A2as HSC Support 4578

GCE AS/A2
In
Health and Social Care

TEACHER GUIDANCE Amended August 2012
For first teaching from September For first AS certification in Spring For first A2 certification in Spring
2006 2007 2008
Updated: August 2012
Contents
Page Introduction AS Unit 1 AS Unit 2 AS Unit 3 AS Unit 4 AS Unit 5 AS Unit 6 AS Unit 14 A2 Unit 7 A2 Unit 8 A2 Unit 9 A2 Unit 10 A2 Unit 11 A2 Unit 12 A2 Unit 15 Promoting Positive Care Communication in Care Settings Health and Well-Being Child Development Adult Service Users Holistic Therapies Understanding Human Physiology Applied Research Monitoring Body Systems Providing Services Health Promotion Supporting the Family Understanding Human Behaviour Human Nutrition and Dietetics 3 4 11 15 19 24 28 32 37 42 47 51 57 62 68
Introduction
This document has been produced to provide guidance on the delivery and assessment of the coursework units at AS and A2 for GCE Applied Health and Social Care. If centres require additional help or support they should contact: Glynis Henderson (Principal Officer) Tel: 028 9026 1414 ghenderson@ccea.org.uk Nola McLarnon (Specification Support Officer) Tel: 028 9026 1200 ext 2235 nmclarnon@ccea.org.uk
AS UNIT 1 (A3H) PROMOTING POSITIVE CARE

Assessment Guidance: This unit is internally assessed. Students will complete an assignment adhering to the specified word count. The assignment must have the word total for each statement recorded on the candidate record sheet. Teachers will mark the assignment and it must be internally standardised. A sample of assignments identified by CCEA will be submitted for moderation. Unit 1 is a compulsory unit. It is an excellent introductory unit. Students may find aspects of this unit challenging so it is essential that they understand the content of the specification before attempting the assignment (assessment evidence) which requires them to apply their knowledge to a care setting. A period of work placement in a care setting is desirable but if this is not practical then planned and organised visits will provide students with the necessary information. It is imperative that students produce independent work to enable them to access mark band four. The Care Value Base This section requires students to understand the principles of the care value base. Students should only focus on three of the five principles in the specification. Information is readily available in all Health and Social Care textbooks but again ensure that the focus is on any three of the five principles in the specification promote anti-discriminatory practice, maintain confidential information, promote clients rights and choices, respect individuals identity and beliefs and promote effective communication. A teacher led class discussion explaining the five principles and how they may be applied in care settings will be necessary. Promote anti-discriminatory practice e.g. treating each client fairly and as an individual with unique needs/avoidance of stereotyping/staff recognising and dealing with their own prejudice/providing equal opportunities/equal opportunity policies/staff training/challenging discrimination. Maintain confidential information e.g. sharing information on a need to know basis only/secure storage of information (passwords for computers)/not gossiping about clients/private facilities for confidential meetings/confidentiality policies. Promote clients rights and choices e.g. the right to privacy, dignity, confidentiality/to be different/to safety and security/the right to choice/to have their opinion taken into account re treatment, options etc. Respect individuals identity and beliefs e.g. cultural and religious beliefs/providing appropriate foods/practice of religious beliefs/celebration of religious and cultural events. Promote effective communication between staff/clients/relatives/outside agencies/effective communication skills/empathy/being genuine/awareness of barriers to communication. This could be reinforced and understanding enhanced by a class discussion on how the principles of the care value base are applied by the staff at the school. Programmes such as Holby City or Casualty and media articles may be used to highlight good and bad practice. Other useful approaches to ensure understanding may include role plays of situations where the principles of the care value base have/have not been applied by staff or group work where students are given a different care setting and asked to discuss how staff apply the principles of the care value base and then report back to the group. Examples of settings may be a play group, hospital, health centre, day centre or care home. Students could also focus on a care
setting that they use e.g. the dentist or health centre and consider how the staff apply the principles of the Care Value Base in their daily work. Other suitable activities include the drawing up of a check list e.g. You are going on work placement in a care home/nursery. Draw up a list of examples of good practice to follow to ensure you apply three of the principles of the Care Value Base while on work placement. A talk by a health or social care professional such as a nurse or social worker on how they apply the principles of the care value base would be valuable. Legislation that promotes positive care Students may find this section challenging. An initial class discussion before introducing the legislation is essential to ensure students understand the terms rights and responsibilities and service users and providers. It may be useful to explain these terms in a school context the service users are the pupils and the providers are the teachers, management etc. The pupils have the right to education in a safe healthy environment and it is the responsibility of the management and teachers to provide this. Although this explanation is basic it will help students understand these terms. The discussion can then be extended to care settings through class discussion or group work. A list of care settings e.g. health centres, care homes, crches could be drawn up and students asked to identify the service users and providers and their rights and responsibilities. When students have a clear understanding of these terms then legislation may be introduced. A teacher led discussion on the term legislation may be useful especially for students who have not studied Health and Social Care before. As students sometimes find the legislation difficult to understand it may be more beneficial for the teacher to provide a summary of each piece of legislation which is then explained and discussed in class. Only the legislation in the specification should be considered. The Human Rights Act 1998 is a very lengthy piece of legislation and it is good practice to choose three or four articles which apply to care settings e.g. Right to Life, Right to Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion, Prohibition of Discrimination, Right to Education, Right to Respect, Privacy and Family Life. The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 focuses on the right of the child to be listened to and have their views taken in account. It also upholds the rights of the parent to be consulted and the need to keep children safe. The Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 states the grounds for sectioning clients with mental health problems and the right of appeal. The Special Educational Needs and Disability (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 is the extension of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to schools, strengthening the rights of children with special needs to be educated in a mainstream school. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 protects the rights of disabled service users and helps prevent discrimination on the grounds of access to services etc. The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 aims to improve existing safeguards for children and vulnerable adults by preventing unsuitable people working with them. Information on the legislation is available from various sources. The Equality Commission (www.equalityni.org) provides clear guidance on much of the legislation and will provide advice to teachers and give talks to students if requested. The schools Special Needs Co-ordinator can provide advice on SENDO. The designated teacher or a social worker can advise on The Children (NI) Order. The teacher who organises work experience may provide advice on The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (NI) Order. The website www.diycommittee.org is also a sound source of information. Health and Social Care textbooks also provide information on legislation. While these texts focus on English legislation there is enough similarity to provide guidance.
Having explained and discussed the various pieces of legislation students now need to apply the legislation to care settings. What are the implications of the legislation for service users and providers? What rights does the legislation give the service users and what responsibilities does it place on the service providers? A useful approach could be group work. Each group could be given a different care setting to discuss and be provided with a table to complete. Example Care Home A is a residential setting for elderly clients. Analyse how the Human Rights Act 1998 relates to the rights and responsibilities of the service users and providers of this care home. The table may have two different headings service users have the right to; and service providers have the responsibility to; - e.g. Article 2: Right to Life. Service users have the right to receive good quality care and treatment provided in a safe environment by trained staff Service providers have the responsibility to ensure health and safety policies are in place and that staff are properly trained Students need to be aware that not all legislation applies to all care settings e.g. The Mental Health (NI) Order 1986 only applies to settings where service users are likely to be sectioned and it is The Special Educational Needs and Disability (NI) Order 2005 and not the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 that applies to schools. It is essential that students have a sound understanding of this section. Health and Safety This section also requires considerable teacher input to ensure students understand the key features and implications of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, [including Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and Reporting of Injury, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR)] in relation to a safe working environment for carers and service users in their chosen setting. This legislation is of particular importance in care settings where clients may be young, vulnerable and unable to maintain their own health and safety. Applied AS Health and Social Care published by Folens provides current, concise and applied information on the above legislation. Valuable information is also available on www.hseni.gov.uk . It is not necessary to explain in detail all the regulations which stem from this piece of legislation. Students need to understand that the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 sets requirements for both employers and employees. Employers must ensure the health and safety of their employees and provide and maintain equipment and work systems which are safe. This aspect could then be discussed in relation to care settings e.g. the manager of the care home must ensure that equipment is checked for safety and serviced on a regular basis and staff are given training and information on how to operate the equipment to ensure their own safety. Employees must co-operate with their employers e.g. the staff in a nursery should attend training provided and follow policies and procedures given by their employer. The implications of this regulation can also be discussed in relation to the school e.g. overhead projectors, fire extinguishers and other equipment are checked annually students will be able to see the date/record of check on the appliance. As with previous pieces of legislation, it will be necessary to outline and explain the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
(COSHH) the keeping of an up to date COSHH file listing the details of all hazardous substances stored on the premises and COSHH assessments. The school caretaker/cleaning supervisor and technical support staff in science and technology departments may also provide valuable information on this aspect. A class discussion could then focus on the application of COSHH in care settings e.g. identification of hazardous substances, how they are stored and labelled etc. The final piece of legislation is the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). Again students need to be aware of the implications of these regulations for care settings the reporting by employees of deaths, major injuries/accidents, diseases, dangerous occurrences and the recording of such occurrences. This could also be applied to the school the completion of an accident form when a pupil is injured or the reporting of an outbreak of mumps within the school. A class discussion on the application of the regulations within care settings can further enhance understanding e.g. an elderly client in a care home falls and fractures her hip/a child becomes ill after drinking cleaning fluid in a nursery or a cleaner develops dermatitis after wearing latex gloves required when using cleaning materials. A visit to a care setting may be beneficial to gain first hand information and observe the legislation in practice. The visit should be well planned. The manager of the care setting should be aware that students are focusing on the application of the legislation in the setting and students should already be aware of the content of the legislation and be prepared for the visit e.g. a questionnaire. Students could also survey their own school setting and take note of the good and bad practice in the application of the health and safety legislation. The students are required to evaluate the importance of health and safety legislation in providing the positive care of service users. They need to understand that discussion involves evaluative reflection. Policies The final section of this unit requires students to understand the strengths and limitations of policies and procedures within care settings used to implement codes of practice and various laws and regulations. By following these policies and procedures staff help promote positive care within the setting. Students also need to be aware that certain professionals such as nurses and social care workers also have codes of practice which include guidelines for these workers to follow in their day to day care of service users. These are often included in the policies of care settings and help promote positive care. It is not necessary to discuss Codes of Practice in detail the main focus should be on policies within care settings. Students need to be aware of several aspects regarding policies what they are, their purpose, how they are monitored within care settings and their importance in promoting positive care, so they can evaluate their effectiveness. A useful introduction to this section is to issue each student with a copy of a school policy e.g. The Emergency Evacuation Procedure Policy which can then be discussed. A class discussion could then be used to evaluate the effectiveness of this policy in promoting the positive care of the students in the school. When students have a clear understanding of the importance of policies in promoting positive care within the school environment they could then consider three policies in the chosen care setting. There are many policies within care settings confidentiality, health and safety, anti bullying, complaints, moving and handling etc. Model policies are available on the internet and some care settings may be willing to provide examples of their policies which could be used for class discussion if this is the case then confidentiality should be maintained by removing names from the policy. To conclude, when delivering this section it is imperative to concentrate on the evaluation of the effectiveness of three policies in promoting positive care in the chosen setting.
Impact of poor practice Students need to understand that, despite the care value base and legislation and policies promoting positive care, poor practice persists across the sector. They may be introduced to some examples of poor practice using newspaper reports, disciplinary outcomes on the Northern Ireland Social Care Council or Nursing and Midwifery Council websites, or television programmes e.g. Panorama. They should also be encouraged to research examples of their own which should be UK based. Students also need to examine the impact/potential impact of poor practice on the well being of service users. They can also consider the impact on families, carers and service providers and the wider community. Case studies and group work may be used to explore these themes. Information on the effects of poor practice is available in all Health and Social Care textbooks. Mark schemes for AS Unit 3 (Health and Well Being) AS Unit 5 (Adult Service Users) and A2 Unit 9 (Providing Services) which are available from CCEA provide valuable information. Assessment Guidance It is good practice to introduce the assignment (assessment evidence). The workload is more manageable for candidates and teachers if it is completed statement by statement and marked as such. A reasonable amount of time should be allocated for the completion of each statement. Candidates are required to produce a report on a health, social care or early years setting. Confidentiality must be maintained the name of the setting or staff must not be given. Candidates may refer to Playgroup A or Care Home X etc. Candidates should identify and describe briefly the care setting in the introduction. Statement A (suggested length approx 400 words per principle) The statement requires candidates to explain how three of the five principles of the care value base may be applied by care workers in the chosen care setting. Candidates should be encouraged to discuss in detail three or four ways the staff in the setting apply each of the principles chosen and how this impacts positively on service users. The focus of the statement is on the application of the three values by the staff e.g. the staff in Playgroup A maintain confidential information in several ways. Only senior members of staff know the password to enable them to access the personal information of the children. In Care Home X staff always ensure they know the identity of the caller before passing on information. All care plans are stored in a locked cabinet in the managers office etc. Candidates should be encouraged to complete each of the principles in similar detail and to discuss the impact on service users e.g. service users develop trust in the staff, they feel respected. Candidates do not need to explain the principles nor their background the focus of the statement is their application by the care workers and the impact on the service users. The total marks available for this statement are fifteen therefore each of the three principles may be marked out of five and the total recorded on the Candidate Record Sheet. Again annotation can assist accuracy of marking.
Statement B (suggested length approx 500 words per law) Candidates should focus on the command word when completing this statement they are required to describe how legislation impacts upon the chosen care setting. Candidates must describe how two pieces of relevant legislation from the specification which impact on the setting e.g. if a candidate has chosen a nursery they may consider The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 and The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (Northern Ireland) Order 2005. Candidates should not include irrelevant detail such as the history of the legislation - they should focus on the aspects relevant to chosen care setting. The total marks available for this statement is twenty so accuracy may be enhanced by allocating ten marks to each of the two pieces of legislation. Candidates should not be awarded mark band four unless an in depth description has been independently produced. Statement C (suggested length approx 1500 words) Candidates are required to discuss how The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, COSHH and RIDDOR are applied in the chosen care setting. Candidates should not discuss the background of the legislation nor the contents the focus is on how the legislation is applied in the chosen care setting. Examples of application may include under COSHH the manager of Care Home X carries out assessments to identify products that may be hazardous to health. In the home these products may be drugs, soiled linen cleaning substances etc. RIDDOR requires employers to keep records of reportable injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences for three years from the date of the incident. The manager of Playgroup B has an accident report book where all such incidences are recorded. The accident reports are detailed including information such as the date, brief description of circumstances etc. Candidates awarded mark band four must independently produce a detailed discussion of the application of health and safety legislation in the chosen care setting. Annotation can ensure accuracy of marking e.g. app where legislation is clearly applied.
Statement D (suggested length approx 1200 words) Candidates should focus on the command word when completing this statement they are required to evaluate the effectiveness of three policies in promoting positive care in their chosen care setting. The evaluation should be succinct. Candidates need to consider how the three policies can promote positive care. Possible responses may read this policy/these policies help reduce confusion among staff about expected behaviours e.g. the Confidentiality Policy informs staff how to keep personal information about clients secure. This helps promote trust between the service user and carer and encourages the service user to be honest etc. Candidates also need to consider the possible drawbacks of the policies. Some points to consider may be are the policies accessible to staff/are they user friendly/have staff been allocated time during induction to study the policies/are the policies updated/are service users aware of the policies etc? Annotation of the work can help ensure accurate marking. Candidates are not required to explain the implementation of policies in the setting. Statement E E (i) (suggested length approximately 250 words each example) In this statement each candidate is required to research two examples of poor practice in the health, social care and early year sectors. All examples should be UK based. The N.I Social Care Councils website and the Nursing and Midwifery Councils website are good sources of information, as disciplinary hearing procedures are published by these organisations. Both local and national newspapers will also have suitable examples and television programmes can also be a valuable source. Work in excess of 10% of the word limit for each statement cannot access mark band 4. Candidates are expected to succinctly summarise each of the examples chosen in their own words, highlighting the poor practice. E (ii) (suggested length approximately 500 words each example) For each example candidates must discuss the impact/potential impact of the poor practice identified. The impact of poor practice could be short and/or long term. It may also affect other service users than those identified in the case studies chosen. For example, in a case where an elderly service user has been neglected in a care home, it is probable that other service users have also been affected e.g. worried or distressed. This may be considered in the discussion. The impact on families, carers and service providers and the wider community may also be considered, if appropriate. Conclusion It is good practice to annotate work. At the end of each statement include a brief comment justifying the mark band awarded. Work awarded mark band four should be succinct and independently produced. A bibliography is essential.
10
AS UNIT 2 (A3H2) COMMUNICATION IN CARE SETTINGS

Assessment Guidance: This unit is internally assessed. Students will complete an assignment adhering to the specified word count. The assignment must have the word total for each statement recorded on the candidate record sheet. Teachers will mark the assignment and it must be internally standardised. A sample of assignments identified by CCEA will be submitted for moderation. Introduction This unit requires candidates to identify a suitable health and social care or early years setting and over a period of time to observe and report on a variety of methods of communication employed in the chosen setting. The unit is completed by planning, carrying out, and evaluating two interactions. The best results are obtained when the candidates report on communication techniques witnessed while on work placements so that the outcome is independent and can, therefore, access the higher mark bands. Types of Communication Students need to recognise the different forms of communication used and their purpose. This might include formal interactions like interviews or meetings, explanation of procedures to service users or relatives and exchange of information among professionals or more informal interactions between service users and health professionals, colleagues or health professionals and family members. The techniques used in these differing situations as well as when in one to one and group interactions should be recognised. Students should be able to identify the following types of communication and their purposes: Verbal; Non verbal which could include sign language and body language; Written, which could include reports, message boards, patient notes and charts, or the use of Braille; Multi media to include email, fax and text messages.
