Why study Care?

This course helps you to develop the knowledge and skills to understand people who use care services. You will learn why people need care, and how to support their health and wellbeing. The course helps you to develop important skills such as problem-solving, communication, planning and managing tasks, and applying knowledge and understanding to care issues and scenarios.

These skills are valuable in a wide range of career sectors, including health care, social care and childcare.

Career Pathways

To see what career areas this subject could lead to and the routes to get there, download and view these career pathways:

Health and Medicine

Social, Caring and Advisory

What do I need to get in?

Entry is at the discretion of the school or college but you would normally have achieved one of the following:

• National 4 Literacy Unit
• National 4 Care
• National 4 SfW Early Learning and Childcare
• National 4 SfW Health Sector

What will I study?

This course will enable you to understand why people use care services and to develop the knowledge and value base required for working in contemporary care practice in settings such as health care, social care and childcare. You will develop knowledge, understanding and attributes that will help you to make informed decisions to support the health and wellbeing of others.

The course comprises three areas of study.

Values and principles

You will:

• investigate the health and social care provision available to meet the needs of people requiring care
• explain needs and how methods of assessment are used to identify needs
• gain an understanding of the key features of a positive care environment, and describe the role of legislation
• look at the importance of values and principles in promoting positive care practice.

Human development and behaviour

You will learn how to:

• apply your knowledge and understanding of development and behaviour to individuals using care services
• develop an understanding of how life experiences can affect people
• explain how a care worker can use psychological theories to understand the behaviour of individuals using care services.

Social influences

You will learn how to:

• explain the ways in which social influences can impact on people, and the relevance this has for care practice
• use sociological concepts to explain social influences and the impact these might have on people’s life chances
• explain actions taken in society to improve the life chances of individuals using care services.

There is the opportunity for personalisation, where you can choose which care issues and settings to investigate.

How will I be assessed?

Course Assessment

The course assessment consists of two components totalling 120 marks:

• Component 1: question paper – worth 40 marks 
• Component 2: project – 80 marks.

For the project component, you are required to respond to a brief, where you will research and investigate the needs of an individual requiring care and the services that meet those needs. There are 3 sections: Action Plan, Responding to the Project Brief, and Evaluation. The project will be set and marked externally by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.

The question paper will be set and marked externally by the SQA.

The grade awarded is based on the total marks achieved across all course assessment components.

The course assessment is graded A-D.  

Study Materials

• SQA Past Papers Care National 5
• SQA Specimen Paper Care National 5
• SQA Understanding Standards Care
• Ushare Study Resources

What can I go on to next?

Successful completion of this course will normally lead to study at the following levels:

• Higher Care

Further study, training or employment in:

• Health and Medicine
• Social, Caring and Advisory Services

Which jobs are related to this subject?

• Care - Related Careers

Where can my parents find out more?

Your school will give your parents an Options or Choices information booklet, which has detailed information on the curriculum and the individual subjects or courses you can study. It will also invite them along to a Parents’ Information Evening.

They can also read the information leaflet(s):

Nationals in a Nutshell - Care (National 5)