Unit 1: Becoming a Professional Caregiver

Learning objective: This first unit explores what it means to be a caregiver (also known as carer) within the context of informal or family care. Next, it moves on to the formal or professional care, where it looks into the requirements to become a professional health and social care worker (HSCW) and includes the professional standards, the demands and rewards of being involved in providing health and social care services.

Unit 2: An Exploration of Human Lifespan Development

Learning objective: This second unit explores human development across the life course through the lens of five case studies: (1) The first case study focuses on the impact of migration on human development; (2) The second case study considers how involvement in crime affects people across the life course; (3) The third case study looks into racial harmony and discrimination that affect people across a multicultural and multiracial society; (4) The fourth case study examines gender stereotyping issues and sexual equality as well as discrimination; and (5) The final case study focuses on the needs of people with learning and behavioral disabilities transitioning from children to adult services. This unit will also explore how disadvantage and discrimination to human needs can impact an individual across his/her life course and what human and social care services (HSCS) have to offer.

Unit 3: The Concept and Issues related to Safeguarding in Health & Social Services

Learning objective: This third unit looks into the concept of safeguarding and the important issue relevant to it within the context of health and social care services (HSCS). Trainees will learn about the definitions of risk in the context of both adults and children’s services. They will also explore the ways what and how health and social care services (HSCS) can and should respond to promoting well-being and protecting people who are vulnerable. These issues of concern are examined through selected case studies.

Unit 4: Selected Sociological Concepts under Examination

Learning objective: This fourth unit introduces key sociological concepts and how they can help trainees to develop a deeper comprehension of health and social care services (HSCS) and needs. In particular, trainees will learn about the importance of identity and how identities change in particular contexts. They will also learn about how needs change, as people (both children and adults) move through important transitions, such as separation, individuation, independence and ageing, and gradually becoming more dependent.

Unit 5: The Care Environments

Learning objective: This fifth unit explores the different settings in which health and social care services (HSCS) are offered, taking place and managed. Trainees will be taken on a virtual journey to visit a wide variety of care environments, which include domestic homes, residential community homes and hospital/hospice care settings, and explore the physical, socio-emotional as well as psychological impact and the extent to which these care environments are enabling or disabling. In particular, trainees will consider the care service providers and user, and also the professional perspectives on navigating services.

Unit 6: Innovation and Digital Delivery of Health & Social Care Services

Learning objective: This sixth and last unit introduces innovation and digital delivery of health and social care services (HSCS). Trainees will learn about why technological innovation is essential in the new millennium as well as the advantages and challenges of digital service delivery. They have to consider their own digital footprint and use of social media. The issues of this unit are illustrated through a case study of a digital app to support the treatment of people with a selected challenging problem (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder).