Description
NCFE CACHE Level 1 Diploma in Introduction to Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s Settings
- £475
- *Prices shown are all-inclusive of VAT—no extra charges!
- Priority Track option available
Why Study with us?
- Priority-track assessments and workbook marking
- For learners aged 14+ exploring a career in care, early years or children’s services
- Flexible, self-paced study – most learners finish in 6–9 months
- Courses designed and assessed by subject-qualified industry trainers and assessors
- One-to-one live sessions (if desired) with expert tutors
Health and Social Care Level 1 Diploma Course Overview
If you want a health and social care Level 1 qualification that goes well beyond the basics, the NCFE CACHE Level 1 Diploma in Introduction to Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s Settings is the most in-depth option at this level. It introduces the whole sector – adult health and social care, early years and childcare, and services for children and young people – and explains how these settings differ, who works in them and the values that guide good practice. It is knowledge-only, so you can start from age 14 with no experience and no placement.
Seven mandatory units cover safeguarding, communication, equality and inclusion, health and safety and person-centred support. You then add optional units on working with others, healthy eating and drinking, learning disability, sensory loss, mental health and your own self-development. At 37 credits, the Diploma is larger than both the Level 1 Award and the Level 1 Certificate in Introduction to Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s Settings, so it is the right choice if you want the broadest grounding before Level 2 study.
Career Opportunities and Progression after the Level 1 Health and Social Care Diploma
A Level 1 qualification is a starting point rather than a job qualification. The Diploma does not confer occupational competence, so on its own it will not qualify you for a care worker or nursery practitioner role. What it does give you is a recognised certificate and a clear picture of the sector, which can strengthen applications for college courses, apprenticeships and volunteering, and help you decide whether adult care, early years or work with children and young people suits you best.
From age 16 you could move on to Level 2 in your chosen area. If you are working in adult care, our Level 2 Diploma in Care develops the skills for a care worker role. If you would rather work with children, the Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner or the Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People’s Workforce are natural next steps. These Level 2 courses assess your practice, so you will need to be working or on placement in a suitable setting.
Do I need a work placement to complete this course?
No. This is a knowledge-only qualification, so you do not need to be working in care or complete a placement, and everything is studied and assessed online. If you already volunteer or work in a care home, school, nursery or youth setting, you can draw on that experience in your assignments, but it is not a requirement.
There are no exams. Each unit is assessed through a portfolio of evidence that is internally assessed by your tutor and externally quality assured by NCFE. Tasks are varied – for example written answers, leaflets, booklets, charts, diagrams or an information board. The qualification is graded Achieved or Not Yet Achieved. Assignments are marked within 3–5 working days, or 1–3 working days on Priority Track.
To achieve the Diploma you need at least 37 credits: 20 credits from the seven mandatory units plus at least 17 credits from optional units. Our programme covers the following 13 units.
Mandatory units
Unit 01: Understand the Range of Service Provision and Roles within Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare
Unit 02: Understand the Principles and Values in Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare
Unit 03: Awareness of Protection and Safeguarding in Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare
Unit 04: Introduction to Communication in Health and Social Care (Adults and Children and Young People), Early Years and Childcare
Unit 05: Introductory Awareness of Equality and Inclusion in Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s Settings
Unit 06: Introductory Awareness of Health and Safety in Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s Settings
Unit 07: Introductory Awareness of Person-Centred Support in Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s Settings
Optional units
Unit 08: Introductory Awareness of Working with Others in Health, Social Care and Children’s and Young People’s Settings
Unit 09: Introductory Awareness of the Importance of Healthy Eating and Drinking for Adults
Unit 10: Self Development
Unit 11: Introduction to Learning Disability
Unit 12: Introduction to Sensory Loss
Unit 13: Introduction to Mental Health
The qualification has 307 guided learning hours (GLH) and a total qualification time (TQT) of 370 hours. Study is self-paced, and most learners complete it in 6–9 months, depending on how much time they can give each week. Your enrolment includes 12 months’ access to the learning platform and tutor support from the date you enrol; if you need longer, you can extend your access for a re-enrolment fee.
