Improve your career prospects within health and social care with distance learning courses.

Health and social care distance learning courses are a flexible way to train and learn. Encouraging lifelong learning is a goal for the care industry as a whole, however many workers don’t have access to the materials they need. Coupled with limited time at work for professional development, home study courses are becoming increasingly popular.

Shift patterns and long hours can make it difficult to complete a course to a tight schedule, doing a distance learning course means that you can fit this into your schedule and do the learning at a time and place that is suitable for you. Whether you are new to the care sector, or want to progress in your current career, a distance learning course can give you the step up you need.

Here are 5 reasons why you should do a distance learning course in health & social care:

Provide the best possible care

Our wide range of tailored distance learning courses can give you a boost in knowledge and confidence allowing you to provide the best possible care for your service users. From understanding mental health, care planning, falls prevention, to learning how dementia progresses, you can make sure that you offer a personal and sensitive service to clients.

Develop your skills

Taking a qualification is a fantastic way to identify any gaps in your knowledge. Your role may have recently changed, or you might be taking part in a new initiative. Even if you have already been trained, keeping up with the latest legislation, and changes in technology, is essential. A great way to respond to constructive feedback from a manager is to look for ways to keep learning. Being asked to mentor a more junior member of staff can also be the ideal time to brush up on procedures and standards for care.

Specialise in one area

As we live longer, more people than ever before need physical assistance in their homes or in sheltered living environments. On the front line of caring for the elderly and disabled are experienced health and social care employees. There are 1.48 million health and social care professionals in the UK, working in many different settings. You may decide to take on a role with:

• The elderly – focusing on dementia care with a Certificate in the principles of dementia care
• Children or young people – with a Certificate in caring for children and young people
• Individuals with mental health problems – with a Certificate in awareness of mental health problems
• People with learning difficulties – with a Certificate in principles of working with individuals with learning disabilities

Save money

Our distance learning courses are fully funded in England as long as you meet our eligibility criteria of being 19+ as of past August, you must hold a level 1 qualification (in any discipline), and not currently be on an apprenticeship programme. You will need to have lived in UK for the past 3 years and you must have access to computer/laptop (mobile phone platform not suitable)

Explore options for your future

Health and social care courses will equip you with a range of transferable skills which are sought after in many industries. Whether you want to progress in management or go into training, adding to your skills will pay off. Studying online is also an excellent method for developing self-discipline.

You’ll learn how to research independently, put together academic assignments and memorise new information. Once you have completed the distance learning courses you could always look at an apprenticeship in health and social care to further your career. Have a look at our whole range of distance learning courses on the website here