An initial introduction to the terms and language used to describe communication techniques using AS Health and Social Care texts (Folens, Hodder, Heinman Collins, or Communicating in Health and Social Care by Hilary Thompson) can be completed. Other delivery strategies may include group work where students could role play to experience a range of communication situations. Another successful strategy is to watch a variety of televised interviews to identify verbal skills, handling different points of view, voice levels and speed as well as non verbal messages such as eye contact, shrugging, posture and contact. The signing used to help interpret the news gives an insight into the speed and precision needed to attempt this technique.
11
The purpose of each method should be identified. This could include: to explain procedures to exchange information to promote relationships and offer support to get to know service users and their needs to promote interaction between group members to negotiate and liaise with service users, their family members, colleagues and other professionals For example, the purpose of using a letter in a school setting was to exchange information. Parents were made aware of the date, time and transport arrangements for the trip. The cost was also included and the parents were advised to send packed lunches with their children. Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Communication Factors that can have a positive effect: Environmental Factors e.g. ambient temperature, low noise levels, seating arrangements, dress codes. Emotional Factors e.g. confidence building through assurance of confidentiality and respect, empathy and understanding, valuing another point of view, active listening, etc. Social Factors e.g. showing respect for culture, ethnicity, age, ability, beliefs and using appropriate language. Skills e.g. the importance of tone, pace, pause, prompts, silence, posing questions, waiting for responses, active listening, empathy, assertiveness and reflection, eye contact, gestures, personal space, facial expressions.
In any health and social care or early years setting there will be examples of communication difficulties experienced. The aim of this section is to identify these in the chosen setting. These could include: Disability - hearing, visual, learning or dysphasia as a result of brain injury or stroke. Illness or pain Physical environment e.g. noise, temperature, poorly planned facilities Speech impairment Mental health problems Culture or ethnicity Attitudes prejudice or discrimination Perceived status
Suggested strategies for overcoming communication difficulties may include any of the following: Using special equipment e.g. hearing aids, large print written material, Braille or sign language; Services of a speech therapist, interpreter or advocate; Provision of a conducive environment; 12
Empathy, trust and assurance of confidentiality; and Consideration of and preparation for individual needs.
For example, a child in a primary school may have a visual impairment. The teacher overcame this difficulty by seating the child at the front of the room so that he could see the whiteboard more clearly. The pupil had a teaching assistant who checked the childs glasses were clean and that the child was wearing them. The teaching assistant enlarged the worksheets to enable the child to access the information and complete the activities in class. The Importance of Communication when Working in Teams In this section the focus is on working in teams. To complete it students are asked to study an identified team or teams in their chosen setting. Teams will vary from setting to setting but they will typically include management, professionals, care workers, classroom assistants, catering and clerical staff, cleaning staff etc. The teams communication techniques will be examined to highlight the way in which the team functions. This will involve how a team/teams communicates to carry out tasks to meet the needs of the service users. Formal meetings, exchange of information at handover of shifts, induction, in service training, and company policies could be used as examples. More informal examples could also be cited e.g. notice boards giving information on staff rotas and forthcoming events, telephone protocol, use of email to update staff etc, all of which can have a positive or negative effect on team dynamics and feelings of inclusion or exclusion which directly contributes to how the team contributes to meeting service users needs. The importance of communication to address all aspects of physical care will cover the physical environment, recreational provision for exercise, looking after the body like choosing menus, feeding, washing, dressing etc, and can be applied from the very young to elderly service users. The involvement of relatives will be important here so ways of communicating with them to improve care can be included. Communication within the team is also important to provide intellectual stimulation; this may involve staff in a range of diverse activities to meet service users needs. Emotional needs are constantly met by care staff employing a variety of communication techniques from verbal reassurance to non verbal methods like smiling, touching etc. Social needs can be met by a range of interactions generated by a good team. The application of observations and experiences during a visit or work placement is very important to this section. Statement A (suggested length 1200 words) Candidates work is enhanced by providing a short introduction to the care setting used. The setting should remain confidential but some insight can be gained by describing the size of the facility, the number of service users who avail of the service, the number and nature of the staff etc. A (i) Requires candidates to describe examples of two different types of communication used in their chosen setting. (700 words) A (ii) Using the identified examples explain their purpose e.g. to give information, support etc. (500 words)
13
Statement B (suggested length 1500 words) B (i) Using examples from the setting describe the positive factors affecting communication. (900 words) B (ii) Explain how difficulties in communication can be overcome. (600 words) It is important to focus only on those factors observed in the setting. B (i) and (ii) should be written separately as per assessment criteria. Statement C (suggested length 1000 words) Candidates should analyse how effective communication in a team/teams contributes to meeting service users needs within the setting. It is important here to link the effectiveness of the communication observed to the quality of care delivered to service users in the chosen setting. A range of methods of communication within a team/teams should be considered. In each case the way in which this communication meets service users needs should be discussed. Using PIES can help consider needs in full. Statement D (i) This is a crucial element within the unit. Both interactions should be well planned e.g. date, time location, those present, layout of room, model questions etc., chance encounters are not acceptable. One interaction must be undertaken in the setting. Interactions tend to be more successful where a planned task has been carried out e.g. show and tell with a primary school child (under 8). A well managed role play can be used for one of the interactions. Equal attention should be given to each interaction and they should demonstrate the different techniques employed when interacting one to one and in a group e.g. eye contact, tone of voice, pace, taking turns etc. In group interactions there should be at least 3 people involved, candidates should plan interactions where all participants have the opportunity to contribute rather than a talk or lecture where there is little need to respond. Work in excess of 10% of the word limit for each statement cannot access mark band 4. Candidates must include clear records for both interactions. Records may include a transcript, witness statements, self, peer and observer assessments and questionnaires. D (ii) (1000 words) The evaluation should be detailed and critical to access the higher mark bands. All aspects of each interaction should be examined. The planning process should be compared with the actual event. Candidates should be able to recognise their strengths and weaknesses in relation to communication skills, this could be supported with self and peer evaluation. Improvements should be suggested to complete the evaluation process. (d) (i) and (ii) should be written separately as per assessment criteria. Note: Tables, questionnaires, graphs and charts are not included in the word count.
