Health and Social Care

Want to make a difference in other people's lives? Over 2.5 million people work in health & social care in the UK, providing services that we all rely on, from helping those with disabilities to live more independently, right through to working in residential care homes for elderly people.

What next?
Progression can be made on to further courses of study at university to train as a social worker, nutrition therapist or probation officer. You could also gain employment as a social care worker, advice worker or counsellor.

Potential careers:
Counsellor: £15k - £28k per year
Healthcare assistant: £12k - £16k per year
Probation officer: £21k - £28k per year
Social care worker: £11k - £24k per year
Social worker: £19k - £27k per year

Jumanah Chowdhury is an award-winning Health & Social Care student at Redbridge College.

While studying Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health & Social Care, 18-year-old Jumanah finished ahead of competitors with years of industry experience at the London and East of England heat of the WorldSkills UK Caring Competition.

During the event Jumanah demonstrated outstanding delivery of care in a mixture of live activities, assessed by a panel of expert judges from across the country. The activities were devised to replicate situations which competitors would be expected to face in their everyday roles.

Jumanah said: “To be a good carer you need to have confidence and patience and be open and friendly. To be able to help others every day is an amazing feeling.

“It was amazing to have achieved third place because the people I was competing alongside had years of experience and I’m still studying at college.

"To be asked to be part of the event, and to have finished third, was amazing for me and a privilege.”

Would you like to learn how to make a positive difference to other people’s lives every day?

Then studying Health & Social Care at Redbridge College could be right for you.

Learners at the college discover the strategies used to care for people of all ages, and then bring their knowledge to life with real-world assignments and work placements.

In class, lecturer Marilyn introduces learners to strategies aimed at reducing the risk of abuse to adults in a care setting.

Learners discuss how the recruitment process helps to protect vulnerable adults.

Marilyn says: “Learners develop a big range of skills which are very transferable.

“Studying Health & Social Care is great preparation for a diverse range of careers including nursing, midwifery, social work and nursing.

“Learners have a choice of modules and we work with them to help choose paths which will be beneficial for their future career,” she adds.

Back in class, learners are discussing the types of behavior which could result in an individual being barred from working with vulnerable adults.

They learn that established professional codes of practice ensure that practitioners work at high standards, respect the people using their services and minimise the risks of abuse.

As part of their course, all learners undertake a real-life work placement in a care environment to put their skills into practice.

Marilyn explains: “The college has great links with local employers to help our learners find placements that are tailored to their needs.

She adds “This lesson focused on how learners can look out for the signs of abuse.

“During the course as a whole learners gain knowledge of everything from nutrition and the different life stages to human rights and cultural diversity.”

Twenty-year-old learner Elizabeth Osikorobia studies BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health & Social Care.

As part of her course, Elizabeth spent her three-week work placement at a local hospital.

She said: “It was a great to be able to apply the things I have learnt at college to a real work situation.

“My ambition is to become a childcare nurse, so the experience was really important for my future career.

“The teachers have also been really supportive and are very friendly,” she adds.

Meanwhile, fellow learner Oladimeji Matemilola, who is also 20, says: “I initially joined the college to study Health and Social Care at Level 1 and have now progressed to Level 3.

“I have learnt so much and now plan to progress on to university to study a degree in mental healthcare.”