Social Services (Care): HNC

What you will learn

Course units include:

• Care in Contemporary Society
• Leadership Starts with Me
• Health, Wellbeing and Safeguarding
• Lifespan Development Theoretical Approaches
• Care Practice
• Graded Unit
• Understanding Loss and the Process of Grief
• Understanding and Supporting Behaviour
• Mental Health Issues in a Care Setting
• Plus 3 SVQ units

The curriculum staff have adapted the course so it is delivered thematically, this means it will have fewer assessments than if it were taught unit by unit.

Entry requirements

• Successful completion of the NC Health and Social Care (Level 6) course inclusive of placement experience OR
• If you have no formal qualifications but significant care experience OR
• If you have limited care work experience you require Higher English (grade C or above) or Communications at SCQF levels 5/6 (National 5/ Higher).
• You must be able to demonstrate the personal values and qualities that are suited to Care work.

For this course, if English is not your first language

• you need to have SQA ESOL Higher (or equivalent, click here to see equivalent qualifications)

• If you do not have a formal ESOL qualification but your language skills meet this level, you should apply for your course and then contact our Admissions team to organise an internal language assessment  here at the College.

You must show that you have experience of care work either as a volunteer or as an employee.

You need to provide a comprehensive personal statement with your application which MUST include the following:

1. State why you wish to study social care.
2. Include the type of service you would like to work in and state why.
3. Give a clear account of the care work/volunteering you have engaged in and what you gained from this experience.
4. Say what you believe the biggest challenges for you will be studying at Glasgow Kelvin College and how you think you will cope with these.
5. Include the skills and attributes you believe you have that would make you the right person to work in your chosen field.
6. Write why you think anti-discriminatory practice is a vital part of care working practice.
7. Finally, why you think registration with the SSSC is important to care workers.

You will be required to complete an application to join the PVG scheme from Disclosure Scotland

Career Opportunities

The HNC Social Services is a much sought after standalone qualification which allows many students completing the course progression into paid employment in a wide range of care settings including; older adult care, day care, supporting adults and children with learning disabilities, working in the field of mental health, addiction, criminal justice and working with vulnerable children and young people.

You will also be eligible to apply for entry onto the BA/Diploma in Education and Social Services, which is jointly delivered by Kelvin and the University of Strathclyde.  If successful you would complete the diploma at Kelvin then progress to Strathclyde for 3^rd and 4^th year.

Future prospects

The course may allow you to progress to further study at University, particularly degree courses in Social Work, Mental Health Nursing, Learning Disability Nursing, Social Sciences including: Criminology, Sociology, Psychology, Social Policy, Social Services and Education.