Support Work - Introduction

We have designed this course to support you with working in the support and care sector. Successful completion of this course will help build skills and knowledge required for job roles in adult or children’s social care, mentoring, advocacy, learning support, and supporting adults with learning disabilities. The course will cover:

• Respect and dignity


• Equality and Diversity


• Disability Awareness


• Wellbeing and Resilience


• Safeguarding


• Communication skills (especially listening skills)


• Professional relationships and professional boundaries


• Recording and reporting skills


• Awareness of mental ill health


• Importance of good physical health, good sleep and a balanced diet

A variety of learning activities will be used on this course, including tutor presentation and demonstration, practical application of skills, individual and group work, discussions, Q&A, internet research, individual research and project work. Where relevant, your learning will enable you to develop skills and knowledge required for work. There may be vocational, specialist guest speakers or employers invited to share their skills and experience. Regular home study will be necessary to successfully complete this course. You will be supported to develop good study skills. Your tutor will also support you to improve your English and maths skills alongside your learning of your vocational subject. This will include assessing your current skills and planning learning activities related to your subject that are designed to develop your skills in these areas. To support this, you may undertake some e-learning modules, where appropriate, as homework. There will be opportunities to identify other learning and work placement opportunities that will support you to secure employment or improve your employment prospects. We highly recommend that you engage fully in any other learning opportunities that we help you identify.

An application process is applicable to this course.

PLEASE NOTE- places on some of our courses will be in high demand and if you have been offered a place but no longer require it, please advise us immediately, as you may be preventing another learner from taking the place. Where learners do not attend the first session, without having given prior notice, Skills & Learning reserve the right to offer the place on the course to another learner (see Cancellation policy).

For term dates please refer to www.skillsandlearningace.com/about/term-dates.

You will negotiate a Personal Learning Plan with your tutor identifying the areas you need to develop, which will be reviewed at regular intervals. There is no qualification attached to this course.

There are no subject specific entry requirements for this course. You can check the suitability of this course for a preferred career path or route to employment by looking at various job profiles on the National Careers Service website https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk There is an expectation that if you enrol on this course, you are willing to commit fully to the period of time involved in this course, the associated home study and the assessed work required.

You will be asked to complete an online assessment in English after submitting a course application. A score of Entry Level 3 is required. 

All learning materials will be provided. Please bring along a pen and notebook to each session. PLEASE NOTE - anything provided is on loan to you and must be returned at the end of the course. If it is not returned you will be invoiced for the full cost of a replacement. Course costs For information regarding any funding for this course please please refer to the Finance page on our website www.skillslearningace.com/learning-with-us/finance/.

You may like to continue your studying with other learning opportunities we offer such as:

• Introduction to Nursing and Social Work


• Introduction to Counselling


• Level 2 Awareness of Mental Health Problems

Other courses may be offered by Skills & Learning or other local providers. There are a variety of e-learning courses that can be started at any time of the year. See our website www.skillsandlearningace.com for more details. Up to date English and maths Functional Skills and Essential Digital Skills qualifications can help you progress at work or into further or higher education. Skills & Learning work with local employers to offer Sector Based Work Academy Programmes and Apprenticeship training. Your tutor may also be able to discuss the possible next step options with you. You may like to talk with a Careers Adviser about other courses. General careers advice and guidance can be provided by the National Careers Service https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk For further information please contact us on 01202 123444.

English, maths and computing skills: all of our courses support the development of relevant English, maths and computing skills.

Refunds: please see details of our cancellation policy in our Terms and Conditions on our website www.skillsandlearningace.com/policies/terms-and-conditions or in our brochure.

Attendance: before enrolling you should ensure that you can attend all classes offered as far as possible.

Places on courses: many of our courses are in high demand. If you have been offered a place but no longer require it, please advise us immediately as you may be preventing another learner from taking the place. Where learners do not attend the first session, without having given prior notice, Skills & Learning reserve the right to offer the place on the course to another learner; you will not be eligible for a refund it it is outside of the terms outlined in our cancellation policy.

Fully funded learners: if you have been offered a fully funded place on a course and no longer require it, you must advise us before the course starts so that your place can be offered to someone else. We reserve the right to withdraw future offers of fully funded places if you regularly do not start or complete funded courses.

Home study: you will be required to do significant study at home between sessions to assist with your learning and progress.

Qualification Levels: there is further information about qualification levels on our website.

Proof of identity: please bring photographic ID and your National Insurance number with you to your first session. You will also need to provide it for any external examinations you take.

Off-site activities: with some courses, there may be the opportunity for off-site enrichment activities at additional cost, for example: gallery, museum or exhibition visits. Where this is an integral part of the course, your tutor will discuss the arrangements with you during your induction.

Parking at centres: parking at centres may be limited; please be prepared to use on street parking or pay and display car parks. For information regarding each centre, please visit the venue section of our website www.skillsandlearningace.com/our-centres/.

Refreshments: tea/coffee or vending machine(s) are available at some venues. Further information can be found in the venue section of our website www.skillsandlearningace.com/our-centres/.

Unspent Criminal Convictions we require learners to disclose any unspent criminal convictions. Please refer to www.skillsandlearningace.com/policies/disclosure-of-unspent-convictions.

If you have any accessibility or disability issues that we need to accommodate or if you think you may need any other support to complete your chosen course, please contact: 01202 123444 or e-mail enquiries@salbcp.com. All enquiries are treated in confidence.