and wellbeing improvement plans
C1 Health and wellbeing improvement plans

Learners will explore the features of health and wellbeing improvement plans. It links to, and
consolidates, knowledge and understanding from Component 2, in particular support services
and also care values in terms of the need for a person-centred approach.

  • The importance of a person-centred approach that takes into account an individual’s needs, wishes and circumstances.
  • Information to be included in plan:
  • Recommended actions to improve health and wellbeing
  • Short-term (less than six months) and long-term targets
  • Appropriate sources of support (formal and/or informal).

C2 Obstacles to implementing plans
Learners will explore the obstacles that individuals can face when implementing these plans and how they may be mitigated.

  • Potential obstacles:
  • Emotional/psychological – lack of motivation, low self-esteem, acceptance of current state.
  • Time constraints – work and family commitments.
  • Availability of resources – financial, physical, e.g. equipment.
  • Unachievable targets – unachievable for the individual or unrealistic timescale.
  • Lack of support, e.g. from family and friends.
  • Other factors specific to individual – ability/disability, addiction
  • Barriers to accessing identified services.
Enrichment Offer

The Department offers subject-specific enrichment clubs and organises a range of social enterprise and community service projects throughout the year. Intervention sessions to consolidate prior learning and ensure maximum progress are at the heart of our delivery model.