Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care

UNIT 4: DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE LIFE STAGESUnit 4:Development Through the LifeStagesNQF Level 3:Guided learning hours: 60BTEC NationalsUnit abstractKnowledge of human growth and development through the life stages is important forlearners who are considering careers in the health or social care sectors because itwill assist their understanding of the needs of individuals at different stages of life,including their potential care needs. It will also help learners to understand theinfluence of unexpected events on patients/service users and their families. Learnersshould be encouraged to be reflective during the study of this topic and to relatetheoretical study to life experiences.This unit enables learners to gain understanding of the different life stages and howpeople grow and develop. It requires learners to reflect on the importance of avariety of factors and major life events on the development of individuals, and toconsider the nature-nurture debate. The unit also allows learners to gain an insightinto the ageing process and to understand both positive and negative perspectives ofageing.Concepts introduced in this unit will be developed further in a number of other unitsin the programme, such as Unit 8: Psychological Perspectives for Health and SocialCare, Unit 25: Coping with Change in a Health and Social Care Context, Unit 28:Caring for Older People and Unit 29: Applied Psychological Perspectives for Healthand Social Care.Learning outcomesOn completion of this unit a learner should:1 Understand human growth and development through the life stages2 Understand how life factors and events may influence the development of theindividual3 Understand physical changes and psychological perspectives in relation to ageing.BN018467 – Specification – Edexcel Level 3 BTEC Nationals in Health and Social Care– Issue 1 – February 2007 © Edexcel Limited 200771