14
AS UNIT 3 (A3H3) HEALTH AND WELL BEING

Concepts of health and well being Students should start this unit by exploring the meaning of the seven concepts listed. They will be familiar with most of the concepts from general knowledge but should be encouraged to use health and social care texts to gain precise and accurate definitions. Pair and share or group work may be useful here followed by class discussion. Examples can be useful in helping students to understand some of the concepts e.g. depression as an example of mental illness. Candidates should be encouraged to learn clear, concise definitions in preparation for the examination. Many students will be familiar with PIES (physical, intellectual, emotional and social) from GCSE or their work in other AS units, but may well have studied PIES in the context of describing development. Here the focus is on needs or basic human requirements e.g. physical needs include shelter, warmth and nutrition whilst intellectual needs include knowledge and stimulation. Students should be able to list needs and also discuss how they may be met by workers in health and social care and early years settings. As students can experience difficulties in distinguishing the needs from the ways they can be met, it may be useful to work through a number of examples in tabular form, listing the needs in one column and how they might be met in a particular setting in an adjoining column e.g. in a nursery school, a hospital or a residential care home. Students are required to consider the impact of both good health and ill-health on an individuals psychological well being e.g. on their self esteem. This may be addressed through class discussion where students might refer to real life examples of ill-health having an impact on the psychological well being of someone they know. They should also consider the positive impact of good health on psychological well being. Students should, nevertheless, be encouraged to be evaluative in their approach, recognizing that ill-health does not always have a negative impact e.g. they may know people who have demonstrated determination to make the best of their situation or who have felt emotionally supported by friends and family when suffering ill-health. Similarly people who are in good physical health may have emotional problems because physical health is only one factor out of many that influences psychological well-being e.g. physically healthy individuals may experience unhappiness and emotional upset due to family breakdown or stress at work. Case studies may be used to illustrate the complex relationship between physical health and ill-health and psychological well-being. In exploring the social effects of ill-health on individuals and their families, group work may be useful, with each group considering the impact on one aspect of life- education, employment, income, leisure activities and relationships. Again case studies are a useful tool so that students are encouraged to think about the impact of ill-health on individuals at different stages of life and on their families e.g. if a child is ill, how might this impact on the leisure activities of other members of the family? Factors affecting health and well being Students should be encouraged to learn the factors in each category as this will be a useful aide memoire for extended answers in the examination e.g. if asked to discuss or analyse the environmental factors that can affect health and well-being, candidates will be expected to
15
include the three factors listed here- geographical location, pollution and occupational hazards. Students need to consider how each factor in turn can affect all three aspects of health and well being- physical, social and psychological. As there are a range of factors to consider, candidates may benefit from individual or small group research and from sharing the notes they produce. There are many sources, both health and social care texts and internet resources, which can provide evidence of the influence of a range of factors. Good examples include reports by the World Health Organization, the Department of Health or the DHSSPSNI or the Public Health Agency. Students are encouraged to use such resources to explore the evidence for links between the factors listed and the three aspects of health- physical, social and psychological. They may also come up with points from their own knowledge and experience, but they do not need to learn details of research or statistical evidence. Health Promotion Students will be familiar with a range of health promotion campaigns or activities from the media and from their educational experience. When introducing the five health promotion approaches it may be useful to provide candidates with a hand-out explaining what is meant by each approach and ask them to relate these to examples of campaigns or activities they are aware of or that they research on the Public Health Agencys website. Students are also expected to be able to evaluate the different approaches by discussing at least three advantages and three limitations of each approach. It should be noted that the evaluative points must be specific to each particular approach to health promotion, rather than more generally applicable to any health promotion campaign or activity e.g. a weakness of any health promotion campaign or activity is that people may ignore it, whilst a weakness specific to the educational approach is that people may ignore it because they are switched off by the detailed explanation and statistical research evidence that the educational approach is likely to include. Ewles and Simnetts text is a useful teacher resource for the different approaches to health promotion. Having examined the different approaches students should go on to research in some detail a health promotion campaign or activity focused on a current health issue relevant to Northern Ireland. They should become familiar with the various ways it delivers health promotion messages to the public e.g. through statistics, posters, leaflets, television, radio, group activities etc. Perhaps the easiest way to do this is through the website of the Public Health Agency (http://www.publichealth.hscni.net) which provides information on health promotion campaigns and links to campaign specific websites where a whole range of health promotion materials can be viewed. This has replaced the Health Promotion Agencys site (www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk) which is no longer updated but is still active and so continues to be an excellent source of health promotion material. Another excellent resource is inviting a health promotion professional as a visiting speaker or a teacher who has coordinated a health promotion activity in school e.g. a healthy eating week as this may also contribute to the students understanding of how health promotion works. Students should be familiar with the campaign details including the objectives of the campaign studied- they are expected to be able to identify three objectives. Road safety campaigns should not be used. The last part of this section of the course requires students to focus on the ways that individuals can take responsibility for their own health and well-being through their own actions and behaviour. First they should explore positive lifestyle choices such as healthy diet and exercise. They should also look at accessing health and social care services e.g. taking advantage of services such as smoking cessation clinics. Finally they should become familiar with the concept of self-advocacy where individuals are proactive in speaking up for themselves with regard to their own health and well-being e.g. by requesting a referral to a specialist or by asking for a second opinion.
16
Organizations responsible for health promotion and disease prevention Students should explore the work of the organizations listed to develop an understanding of how each contributes to the health and well being of the population or of individuals. Students should understand how the different organizations fit into the different sectors- statutory, voluntary and private- and that the World Health Organisation (WHO) does not fit into any of these categories. The websites of the organisations are a good starting point as there will be a section on role or function or about us which highlights what the organization does. Students will need to spend time reading the information and putting it into points which they can learn for examination purposes. They also need to be careful to pick out points which highlight the specific role of the organization they are examining rather than more general phrases which might apply to a number of organizations e.g. works to improve the health of the population could describe the work of any of these organizations, whilst records the spread of disease on a global basis e.g. the SARS virus makes it clear that this is the work of WHO (www.who.int/en). Students are advised to explore the roles of three or four voluntary organizations that contribute to health promotion and disease prevention to give them a feel for the range of functions performed by the voluntary sector. Examination candidates are not required to answer questions on what any particular voluntary organization actually does, but may be asked to give an example or to consider how a voluntary organization might contribute to the well being of a client in a scenario. With regard to commercial and private organizations, candidates should explore the role of at least two organizations with different roles in health promotion and disease prevention e.g. a retailer such as Boots (www.boots.com) and a drugs company such as Glaxo Smith Kline (www.gsk.com) or a private clinic such as Framar Health (www.framarhealth.com). Discrimination and anti-discriminatory practice Students need to understand what is meant by the terms prejudice and discrimination and be able to give examples in health, social care and early years settings. Examples of both discriminatory practice and anti-discriminatory practice in health and social care settings should be used to explore the impact on the health and well being of service users. This is best done through short case studies and there are good examples in health and social care texts. Students also need to understand how anti-discriminatory practice can be promoted in health, social care and early years settings. They may benefit from class discussions about what they have observed during their work placements. Examples might include staff training in anti-discriminatory practice and having policies such as a complaints policy and a whistle blowing policy, making sure staff and service users know about charters of rights, having forums for discussion for staff, supervising inexperienced staff to help them apply anti- discriminatory practice in their day to day interactions with service users, promoting the care value base, dealing robustly with complaints, using disciplinary procedures to deal with staff who engage in discriminatory practice where necessary, managers setting a good example in their own practice, directly challenging staff and patients when incidents occur and making sure resources reflect a range of cultures e.g. reading materials and recognising and celebrating religious festivals from a variety of religions. Assessment Guidance The external examination will require candidates to demonstrate a range of knowledge and skills related to the health and well being of individuals and service users. The examination will require candidates, at a basic level, to describe various concepts and issues related to the health and well being of individuals and service users. In some sections of the examination candidates will be expected to demonstrate the ability to analyse concepts and issues in order to justify awarding of higher grades, for example they may be required to analyse the social effects of an individuals ill-
17
health on his family. Questions which challenge candidates to demonstrate skills of evaluation will allow for the awarding of higher marks e.g. candidates may be asked to evaluate one of the approaches to health promotion. Resources Students should have access to a range of sources pitched at AS/National Diploma level. Examples are listed below. Texts Ewles, L. and Simnett, I. (2003) Promoting Health A Practical Guide, Bailliere Tindall Moore, S. (2002) Social Welfare Alive! 3rd edition Cheltenham, Stanley Thornes Miller, Janet, (2004) Social Care Practice, Hodder & Stoughton Moonie, N. (2005) Health & Social Care, Heinemann Smithson, R. (2006) Health & Social Care, Philip Allan Stretch, B. (ed) (2006) GCE AS Level Health and Social Care, Heinemann Richards, J. (2003) Complete A-Z Health and Social Care Handbook, Hodder and Stoughton Tossell, D. & Webb, R. (1994) Inside the Caring Services, Arnold Hodder Walsh, M., Chaloner, R., Stephens,P., (2005) Health and Social Care, Collins
Websites www.actioncancer.org www.boots.com www.dhsspsni.gov.uk (Department of Health and Social Services and Public safety for Northern Ireland- publications of particular interest are A Healthier Future, A Twenty Year Vision for Health and Well being (2004) and Investing for Health (2002)) www.doh.gov.uk (Department of Health) www.framarhealth.com www.gsk.com(Glaxo Smith Kline) www.helptheaged.org.uk www.mariecurie.org.uk www.mencap.org.uk www.nhs.uk (National Health Service) www.nisra.gov.uk Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency www.publichealth.hscni.net www.praxis.org.uk www.who.int/en (World Health Organization) Broadsheet and online newspapers can be used to highlight factors affecting health and wellbeing and examples of discriminatory practice
18
AS UNIT 4 (A3H4) CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Assessment Guidance: This unit is internally assessed. Students will complete an assignment adhering to the specified word count. The assignment must have the word total for each statement recorded on the candidate record sheet. Teachers will mark the assignment and it must be internally standardised. A sample of assignments identified by CCEA will be submitted for moderation. Introduction The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to the techniques required to carry out an individual case study of a child aged between 5 and 8 years by using primary research in the form of observations and a questionnaire or interview and applying appropriate secondary source material. To comply with current child protection issues and the ethical requirements of all research, written permission from a parent should be sought and documented and he or she or someone in loco-parentis should be present during the observations. To ensure that complete confidentiality is maintained and to preserve the anonymity of the chosen child, names, locations or photographs should not appear in the report. The development of the child at his or her present age should be investigated. Key aspects of growth and development The focus here is the chosen child, however, since comparisons have to be made with expected norms it is advisable, before students embark on their child study that they research expected norms of development using secondary sources. Another useful resource would be the school nurse who could provide information on how growth is measured and development assessed. It is important to consider all aspects of growth and development physical, intellectual, emotional and social (P.I.E.S) Physical growth such as height and weight related to age can be measured and compared with age appropriate centile charts. Physical development might include hand eye co-ordination and the ability to perform gross and fine motor skills, at the childs current age. Intellectual development should include language development, numeracy and literacy skills, artistic or musical skills etc. Emotional development will include for example attachments, the development of self awareness, empathy for others etc. Social development includes social skills such as forming friendships, communication skills and appropriate behaviour for different situations etc. As students explore PIES it should become clear that aspects of development are interdependent e.g. piano playing is linked to both intellectual ability to read music and the physical span of the hand to reach notes. Factors affecting development
19
A range of factors will have an effect on the development of a child these may include any of the following: Opportunities for play - this may be location a rural area, proximity to amenities and friends, provision of toys or equipment, support of family etc. Disease/illness - this may affect physical development in a variety of ways depending on the specific condition, social development by restricting the network of friends available or the opportunities for interaction at youth organisations, clubs or societies, intellectual development by interrupting education, or emotional development by imposing periods of separation in hospital and having a direct effect on self esteem. Diet and nutrition is an important topic including healthy eating, early eating habits, school meals, junk food and obesity, which can impact on physical growth and development as well as other factors such as ability to concentrate and social and emotional health and well being. Education - the availability of early and formal education as well as parental input, accessing books, libraries and computers etc. could be investigated here. Housing - the effect of housing on all areas of development can be explored e.g. environmental factors like heating, ventilation, pollution and all health and safety aspects. Culture could focus on diet, dress, religious practices, language, traditions, sport. Relationships this may include relationships between children and between children and adults both within and outside their families.
