Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care

UNIT 17: WORKING IN THE SOCIAL CARE SECTORAssessmentThe assessment of this unit requires learners to draw upon work experienceplacements as far as possible. There are links with Unit 6: Personal and ProfessionalDevelopment in Health and Social Care, but evidence for this unit should extend andcomplement that submitted for Unit 6. It could, however, be submitted as part of theoverall portfolio for Unit 6, thus supporting the requirement to demonstrate linksbetween different units in the programme.Evidence should be largely in the form of written assignments, with diagrammaticalrepresentation also being used where appropriate, such as for the overall provision ofsocial care services.The unit could be assessed by means of two assignments, a short initial one coveringP1, M1 and D1, and a longer final assignment to cover P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, M2, M3, M4and D2.For the first assignment learners need to research two careers in the social caresector, through a variety of means, including discussions at work experienceplacements, discussions with careers advisors and the use of connexions. Theevidence presented should not duplicate that presented for the P7 criterion ofUnit 6: Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care, but extendand supplement it. The requirements need to be examined in more detail, especiallyfor M1 when reasons need to be given for the requirements, and D1, when therequirements should be evaluated in terms of providing a competent workforce.Consideration should also be given here to continuing professional development.Initially, for P2 of the second assignment, learners need to provide evidence thatdemonstrates research into, and understanding of, the overall structure of social careservice provision. This should be based on the learner’s home country. This thereforeextends the evidence needed for Unit 6: Personal and Professional Development inHealth and Social Care, for which learners were required to describe one local healthor social care service provider and identify its place in national provision.More detail of the national provision is required, with the focus being on the overallprovision as opposed to one service provider. It does, however, complement theevidence required for Unit 6, and the two pieces of evidence could be combined intoa single piece of work, providing sufficient detail is included to fulfil therequirements of both units.Evidence for P3 and M2 could be gained through the use of guest speakers, internetresearch, or possibly the use of relevant leaflets obtained from the organisations.Centres should ensure that all evidence presented is the learners’ own work,especially if the internet has been used for research, in this case, into the threeoverarching organisations in social care.For P4 and M3, in terms of the legislation, policies, standards or codes of practicethat influence social care service provision, again internet research could be a usefulsource of evidence, though learners should also be encouraged to use their workexperience placements as a resource. Legislation is included in several units in theprogramme, and learners will therefore need guidance to ensure they only deal withaspects of relevance to the assessment criteria in each case.BN018467 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care– Issue 1 – February 2007 © Edexcel Limited 2007237