BTEC Level 2 First Certificate in Health & Social Care

The Level 2 Certificate in Health and Social Care provides you with a broad vocational approach to work alongside children, young people, and adults, offering you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding of supporting individuals through the life stages.

Duration 1 year
Qualification Progression
Start Date Thursday 3rd September 2026
Course Code P2HESOC26P
Two health students practice using a blood pressure monitor.

Top Course Highlights

  • Small Classes
  • Excellent Tutor Support
  • Exceptional Facilities
  • Industry Links

Learn from sector experts

You will be taught by staff with extensive experience who will advance your knowledge and skills to meet the expectations of the health and social care sector.

Subject Specific Specialisms

The Level 2 Certificate enables you to take the knowledge you learn in the classroom to industry placements across the health and social care sector.

Excellent Pastoral Support

Embedded in the Level 2 Certificate is an emphasis on supporting you to expand your knowledge within the subject, in addition to gaining English and/or Maths at GCSE.

WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

This course provides you with a holistic understanding of how to support children, young people, and adults in a variety of different settings. The Level 2 has an emphasis on developing your skills, giving you the knowledge, understanding and skillset required for employment within the health care sector, or further study within Further Education. This qualification aims to give you the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge that are used within the health, social care, and childcare sectors.

The course enables you to gain a broad understanding and knowledge of the health and social care sector including: the underpinning care values; the individual rights that people using health and social care services are entitled to and may need support to be upheld; the importance of promoting positive health and wellbeing for children and adults; life stage development including infancy, early childhood, adolescence, early, middle and later adulthood and challenges that individuals may go through and how that may affect their development.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

BTECs are vocationally related qualifications, where learners develop knowledge and understanding by applying their learning and skills in a work-related context.  They are effective because they engage you to take responsibility for your own learning and to develop skills that are essential for the workplace.  These skills include: team working, working from a prescribed assignment brief, working to deadlines, presenting information effectively and accurately completing administrative tasks and processes.

WHERE WILL IT TAKE ME?

There are a wide range of progression opportunities available upon completion of this course. Students have progressed to a more specialised Level 3 vocational or Health and Social Care course as well as employment and Apprenticeships. Some have progressed into other sectors such as caring for older people or working with children and vulnerable people in society.

The BTEC First Certificate is assessed through an external examination as well as assignment work.  The exam units are Human Lifespan Development and Healthy Living, and all other units are assessed through written essays, reports or presentations.

Three girls sit on a picnic bench and are chatting and laughing.
Course code: P2HESOC26P
Duration 1 year
Qualification Progression