Theories Relating to Development This area of the unit requires teacher led input before students attempt to relate one theory to their individual child. It is important to introduce a number of perspectives using human growth and development and psychology textbooks. It is important to focus on the theory and its application to development of the chosen child rather than a biography of the theorist. The theories to be studied focus on different areas of development and include: Chomsky in relation to language development. Piagets cognitive perspective linked to the development of childrens thought processes. Vygotskys social constructivism also from the cognitive perspective. Skinners theory of operant conditioning from the behaviourist perspective. Banduras social learning theory focussing on learning from role models. Eriksons psychosocial stage theory of how early experiences impact on emotional and personality development through the lifespan. Bowlbys theory of attachment, also in the psychoanalytical tradition.
20
Research Methods There are a variety of methods of gathering information regarding a childs development Observation is one form of primary source. Observations can be carried out in the following ways: Check Lists - these are prepared by the observer taking into account skills that are expected and the way in which they are carried out e.g. can colour a picture, always staying within lines, using appropriate colours, levels of concentration etc. Written Records - these are in the form of a narrative relating what happened during a specific activity. Time Sampling - in this case time sampling can realistically happen only over short time frames when the student observes a task over a period of minutes and records results e.g. a game where preparation, actual activity, interaction with others and result could be observed. A maximum of one hour is suggested with evenly spaced intervals. Event sampling is usually a series of short observations to confirm a childs behaviour patterns over a period of days or weeks e.g. leaving carers.
The other primary source used will be a questionnaire or interview. Questions need to be carefully constructed to elicit the required information and so should cover the PIES development of the child, the four factors affecting development and questions relevant to the chosen theory. Other useful sources of information may include current measurements of height and weight. It is important to spend adequate time on preparation of primary research materials, validity and reliability of the different methods employed. As evaluation of methodology is required, students will benefit from making notes on the strengths and weaknesses of each method used e.g. at the end of each observation. The Case Study It is good practice to include a short succinct introduction of about half a page which would provide a profile of the child being studied. Although confidentiality should be a primary consideration it is helpful to know the childs age, position in the family, siblings, significant other extended family members, location, be it rural or urban, health status etc. It is advisable to choose a child known to the observer or spend some time getting to know the child before carrying out this task. Statement A This statement focuses on the research tools produced to access the information required to complete the assignment. The production of three observations using different techniques and demonstrating clear planning for each activity, e.g. Check list carried out by the student during a planned visit. A narrative piece describing a planned activity.
21
Time sampling (this should be restricted to short periods of time e.g. 15, 20 or 30 minutes to a maximum of 1 hour depending on the childs age and concentration levels). Event sampling e.g. a series of short observations to confirm a childs behaviour patterns over a period of time.
To design, test and carry out a questionnaire or interview with a parent. It should address the following criteria in detail as the information obtained is crucial to the completion of tasks required in later statements. Candidates should endeavour to identify the approximate age at which each milestone was achieved. PIES development at current age compared to developmental norms. Four factors which affect development. The application of one theory to the childs development this may necessitate including questions about the childs earlier development.
The completed research tools should be included in this statement. Statement B (i) Candidates are to use the information they have gathered to describe all areas of PIES development at the childs current age. This can be clearly presented in a table. Statement B (ii) (suggested length 1200 words) Candidates are asked to compare the child in their study with developmental norms for children of a comparable age. To access the higher mark bands an in depth comparison is required which should draw conclusions about the childs overall current development. It is important here to recognise ethical considerations associated with research and to remain objective avoiding judgmental statements. This statement should not be tabulated. Statement C (suggested length 1600 words) This statement requires students to choose four factors which contribute to development from the specification and apply them to the studied child. The skill required here is in choosing appropriate factors relevant to the chosen child, supplying the evidence of their impact on the chosen child. Detailed work is expected to access the top mark bands. Statement D (suggested length 1200 words) Candidates are required to select one relevant psychological theory of development and apply it to the child studied. The perspective of the theory chosen should be identified and explored. Evidence from the research tools used in statement A should be employed to complete this task by applying the theory to the child. The higher mark bands can only be accessed by producing evidence of analysis of the ways in which the theory chosen can be applied to the development of the child. Within a centre is would be expected that a range of theories should be investigated by the candidates as evidence of independence and application to the child studied. Statement E (suggested word length 1000 words)
22
Evaluation is the focus of this statement. Candidates are asked to evaluate their research methods used at statement A. A critical summary of the strengths and weaknesses of their research tools with supporting evidence is required as well as realistic suggestions for improvements. Candidates should be encouraged to identify mistakes as these do not detract from the work but demonstrate understanding and maturity. Note: Tables, questionnaires, graphs and charts are not included in the word count. Work in excess of 10% of the words limit for any statement cannot access mark band 4.
23
AS UNIT 5 (A3H5) ADULT SERVICE USERS

Concepts Relevant to Adult Service Users Students need to develop an understanding of the concepts. Students should be encouraged to learn clear, concise definitions and it is recommended that they should demonstrate their understanding by using examples. Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Service Users When examining the physical needs, intellectual needs, emotional needs, social needs (PIES) and communication needs it can be useful for teachers to encourage students to work in small groups with each group looking at the needs of a different service user. Each group can develop a chart with the range of needs identified and provide examples of how they can be met for each of the service user groups as well as the importance of meeting those needs. Students can be encouraged to share their examples to broaden and deepen their understanding of needs. Visiting experts or adult service users may also provide useful support. Students may also be able to also reflect on the needs of the service users with whom they worked while on placement. It should be noted that service user confidentiality must be maintained. It is vital that students understand the role of practitioners and how service users can benefit from their intervention. It is very important that students know what each practitioners job entails; e.g. rather than referring simply to assessment. They must be able to say what the practitioner assesses, e.g. physiotherapists assess a service users mobility and may provide them with walking aids. Teachers can encourage students to become independent learners by asking them to work in pairs to research a practitioner in terms of their role and how they contribute to the care of adult service users. Each group can make a presentation to the class and provide a typed or written copy of their presentation. The teacher can then collect all the presentations and have them photocopied as a booklet for each student. This gives students responsibility for their learning and encourages their confidence in the learning process. Visiting experts, the use of You Tube or documentaries may also be helpful in enabling students to clearly understand the role of the range of practitioners. Planning and Providing for Adult Service Users Students need to understand the six stages in the care planning cycle: - assessment, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluating and modifying. Students can be encouraged to draw up assessments, care plans, and asked to review and modify their plans. Students can be encouraged to share with others in the class the type of plans that are used in their placement setting as this will help them see the care planning process as an active and essential aspect in health and social care settings. In Social Care Practice by Janet Miller there is a good chapter and exercises which students may find useful to help them understand the care planning cycle. As part of understanding the basis on which health and social care is provided for adult service users students need to develop their knowledge of legislation. Students should have a detailed understanding of the impact the legislation on services provides and service users. The legislation can be accessed at www.legislation.gov.uk and it is important for teachers to clarify and summarise the legislation.