Qualification Number: 600/4797/5
NCFE is an Awarding Organisation regulated by Ofqual, ensuring that all qualifications adhere to rigorous standards.
Vocational Courses we offer in Bundle
Pricing Plans
Standard One Time Purchase
Make a single payment, and you're all set to begin your learning journey.
£475*inc. VAT
- OfQual-approved qualification
- 24/7 access to LMS and unlimited tutor support
- Transparent pricing, no hidden charges
- Start when you're ready with a full year of access.
- Unlimited revisions
- Receive feedback within 3 – 5 working days
Standard Monthly
Spread the cost of £546.24 (inc. VAT) with convenient monthly payments over 6 months.
£91.04*inc. VAT
per month
Priority Track One Time Purchase
Make a single payment, and you're all set to begin your learning journey.
£546*inc. VAT
- OfQual-approved qualification
- 24/7 access to LMS and unlimited tutor support
- Transparent pricing, no hidden charges
- Start when you're ready with a full year of access.
- Unlimited revisions
- Receive feedback within 1 – 3 working days
Priority Track Monthly
Spread the cost of £627.90 (inc. VAT) with convenient monthly payments over 6 months.
£104.65*inc. VAT
per month
Discounted Business/Corporate Purchases
Enjoy Bulk Discounts
The following bulk discounts are applicable to our corporate clients:
5% for booking 3 learners
10% for booking 5 or more learners
15% for booking 10 or more learners
For enquiries, please contact our sales team at +44 20 8178 4802
Flexible Payment Options
Take advantage of a 30-day payment term when buying 5 or more courses. Please note that an upfront payment will be required unless you are a regular buyer.
Course reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
It is for anyone aged 14 or over who is curious about a career in care – school and college learners, school leavers, adults returning to learning and people thinking about a change of career. No experience is needed. It suits you best if you are not yet sure whether adult care, early years or work with children and young people is right for you and want to explore all three in depth.
You will learn how health, social care, early years and children’s services are organised, the roles within them and the principles and values behind good practice. You will also cover safeguarding, communication, equality and inclusion, health and safety, person-centred support and working with others, plus introductions to learning disability, sensory loss and mental health, healthy eating and drinking for adults, and your own self-development.
All three introduce health, social care and children’s and young people’s settings and share the same core units – the difference is size and depth. The Level 1 Award is the shortest. The Level 1 Certificate has 215 guided learning hours across nine units. This Diploma has 307 guided learning hours and 37 credits: it covers the same nine topics and adds optional units such as learning disability, sensory loss and mental health. Choose the Diploma if you want the broadest health and social care Level 1 qualification.
Yes. The course is delivered 100% online through our learning platform, so you can study at home and fit learning around school, college or work. You have unlimited tutor support throughout, with optional one-to-one live sessions if you would like extra help, and you can pay in full or spread the cost over 6 monthly payments.
Not on its own. The Diploma gives you foundation knowledge of how care settings work, but it does not confer competence or a licence to practise, so it does not qualify you for a care worker or practitioner role by itself. It can strengthen applications for college courses, apprenticeships and volunteering, and it prepares you well for Level 2 study.
You must be aged 14 or over. There are no formal academic entry requirements, but you will need basic reading and writing skills to complete written tasks, and access to a computer or tablet with an internet connection.
No. There are no fixed deadlines for individual assignments, so you can study at your own pace as long as you complete the course within your access period.
This qualification is awarded by NCFE, an awarding organisation regulated by Ofqual, under its CACHE brand for care and early years qualifications. On successful completion you will receive an NCFE CACHE certificate.
Qualification Number: 600/4797/5
If you still have any questions, please refer to our main FAQs page or contact us for further assistance.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.