Health and Social Care

Health and Social Care is a KS4 option course at St Wilfrid’s Academy which will equip learners with specialist knowledge and skills for everyday use.

The course will challenge all students by introducing them to demanding material and skills; encouraging independence and creativity; providing tasks that engage with the most taxing aspects of the National Curriculum (including Values of Care and the current legislation requirements and the importance of softer skills such as communication skills to ensure individuals right to independence and dignity).

Course Content

The units covered in this Health and Social Care course are:

RO21 – Essential values of care for use with individuals in care settings (1 hour exam)

This unit focuses on the rights of individuals and the values of care when working in Health and Social Care settings. It also provides an overview of legislation and the impact it has on settings, including hygiene and safety.

RO22 – Communicating and working with individuals in health, social care and early years settings (coursework)

This unit be looking at different communication skills and the barriers to using them effectively. We will be looking at how to implement the communication skills and the qualities people need to be able to work effectively in HSC settings. We will be participating in two communications during which the students will show how they use the communication skills they have learnt about by putting them into practice. This will be useful for the students going forward as it will highlight to them the skills they already use and how they need to alter their own communication to ensure they are doing it effectively

RO23 – Understanding body systems and disorders (coursework)

This unit will provide students with an understanding of the three major body systems; cardiovascular, digestive and respiratory systems. We will look at the structure and function of each of these systems and three illnesses that can affect these. Once they have learnt this underpinning information they will learn and practice how to measure and interpret data related to the functions of each of the body systems.

RO25 – Understanding life stages (coursework)

This unit will look at the main life processes that happen during each life stages. We focus on physical, intellectual, emotional and social changes that happen from childhood through to the end of life. Once students have an underpinning knowledge of what should happen through life we will look at a range of conditions that can alter this process and create a support plan for a client to ensure they have the adapted care and support to progress through life.

Due to the flexibility of the course two of these units can be changed to suit students’ future aspirations.

Careers related to Health and Social Care include:

Nurse,

Physiotherapist,

Midwife,

Teacher,

Social worker,

Care worker,

Dental nurse,

Speech and language therapist,

Counsellor and many more.