24
The Law Centre (NI) web site provides an introduction to the main legislation responsible for the provision of community care in Northern Ireland. The following extract taken from the site provides a basic over view: 1.1 Health and Personal Social Services (NI) 1972
The Health and Personal Social Services (NI) Order 1972 (HPSS72) as amended by the Health and Personal Social Services (NI) Order 1991 (HPSS91), the Health and Personal Social services (NI) Order 1994 (HPSS94) and the Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (NI) 2009 (HSCR09) are the key pieces of legislation governing the provision of health and social services care in Northern Ireland. The order imposes a number of duties including: Article 7 (1), a duty to make arrangements, to such an extent as the DHSSPS considers necessary, for the prevention of illness and the care and after-care of a person suffering from illness; Article 15 (1), a duty to make available advice, guidance and assistance, to such extent as the DHSSPS considers necessary, and to make such arrangements and provide or secure the provision of such facilities as it considers suitable and adequate in order for it to discharge its duty under Section 2(1)(b) of the HSCR09; Article 15 (4), a power to recover such charges (if any) as the DHSSPS considers appropriate, in respect of any assistance, help or facilities provided under Article 15; Article 56, a duty on the Regional Board to make arrangements for the provision of personal medical services. The Health and Social Care (Reform) Act (NI) 2009
1.2
The Act came into operation in April 2009. It restructured the provision of health and social care (see below) and amended the HPSS72 Order. Section 2 sets out the overriding duty of the DHSSPS in relation to the Health and Social Care system in broadly the same way as Article 4 of the 1972 Order (now repealed). However, it goes further in detailing a number of specific areas where a statutory duty is being placed on the DHSSPS. As a consequence, article 4 of the 1972 Order was repealed.
Under Section 2, the DHSSPS has a duty to provide an integrated system of health and social care designed to improve the physical and mental health and social well being of people in Northern Ireland. Among other things, the DHSSPS also has a duty to develop policies to reduce health inequalities between the people in Northern Ireland. Section 3 sets out the DHSSPS general power and sets out that it may provide or secure the provision of such health and social care as it considers appropriate to the discharge of its duty. Section 21 places a duty on each Health and Social Care Trust (HSCT) to exercise its functions to improve the health and social well being of and reduce health inequalities between those for whom it provides or may provide health and social care.
25
http://www.lawcentreni.org/EoR/community-care/introduction-to-communitycare.html#1.THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK Teachers will also need to go to the main legislative web site to help students to research these pieces of legislation and become familiar with their impact on care provision in the community Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1972/1265 Health and Social care (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2009/1 Information on the Carers and Direct Payments Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 is also available on the aforementioned website and a number of voluntary organisations have also produced user friendly guides to this piece of legislation for their service users. All health and social care settings have a range of policies that staff must abide by in providing care for adult service users. This is an area where students can complete work in small study groups to increase independent learning, with each group taking one policy and examining how the policy impacts on the standard of care for adult service users. Students need to have an in depth knowledge of the five aspects of the care value base and be able to explain how each aspect helps to promote high standards of care for adult service users. All nurses and social care workers are required to adhere to the standards set out in their codes of conduct. The nursing and social care codes can be accessed from the websites:www.nsicc.info and www.nmc-uk.org. Students should understand how the standards within the code guide and inform practice when working with adult service users. Students need to understand the four different sectors within the mixed economy of care statutory, private, voluntary and informal. They should be able to investigate the range of services provided by each of the four sectors through internet research, perhaps with a focus on their local area. They should be able to understand funding arrangements for each of the sectors, information which is readily available in text books and on the internet. Students also need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each of the four sectors of the mixed economy of care, they also need to understand the concept of community care and its strength and weaknesses. Case studies may be useful for this and media resources. The role of informal carers in providing care to all adult service users is an essential component of effective care. Students often have their own or family experience which they can draw on to help understand the vital role of informal carers, in enabling many adult service users to be cared for within their own homes. Media resources are particularly useful for this topic. Assessment Guidance The external examination will require candidates to demonstrate a range of knowledge and skills related to specific adult service users. The examination will require candidates, at a basic level, to describe a range of concepts related to adult service users. Candidates will be expected to apply the knowledge which they have learned to brief case studies which will allow them to demonstrate their understanding of key issues. In some sections of the examination candidates
26
will be expected to demonstrate the ability to analyse concepts and issues in order to justify awarding of higher grades, for example candidates may be required to analyse the contribution of informal carers or to evaluate the contribution of the sectors within the mixed economy of care in providing services for adult service users. Questions which challenge the candidate to demonstrate skills of evaluation will allow for the awarding of higher marks. Resources Students should have access to a range of sources pitched at AS/A2 level. A range of resources is listed below but it is not exhaustive. Both broad sheet and online newspapers provide valuable and can be used with students to highlight relevant health and social care issues; these can be both local and national newspapers Moore, S. (2002) Social Welfare Alive! 3rd edition Cheltenham Stanley Thornes Richards, J. (1999) Caring for People: A lifespan Approach Cheltenham Stanley Thornes Walsh, Mark et al (2000) Social Policy and Welfare Cheltenham Stanley Thornes Miller, Janet, (2004) Social Care Practice Hodder & Stoughton Moonie, N. (2005) Health & Social Care Heinemann Jones, L. J. (1994) the Social Context of Health and Healthwork Basingstoke Palgrave Tossell, D. & Webb, R. (1994) Inside the Caring Services Arnold Hodder Headline Group Useful Websites www.doh.gov.uk www.northernireland.gov.uk www.open.gov.uk/doh/dhhome.htm www.nhsdirect.nhs/main.jhtml www.niscc.info www.nmc-uk.org www.ccea.org www.dhsspsni.gov.uk www.legislation.gov.uk www.publichealth.hscni.net www.scie.org.uk
27
AS UNIT 6 (A3H6) HOLISTIC THERAPIES

Assessment Guidance: This unit is internally assessed. Students will complete an assignment adhering to the specified word count. The assignment must have the word total for each statement recorded on the candidate record sheet. Teachers will mark the assignment and it must be internally standardised. A sample of assignments identified by CCEA will be submitted for moderation. This unit does not require a work placement but a visit to a care setting which offers holistic therapies or visiting speakers who work in the field is recommended. Therapies This section can be introduced through a class discussion by giving students the opportunity to talk about what they think holistic therapies are and their experiences of them. A useful strategy is to encourage students to prepare a presentation (power point or oral) for the group on a chosen therapy focusing on a brief history, uses of the therapy, what the therapy involves and safety aspects. Students will need to be guided to research their work thoroughly. Possible sources of information are library books on holistic/complementary therapies ( e.g. The Nurses Handbook of Complementary Therapies), information provided by care settings ( e.g. Marie Curie Cancer Care provide leaflets on reflexology, massage, aromatherapy etc). Websites e.g. www.bupa.co.uk have health fact sheets on homeopathy, acupuncture, herbal medicines etc and chemists and private practices often have leaflets. Students can also use a search engine, e.g. Google to research information but they should be encouraged to use UK websites and not obtain all their information from the first site accessed. Management and Treatment of Medical Conditions Medical conditions are listed in the specification. Many students may have prior knowledge of some of these conditions either through personal experience or that of family members. It should be recognised that holistic therapies are not particularly suitable for use in the management of some conditions e.g. diabetes. Students do not need to know the causes of, symptoms, diagnostic tests or effects of the medical conditions. It is important that students understand the difference between orthodox treatments such as medication, surgery or physiotherapy and holistic therapies which tend to focus on the individual restoring the bodys balance. Lifestyle changes may be an important aspect to management of some conditions. Information is available from a wide range of sources and students should be encouraged to investigate thoroughly e.g. local pharmacies can provide up to date and accurate information. Family medical books and websites such as www.bupa.co.uk (click on health information) or www.medicdirect.co.uk or www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk may also provide relevant information. Students may have a family member with the chosen condition, which may also be a useful primary source. Comparing Holistic Therapies with Traditional/Orthodox Treatments Students should investigate and compare the cost, side effects, availability and duration of maximum of three holistic therapies with traditional/orthodox treatments, for one chosen medical condition.
