Community Health Services and Social Care

Duration
This is a full- time one year course, which runs from September to May. Exact details of the timetable will be given out to students during the induction process prior to class commencement in September.

Overview
This course is suitable for both mature students and school leavers, who would like to work in the area of health and social care. This QQI Award provides the opportunity to pursue a fulfilling and rewarding career providing care and support to vulnerable people in the community. Students will acquire knowledge of health and social care theories and best practice. Students will also acquire practical experience on work placement. This could include a variety of settings such as resource centres, hostels for homeless, addiction services and youth projects. This course is delivered by teachers including specialist nurses who bring a real depth of experience to their teaching. Students will use two fully equipped nursing suites for all of the practical work.

Entry Requirements
One of the following:

• Leaving Certificate (LC Established, LCVP, LCA) or equivalent
• A Full QQI Level 4 Award (or equivalent)
• For Mature applicants (aged 21 or over) – appropriate experience will be considered in lieu of formal qualifications. Note: Mature applicants may be entitled to VTOS funding. For details about VTOS, please contact the college.
• For applicants who do not meet the above entry requirements, please contact Dublin College, Dun Laoghaire
• Note: For all applicants, please note that English language proficiency is a mandatory requirement. Where English is not declared as the first language of an applicant, evidence will be required of proficiency (CEFR Level B1 or equivalent).
  In the event that an applicant does not have the evidence, the college can provide testing free of charge, which must be completed prior to commencement to the course.

Certification

• Level 5 QQI Award – Community and Health Services (5M4468)
• First Aid Certificate (Optional)
• Manual and People Handling Certificate (Optional)
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults – HSeLanD

Special Features
All Dublin College Dun Laoghaire students are provided with an M365 account, which gives them access to the tools and resources needed to deliver assessment work while attending their course. M365 Apps include Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and OneDrive.

Work Experience

Students will be required to undertake a period work placement in an organisation connected to their vocational area during the academic year.  Work Experience is mandatory for all of our full-time Level 5 courses. Students are required to source their own work placement, but will be assisted in this by the work experience teacher.  The work placement is usually for a period of 10 days or a minimum of 60 hours.  Students usually find the work experience element of the course to be invaluable, and should bear in mind that a successful work placement can sometimes lead to further opportunities.

This programme requires students to undertake work experience that will bring them into contact with children or vulnerable adults and in which they assume positions of trust. As a result, all students will undertake Garda Vetting prior to commencing their work experience.

Applicants should be aware that healthcare environments used in work experience may insist that students are fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Additional Information
Emerging Health Occupations

Due to unprecedented demand, Ireland’s health system is currently recruiting qualified staff who can treat and support dementia, disabilities, mental health and social issues. This course is an ideal stepping stone for either employment or educational progression in these specialist areas.

Assessment

Assessment techniques will be used to assess the knowledge and skills that students will have achieved on successful completion of modules:

• Student Record
• Collection of Work
• Assignments
• Examination (Written)
• Project
• Skills Demonstration

All assignments are submitted electronically.  Therefore, all students need access to a device such as a computer/laptop.

A full major award is granted on passing the relevant eight components.  On successful completion of each component, you will be awarded a pass, a merit or a distinction grade. See www.qqi.ie for more details
Progression Opportunities

Graduates are eligible to apply through the CAO and/or the Higher Education Links Scheme for entry to year one of a range of higher certificate and degree programmes, at Universities, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities using their full QQI Level 5 major award. Places are not guaranteed in these Institutes and are subject to students meeting certain criteria.  It is the students’ responsibility to consult with the relevant HEI for information on the admissions process and any specific entry requirements. Students may also refer to the individual HEI prospectus or may also refer to the QQI FET section of the CAO website. www.cao.ie

Examples of CAO progression opportunities are listed below.
Progression Examples
BA Arts (MH101)

BA Psychology (MH106)

Bachelor of Social Science (MH107)

Bachelor of Social Science (Community and Youth Work) (MH116)

Maynooth University – www.nuimaynooth.ie
BA Arts (DN520)

BA Humanities (DN530)

BSc Social Sciences (DN700)

BSocSc Social Policy and Sociology (DN750)

BSc Psychology (DN720)

BSc Criminology with Psychology (DN620)

University College Dublin – www.ucd.ie
Bachelor Law (TR004)

Bachelor of Deaf Studies (TR016)

Trinity College Dublin – www.tcd.ie
BSc Applied Psychology (DL825)

IADT, Dún Laoghaire – www.iadt.ie
BA Arts (CK101)

BSocSc Social Science (CK102)

BSocSc Social Science (Youth and Community Work) (CK114)

University College Cork – www.ucc.ie
BA Social Care (TU996)

BA Social Care Practice (TU997)

BA Applied Social Studies in Social Care (TU991)

BA Community and Youth Development (TU792)

BA Early Childhood Education (TU995)

Technological University Dublin – www.tud.ie
BSc Health and Society (DC209)

Dublin City University – www.dcu.ie
BA Community Youth Work (DK767)

Dundalk Institute of Technology – www.dkit.ie
BA Social Science (WD187)

BA Social Care Practice (WD192)

Waterford Institute of Technology – www.wit.ie
BA Social Care Practice (AL860)

Athlone Institute of Technology – www.ait.ie
BA Applied Social Studies in Professional Social Care (CW068)

Institute of Technology Carlow – www.itcarlow
BSc Psychology (GY104)

Galway University – www.nuigalway.ie