Developing a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care

1. Developing a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care Claire Thurgate And Janet MacGregor

2. The impetus for providing a Foundation Degree programme in East Kent • Content and structure of the Foundation Degree • Development throughout 2005

3. Foundation Degrees • Will bring more people into higher education with a richer mix of backgrounds • Will fuse the academic and vocational paths to high-level qualifications (HEFCE prospectus, 2000)

4. Foundation Degrees • Vocationally focused and equip learners with the skills and knowledge relevant to their employment and the needs of the employers. • Work-based learning is central and must be appropriate to the sector or type of employer.

5. Foundation Degrees • Access and participation can be improved where opportunities for learners are provided close to home and work, and where the knowledge and skills needed in local and sectorial employment markets are met. (Foundation degree: qualification benchmark QAA 2003)

6. Impetus for providing a Foundation Degree in Kent • To provide an alternative approach to part-time study whereby experiential learning from the work-place is rewarded with academic credit. • Integrated with knowledge and understanding from taught modules. • Final award is reward for the active application of particular intellectual skills to the workplace

7. Impetus for providing a Foundation Degree in Kent • In South East Kent a large proportion of health and social care is delivered outside the Acute NHS Sector. • Despite delivering care often of a high standard in both skills and experiential knowledge many of the workers have minimal formal qualifications. • Many accessing FE Colleges to obtain NVQ’s and managers are becoming aware of the benefits to the workplace.

8. Impetus for providing a Foundation Degree in Kent • Canterbury Christ Church University approached by Kent Association for the Blind to validate and improve the experiential knowledge of their workforce. • Two local Further Education (FE) colleges requested a progression route for residential managers. • Local social care provider requested an educational package for carers working with mentally ill and/or elderly patients

9. Impetus for providing a Foundation Degree in Kent • A Foundation Degree would allow flexibility, accessibility and articulation with the Faculty of Health and Social Care’s BSc provision. • Could be designed with the employer’s knowledge of what knowledge/skills they required from their workforce to improve provision of their service users. (FDF 2005)

10. Accessing the Foundation Degree • NVQ Level 3 attainment or equivalent and history of work experience in the health and social care sector. • Only work experience – granted an interview where candidates will need to demonstrate a range of learning skills developed through work • Candidates must offer clear justification of their need to gain a foundation degree and commitment to work at an intermediate level.

11. Accessing the Foundation Degree • Need to access classroom based sessions at sometime during the week at some point in all modules. • Therefore, need written confirmation of employers support.

12. Structure – Level 1Core modules • Skills for Professional Learning • Major Health Issues: diseases, lifestyles and risk behaviours • Social context of Health and Illness

13. KAB - Low Vision Care - Visual Impairment Rehabilitation - Orientation and Mobility Generic - Self and the Workplace - Working in Teams - Working in an Organisation Structure – Level 1

14. Structure – Level 2Core modules • Care in Complex Situations • Methods of Enquiry • Project

15. KAB -Low Vision - Advanced -Developing Visual Impairment Rehabilitation -Orientation and Mobility for the Registered Blind Traveller Care Sector Management -Finance and Quality Management -Managing People and Organisations -Managing Risk in Practice Work-based modules

16. Generic -Open module -Ethics and Law practice -Spirituality: A perspective of care Work-based modules

17. Development in 2005 • Drivers • Government targets to widen access to intermediate education (NHS Plan 2000, Dearing Report 1997) • Raise levels vocational skills and employability (Skills getting on in business, getting on at work 2005) • Large student population • Funding • Need to identify funding streams. • Impact tuition fees

18. Development in 2005 • Managed together with employers/FE partners • Know what their workforce require. • Collaboration between university and workplace • New ways of teaching, learning and assessing • Remain at work • Medway and Thanet identified as regeneration areas • Mean age 45 – benefits staying in work cannot be underrated • Benefits to workforce • Blended learning • Work-based facilitators

19. Development in 2005 • Delivered on three sites • Challenges to staff • All linked to central University resources • Use virtual learning environment • 50% core: 50% work related • Gives equal importance to the workplace and undergraduate requirements • Work-base modules constructed round training already provided and guidelines from the Sector Skill Council • Core modules reflect those undertaken by all undergraduates in Faculty of Health and Social Care

20. Development in 2005 • Development of modules eg KAB and SPL • Specialist modules developed in partnership with employers • SPL - learning outcomes same as undergraduate provision but delivered differently to support differing learning styles. • Mixed assessment • Element of reflective log, evidence work base activity and either – report, essay, seminar or poster. • Portfolio

21. Development in 2005 • Evidence prior learning rather than NVQ • Element of risk, but need to allow experience worker to assess • Students selected by employer • Selection process designed – hoping its accurate in its predictions • Those who were unsuccessful placed on a waiting list • Hope that student motivation, careful support and reward will prove our prediction to be correct.

22. In Summary • Overview of setting up and the start of a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care • Nine points of interest where debate continues, so as to ensure the product is of a continuing quality. No doubt more areas of discussion will evolve. • Widening participation and development of work-base education are not easy options – but hopefully worthwhile when students succeed.