28
Trends and Opinions Students are also required to investigate current trends and opinions. A useful starting point when considering trends is a discussion on the practices offering holistic therapies in their local area. Secondary sources should be used to evidence the trends identified e.g. the increasing use of holistic therapies in care settings care homes, maternity units and hospices. Occasionally programmes on television also feature holistic therapies. A programme on Lough Shore School in Belfast provided evidence of the trend of using holistic therapies to help in the management of children with behavioural problems. Get Well NI which was screened in Spring 2008 also focused on the use of holistic therapies in a health centre in Belfast more evidence of an emerging trend. Websites are also useful but should be UK based. When considering opinions, candidates should be encouraged to access a wide range of sources in primary research. The candidates should design their own questionnaire which should clearly be focused on opinions. Both primary and secondary research is required to access the highest mark band. Use of Holistic Therapies in Health, Social Care and Early Years Settings Students need to investigate the use of holistic therapies in a care setting. This investigation can be carried out individually or information may be obtained if a class visit is organised, or a speaker invited in. Such visits need to be arranged well in advance and it is sound practice to explain exactly what information is required by the students prior to the visit. Most hospices offer holistic therapies not only to clients but also to their families. The Regional Cancer Unit at Belfast City Hospital offer a range of therapies and most maternity units have introduced reflexology and aromatherapy. The use of holistic therapies is increasing in care homes for the elderly and units for service users with mental health problems and learning difficulties. Many schools for children with special needs are also introducing holistic therapies. The focus of this part of the unit is on the use of holistic therapies in a care setting, not a description of the therapies used in the setting. Assessment Evidence It is good practice to introduce the assignment (assessment evidence). The workload is more manageable for candidates and teachers if the assignment is completed statement by statement and marked as such. A reasonable amount of time should be allocated for the completion of each statement. Statement A (suggested length approx 2000 words - 500 words for each therapy) In this statement candidates need to describe four holistic therapies. They should focus only on providing a brief history, use, description and safety aspects of the therapy. Any other information provided on the therapies is irrelevant and should not be allocated marks. The history should be concise and it is acceptable to produce a list of the uses. The description of the treatment should be concise but detailed e.g. if considering aromatherapy the various methods of administering the therapy should be included e.g. massage, compresses, baths etc and some of the common oils and their uses should be included. A foot map should be included in a description of reflexology. The safety aspects of the therapy should be well researched as
29
many candidates fail to complete this well. Candidates should be encouraged to work independently and the entire class should not describe the same four therapies. Candidates can use a variety of presentation methods to produce their work leaflets, power points, booklets etc but it is important that the content of the work and not the ICT skills are marked. The total marks available for this statement are twenty four. It may be useful to allocate six marks to each of the four therapies. Work should be annotated and mark band four should not be awarded unless the candidate has worked independently. Encourage candidates to note their information sources and complete the bibliography as an on going process. Candidates should not cut and paste from websites, they should extract the relevant information and summarise appropriately. Statement B (1000 words) The successful completion of this statement requires candidates to choose an appropriate medical condition from the specification and describe the management using both traditional/orthodox treatments and holistic therapies. For the traditional/orthodox treatments, students should research the most appropriate medical treatments used, a maximum of three holistic therapies should be described. It may be useful to advise your students to carry out their research for statements Band C simultaneously. Candidates achieving in Mark Band 4 should research a wide range of orthodox treatments (if applicable) e.g. over the counter and prescription drugs, surgery, physiotherapy, lifestyle changes or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Statement C (suggested length approx 800 words) Candidates need to compare four aspects of the treatments- cost, side effects, availability and duration. For cost they should consider the cost to the service user e.g. of over the counter drugs or private prescription/operations. In terms of availability they should consider local services and rationing. With regards to duration, candidates should consider that treatments can be short-term, long-term or life long. Candidates should consider the potential side effects of the therapies and treatments selected. Statement D (suggested length approx 1200 words) Candidates are required to produce a discussion of current local and/or national trends and opinions on holistic therapies. It is good practice to address trends and opinions separately. The total marks available for the statement is twenty ten marks can be allocated for each. It is imperative that candidates use a wide range of sources to achieve a mark in bands three or four and primary sources e.g. interviews or questions must be used to achieve the top band. For example, a questionnaire could be used to research opinions of service users which should be concise and independently produced by the candidate. It is only necessary to include one blank copy in the appendix of the work and candidates are not required to produce bar charts/graphs of the results. A wide range of opinions should be sought service users, practitioners, medical professionals using for example articles in magazines, newspapers or websites as well as the primary research. Candidates may obtain substantial information from websites which should be discussed and not plagiarised and sources should not be more than five years old. All sources should be clearly referenced and included in the bibliography.
30
Statement E (suggested length approx 500 words) This statement requires candidates to describe the use of holistic therapies in a care setting. Candidates should include the following information: brief description of the health, social care or early years setting, its purpose, number of service users etc and a description of the use of holistic therapies in the setting who they are available to, where and how they are administered etc. Candidates should not discuss the orthodox treatments on offer in the care settings nor describe in detail the nature of holistic therapies themselves, rather how they are used in the particular setting. Statement F (suggested length approx 500 words) Candidates are required to analyse the benefits of the holistic therapies offered to the service users in the setting which was discussed in statement E. The focus of this statement is on the word analyse e.g. if a candidate states that aromatherapy helps a service user better, then the benefits of sleeping better should be analysed. Work in excess of 10% of the word limit for any statement cannot access mark band 4.
31
AS UNIT 14 (A3H8) UNDERSTANDING HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY

Cells and Tissues: Students need to be able to recognise and state the function of each of the major organelles in a typical human cell. These can be taught using appropriate diagrams as found in A level Biology textbooks such as Physiology and Anatomy Clancy and McVicar, Arnold or Introduction to Advanced Biology C.J. Clegg, Hodder Murray. There are also clear diagrams and good descriptions of function on websites such as www.biologymad.com; however it is important to emphasise to students if they are using these sites for independent study to revise only the organelles detailed on the specification (and not include plant details). Students may find it useful to summarise their information in a simple organelle name /function table. Sites such as www.s-cool.co.uk/alevel/biology.html may also provide additional revision notes. Students also need to be able to appreciate cell specialisation. They should be able to recognise each of the specialised cells/ tissues in the specification, describe their function and be able to explain how the specialisation aids function. A good starting point for this could be use of light microscopes to look at prepared slides. Diagrams will also be found in A level textbooks as before. Care needs to be taken to ensure, particularly when studying blood, that language appropriate to AS level is used e.g. erythrocytes not red blood cells. There are also a number of powerpoint presentations available. These need to be tailored to suit the demands of this unit.

Body Systems: Students must be able to recognise each of the body systems on the specifications from a simple diagram of the structure. They should also be able to explain the function of each of the parts on these diagrams and be able to explain the functioning of the system as a whole. DVDs/videos such as The Virtual Body and The Human Body in Action series provide a starting point for each of the systems. It may also be worthwhile having wall charts of each system on display and using models to emphasise structure. Websites such as www.biologymad.com can provide useful diagrams. It is worth emphasising that students must know these diagrams as a significant proportion of each paper assesses this knowledge. In addition for each of the systems to be studied students need to understand how named medical conditions affect the individuals life. Students need to ensure that they very specifically understand how each condition will impact upon the individual. They need to take care not to learn a series of general points that could be true of any disease at any time. The Nervous System: The structure and functioning of this system is comprehensively covered in A level biology textbooks such as Physiology and Anatomy Clancy and McVicar Arnold or Introduction to Advanced Biology C.J. Clegg Hodder Murray. It should be noted that this tends to be an A2 Biology topic so that whilst preparing students for this exam teachers must be careful to maintain AS depth and give an overview of function rather than the in-depth knowledge required for A2. Students must be able to describe the nervous pathway involved in both a voluntary and a reflex action.
32

A class activity could consist of labelling diagrams of each action using the interactive white board; commercial products such as Boardworks may be of benefit. Potential practical work could consist of demonstrations of knee/elbow reflex and of response rate by dropping a ruler. The later activity would allow comparison of class results via graph work.
