If you want a rewarding career in adult social care, you’ve probably scoured the internet to find out how to get started. With so many courses available, finding the perfect programme to help you start your career can be a minefield.
However, there’s one qualification that will help set you up for a successful career: Level 3 Adult Social Care.
This qualification has been carefully designed to equip you with the skills to work in a range of adult care settings.
As such, it’s the ideal introductory qualification for aspiring care professionals. It’s also an ideal refresher programme for those already working in the sector.
As well as introducing you to key social care concepts, Level 3 Adult Social Care will award you with a qualification equivalent to an A-level.
Although not an essential requirement for working in care, this level of qualification will appeal to future employers. It can help you stand out in a competitive job market and even develop your career through higher education.
In a nutshell, Level 3 Adult Social Care is the qualification you need to start your career in social care.
What’s Involved?
Level 3 Adult Social Care programmes differ depending on the provider. However, every qualification will cover the core elements of working in health and social care.
This ensures that your training meets the standards of the social care sector and is recognised by employers.
On a Level 3 Adult Social Care programme you will study:
- The principles of diversity, equality and inclusion in adult social care settings
- The principles of safeguarding and protection in health and social care
- How to handle information in social care settings
- The importance of health and safety in social care settings
- The principles of communication and personal development in adult social care
Your qualification will also give you an understanding of the social care worker role and person-centred approaches to healthcare.
You will discover what it means to have a duty of care in adult and young people’s care settings too.
These concepts lie at the heart of social care. They ensure that carers professionally and safely deliver the level of care that every patient deserves.
By covering such principles, you will be able to work in social care as soon as you graduate and demonstrate best practice throughout your career.
Your Next Steps
Once you’ve achieved your qualification, you will be equipped with the skills to practise social care in many healthcare settings.
You could choose to work in palliative (end-of-life) or domiciliary (home-based) care. You could even opt to work with people with specific illnesses or disabilities, such as dementia.
Where you’re based depends on the needs of your service users. You could find yourself working in care homes, hospitals, supported housing or even in an individual’s home.
Your Career
There are many care roles that a Level 3 Adult Social Care qualification can unlock for you.
The most popular role is that of a care worker, where you’ll support older people, individuals with physical or learning disabilities with aspects of everyday life.
In this job, you will provide direct care to people, predominantly in their own homes. This can include helping them bathe and dress and completing essential household tasks (e.g. cooking and cleaning).
You could also find work as a:
- Personal assistant – you’ll help clients live as independently as possible, by supporting them within the community.
- Advocacy worker – you’ll give a voice to the most vulnerable in society to ensure that they receive the care they deserve.
- Activities worker – you’ll be responsible for planning activities in care homes and other healthcare settings to enrich people’s lives.
As you build your career in care, there will be opportunities to progress.
With experience, you could undertake a managerial role or become a team leader where you’ll supervise staff to ensure the best care is in place for your service users.
To find out more about the roles you could have in health and social care, click here.
From Vocation to Profession
Although caring is a vocation, Level 3 Adult Social Care can help you enter professional health and social care roles.
That’s because it provides you with foundational knowledge upon which you can build through further study. You could apply for a social work degree at university or even enrol on an undergraduate nursing programme.
A degree will qualify you for a range of related professions, including nursing and social work. It’ll also allow you to enjoy the benefits that entering a profession can bring.
These include new career opportunities, greater earning potential and the opportunity to specialise in what you’re passionate about.
If you haven’t got the relevant A-levels to go to university, an Access to HE Diploma in social work can help.
Whether you use it as an entry-level qualification or a steppingstone to higher education, Level 3 Adult Social Care will unlock your future in health and social care.
It will enable you to change lives and go to work every day knowing that you’ve made a difference. If this is something you want to be a part of, Level 3 Adult Social Care is the qualification for you.
Ready to have a rewarding role in care? Kick-start your social care career today with our Level 3 Preparing to Work in Adult Social Care (RQF)! Call our career advisors today or click the link below to enrol.
