The course, Support care plan activities, is based on a recognised unit/module of the same name that is part of the Level 2 Diploma in Care (RQF). the Ofqual-recognised qualification. 

About the Level 2 Diploma in Care (RQF) 

The Level 2 Diploma in Care (RQF) is for learners employed as an in the role of an adult care worker (can include personal assistants) or healthcare support worker (can include healthcare assistant, nursing assistant, or nursing auxiliary).

An adult care worker’s role in care is to make a positive difference to someone’s life when they are faced with physical, practical, social, emotional or intellectual challenges. 

Adult care workers need to have the right values and behaviours, developing competences and skills to provide high-quality compassionate care and support. They are the front-line staff who help individuals with care and support needs to achieve their personal goals and live as independently and safely as possible, enabling them to have control and choice in their lives, which is at the heart of person-centred care. 

Job roles are varied and determined by, and relevant to, the type of service being provided and the person supported. 

Adult care workers may work in residential or nursing homes, domiciliary care, day centres, a person’s own home or some clinical healthcare settings.

Personal assistants do the same job as an adult care worker and work directly for one individual, usually within their own home.

Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) work as part of a team providing high-quality and compassionate care to individuals requiring care and support, and may include patients, service users or clients. They carry out well-defined routine clinical duties such as monitoring an individual’s conditions (by checking things like blood pressure, temperature or weight), and checking on their overall progress, comfort and wellbeing. Depending on where they work, they may also help them to eat, drink, wash, dress or go to the toilet.

Healthcare Support Workers will prepare individuals for healthcare activities carried out by other members of the healthcare team, looking after them before, during and/or after those activities in line with their care plan. They will also carry out non-clinical duties and, depending on where they work, this could include things like keeping records, making beds, tidying up the work area, returning or cleaning the equipment used during a clinical activity. 

Healthcare Support Workers work in a range of healthcare settings and their team may include workers from both health and social care. They report to a registered healthcare practitioner, who will directly or indirectly supervise their work.

The Level 2 Diploma in Care (RQF) qualification gives learners the opportunity to:  

1) develop the fundamental technical skills and underpinning knowledge and understanding required to become competent in the job role. 

These cover the following areas: 

• communication, 
• personal development, 
• equality and inclusion,
• duty of care, 
• safeguarding, 
• person-centred approaches, 
• health and safety and
• handling information. 

Learners will also be expected to work effectively as part of a team and within agreed ways of working, following the relevant standards, policies and protocols used in their workplace, including the Code of Conduct for Adult Social Care Workers and Healthcare Support Workers in England. 

2) develop appropriate professional attitudes and behaviours that will support personal success in their job role and the long-term success of their
organisation
3) develop a range of interpersonal and intrapersonal skills to support progression to, and success in, further study and career advancement
4) achieve a nationally-recognised Level 2 qualification. 

Relationship with previous qualifications 

This Level 2 Diploma in Care (RQF) qualification replaces the Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) (QCF), which expired on 31 December 2017. 

Progression opportunities 

Learners who achieve the Level 2 Diploma in Care (RQF) qualification, can then choose to progress to the Level 3 Lead Adult Care Worker qualification for Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF), and other higher level qualifications in care or specialist qualifications reflecting the context in which they work.

Achievement of the Level 2 qualification, together with additional training, can also support progression to job roles that require a more complex set of skills and responsibility, e.g. lead adult care worker, lead personal assistant. 

Industry support and recognition 

The Level 2 Diploma in Care (RQF) qualification was developed through close collaboration with Skills for Care, part of the Sector Skills Council Skills for Care and Development.

This Level 2 Diploma in Care (RQF) qualification is supported by Skills for Care and Skills for Health, and is approved by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as an appropriate qualification to support the Adult Care Worker and Healthcare Support Worker National Occupational Standards.