BTEC courses have an excellent reputation going back 25 years.

The BTEC National Diploma is the 2 A level equivalent and is studied in two columns; this qualification  requires 200 hours of work placement.

The  BTEC Subsidiary Diploma is the 1 A level equivalent and is studied in one column; this qualification requires 50 hours of work placement.

Both the BTEC National Diploma and BTEC Subsidiary Diploma will enable you progress to a wide range of Health & Social Care Higher Education courses and jobs. There are no formal exams but you will be assessed on your performance against clear criteria throughout the course.

Work hard, enjoy the course and track your progress to success using the table in your Student Handbook - see Induction materials.

Unit in brief

Learners focus on the principles and practicalities that underpin meeting individuals’ care and support needs, which are the foundation of all the care disciplines.

Unit introduction

For you to be able to provide the care and support that individuals need, it is important that you have a good understanding of the principles behind providing quality care and support. This unit introduces you to the values and issues that need to be considered when planning care and support that meet the needs of an individual in a health and social care environment. In this unit, you will learn about the values and principles of meeting care and support needs and look at some of the ethical issues that arise when personalising care. You will examine factors that can impact the professionals who provide the care and support, and the challenges that must be overcome to allow access to good quality care and health services. You will explore the different methods used by professionals across all care services. You will reflect on these methods when you consider the importance of multi-agency working in providing a package of care and support that meets all the needs of individuals. In this unit you will draw on your learning from across your programme to complete assessment tasks. This unit will be useful if you are intending to pursue a career in social care or healthcare, for instance as a social worker or health visitors, practice nurse or occupational therapist. The unit will also be invaluable if you wish to progress to higher education, to degrees in areas such as health and social care management, social work and nursing.