Students should be able to identify the major areas of the brain and explain their function e.g. cerebellum, cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, medulla oblongata. Care needs to be taken with spelling of the areas as some are similar. A level texts is perhaps most appropriate. It is advisable to give students access to diagrams from a range of sources so that they build confidence in their recognition of the functioning of the brain. Past paper questions could be used to test understanding. Again a simple summary table could be devised to aid revision. Students should recognise that nerve message transmission is electrical, and unidirectional, however, they must be able to explain in simple terms how messages are transmitted from one neurone to the next via the synapse. They do not need to be able to explain the complex biochemistry involved in this process. The information given on the BBC bite size site is a little simplistic but would be a good starting point. A case study of the effects of damage to the Central Nervous System e.g. the case of Christopher Reeves could serve to introduce the topic of spinal injury and nerve damage. Students should understand that paraplegia affects only the lower limbs where quadriplegia involves paralysis from the neck downwards for all four limbs. Spinal nerves do not regenerate so after damage paralysis is permanent however; recent research has shown that nerves of the peripheral nervous system can regenerate to give some future use of limbs after injury. Again a simple case history could be used to illustrate the differences between damage to the CNS and peripheral nerves. Multiple sclerosis could be investigated by using websites such as www.mssociety.org.uk. It may also be possible to have a speaker come into class from the local branch of the MS Society (or it may be the case that someone in the class has primary knowledge of this condition). Students need to understand the cause of the medical condition, symptoms and effects on an individuals life Similarly the incidence of a stroke could be investigated using information from www.nichsa.com or www.stroke.com or from a primary source. Use of a medical dictionary/encyclopaedia may also aid research. The Eye Use of an eye model may help to emphasise its structure and the function of each of its parts. There are also a number of websites aimed as revision guides for A level/GCSE Biology students which provide simple clear diagrams of the eye. Again a revision table of part/function may aid learning. Textbooks clearly explain the process of accommodation which students must understand, particularly if they are to explain myopia, hypermetropia and presbyopia. A teacher demonstration using an optical bench may help students to understand accommodation Both myopia and hypermetropia are clearly explained on websites and in texts. A further activity could involve testing students eye sight; perhaps with help from the school nurse, to establish their range of vision for distant objects. www.theagingeye.net explains the process of presbyopia clearly. A comparison of class reading distances with those of staff may serve to illustrate that this condition is age related! A class activity to investigate the causes symptoms and effects of glaucoma and cataracts may be a productive way to approach these medical conditions as there is a volume of sources, including medical dictionaries/encyclopaedias and websites e.g. www.RNIB.org.uk which provide accurate information. It may also be possible for students to use their own
33
knowledge of family members or from work experience to explain how these conditions affect the individual. The Ear Students must be able to explain the structure and function of the ear and each of its main parts. Use of a model of the ear is possibly the best way to demonstrate its structure. There are also clear diagrams in textbooks such as Physiology and Anatomy Clancy/McVicar Arnold. In addition, a simple table could be devised as a revision aid. www.RNID.org.uk explains both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss clearly and gives good examples of their causes. There is a volume of information on this website and it could be explored to investigate the effects of hearing loss on an individuals life. As before, students may also benefit from primary source information and the use of case studies The Endocrine System Students need to be able to identify the main endocrine organs; the main associated hormones and have an overview of the function of these hormones. Physiology and Anatomy Clancy/McVicar Arnold has a clear overview diagram though the depth to which this resource covers the enzymes is more than is required for AS. It serves well as a teacher resource. Students should also understand that together the endocrine and nervous systems coordinate and control the bodys functions but that they work in different ways. As a class activity students could be encouraged to use their notes to draw up a table of the differences before resorting to text. This may reinforce learning. The Digestive System This topic could be introduced using a body model. Students need to be encouraged to use appropriate language at the stage e.g. ileum not small intestine. Students could create an overview table of structure/function. Enzyme function could be introduced by carrying out a simple starch/amylase experiment .This would illustrate the specificy of enzymes. This point needs to be extended to explain which enzymes are present in the digestive tract and their function. It is important to use texts appropriate to AS level when looking at enzymes. Students need to have a clear understanding of the structure of the intestine walls. The structure is illustrated in most of the textbooks mentioned in this section. It is clearly summarised in Physiology and Anatomy Clancy/McVicar Arnold where specialism of the intestinal walls is also clearly discussed. The role of the liver in digestion is clearly explained in Introduction to Advanced Biology C.J. Clegg Hodder Murray. This uses language possibly more suited to A2 studies so may best be used as a teacher resource from which the key points can be extrapolated. Students do need an understanding of the stages in the process of deamination as explained in this text. The topic is also summarised in www.biologymad.com There are three digestive system disorders that students need to study. Once again this section gives scope for individual research into causes symptoms and effects on lifestyle using a range of primary and secondary sources as before. It is worth noting that: 1. Research suggests that ulcers are largely caused by bacteria and thus largely treatable 2. Both acute and chronic pancreatitis should be studied and that there is a difference between their causes and the effects they will have on an individuals life. 3. It is probably enough to know 2/3causes and most common symptoms for each condition but note that these are different for each condition 4. Effects on life must be linked to appropriate care and treatment and not be generic.
34
The Urinary System The terms urinary system and renal system are interchangeable in this context. Models of the kidney and a nephron could be used to illustrate this system. There are also wall charts which illustrate the fine structure of the nephron. Students could use the diagram of the kidney to make a simple structure/function table to aid learning and the diagram of the nephron to construct a flowchart of the process of filtration. Students also need to have an appreciation of the normal content of urine i.e. mostly urea/water, some sodium/potassium and of common abnormalities i.e. blood /glucose /protein. Case studies could be used to link these abnormalities to some of the medical conditions studied in this unit. Physiology and Anatomy Clancy/McVicar Arnold explains the causes of urinary incontinence in depth. Renal failure could be investigated using primary/ secondary sources as before. Students must be very clear that renal failure is not the same as incontinence. Renal failure is covered by Boardworks as its incidence is increasing especially amongst the aging population it may be possible to visit a renal unit or have a community nurse come in to explain the care needed. Homeostasis and Control The DVD The Virtual Body could be used to introduce this topic, which also links closely to work required in the A2 Unit Monitoring Body Systems. This topic is also discussed in depth in the A2 section of www.biologymad.com Students could work in small groups to investigate the causes of Type I and Type II diabetes before feeding back to the class. A teacher summary to emphasise the differences better these two conditions could aid learning. This is also clearly discussed on www.diabetes.org.uk .This website contains a volume of information/case studies which may be useful when considering the effects of each condition on an individuals life. Students could use a range of these resources to consider how diabetes affects people. They must be very careful to emphasise that Type I and Type II have different treatments and therefore effects on lifestyle differ. A talk by an individual with each type could highlight these differences. Normal blood glucose levels are considered to be between 7 and 11 mmol/litre of blood (or 70 110mg/litre). Students need to understand how blood glucose levels are controlled by a negative feedback loop. This topic is discussed in A level Health and Social Care Thompson et al Hodder and Stoughton. The role of the hormone ADH will have been discussed in the section on the endocrine system. The feedback loop needed to control water levels in the body should be discussed. The role of the brain in stimulating thirst should be considered. Oedema is discussed in depth in www.nhs./conditions/oedema which makes clear that often oedema is a symptom of further illness thus linking it to other parts of this unit e.g. kidney failure/cirrhosis. Dehydration is also discussed clearly on this website; further information could also be obtained from medical dictionaries/encyclopaedias. Again this condition is linked to other parts of this unit, e.g. fever, hypothermia, control of body water levels In the section on the skin, the parts of the skin which help control body temperature should be addressed. In this section it is the mechanism by which the nervous system ensures that these actions happen that must be understood. A level Health and Social Care Thompson et al Hodder and Stoughton discuss this clearly using flow diagrams Normal body temperature is considered to range between 36.4c - 37.6c. It is expected that candidates will express answers in degrees Celsius. Students could investigate their own temperatures using a variety of methods to illustrate how widely readings can vary.
35
Physiology and Anatomy Clancy/McVicar Arnold provides a table about normal and abnormal body temperatures which could provide a good introduction to the effects of high and low temperature on the human body. Students could carry out individual research to define the terms hypothermia, pyrexia and febrile convulsions using the internet and medical dictionaries/encyclopaedias. Class feedback could be used to provide an agreed definition of each. In the cases of hypothermia and pyrexia definitions should be linked to temperature and to the effect of temperature on body systems. The use of suitable case studies would allow students to explore the effects of each of these conditions upon an individual: Physiology and Anatomy Clancy/McVicar Arnold has a case study of a febrile toddler and information on.
Resources
Students should have access to a range of sources pitched at AS/A2 level. A range of resources is listed below but it is not exhaustive: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Physiology and Anatomy Clancy and McVicar, Arnold Introduction to Advanced Biology C.J. Clegg, Hodder Murray Advanced Vocational Health and Social Care M Walsh et al Collins A level Health and Social Care Thompson et al Hodder and Stoughton AVCE Health and Social Care Neil Moonie Heinemann GCSE Biology for CCEA McIllwaine/Napier, Hodder and Stoughton
DVD/Video 1. The Virtual Body Channel 4 2. The Human Body in Action series: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Websites www.biologymad.com www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science www.s-cool.co.uk.html www.nhs./conditions www.diabetes.org.uk www.RNID.org.uk www.theagingeye.net www.RNIB.org.uk
36
A2 UNIT 7 (A6H) APPLIED RESEARCH

Assessment Guidance: This unit is internally assessed. Students will complete an assignment adhering to the specified word count. The assignment must have the word total for each statement recorded on the candidate record sheet. Teachers will mark the assignment and it must be internally standardised. A sample of assignments identified by CCEA will be submitted for moderation. Introduction The purpose of this unit is to encourage independent thought by the production of a scientific report based on research carried out by the student on a topic of their own choice. The topic chosen must be based on a health and social care or early years subject and must not exceed 5000 words. In any good piece of research there should be well defined objectives and the methodology should be sufficiently detailed to allow for the possibility of the research being replicated. The report should also be succinct, structured and operate within the word limit. It is important to provide a detailed index and bibliography in a research project. The research process and research methods Adequate time should be allocated to guiding candidates in their choice of topic as this is crucial to the success of this unit. Guidance here might include advising students to: Choose a topic of interest to them; Carry out some background reading to familiarise themselves with aspects of the subject which may lend themselves to research; and/or Choose a current topic which provides adequate secondary source material.
Teachers should take note of the fact that some topics will present difficulties where there are issues of confidentiality, child protection or disclosure and where these arise it is important to provide guidance. Once the topic has been identified an introduction and rationale or reason for the research and a set of research objectives can be established. These will lead to a clearly stated, succinct hypothesis. Students need to understand the difference between quantitative and qualitative data and how these can be obtained and applied to their work using the following sources: 1. Primary Sources, where data is collected by the candidate or their representative in the form of questionnaires, interviews or observations, the advantages and disadvantages associated with each method should be recognised in relation to the work in hand. 2. Secondary Sources, where information is taken from previously published material such as text books, magazines, newspapers, specialist, journals, government reports, web sites, television programmes, health promotion leaflets etc. It is important that sources used should be current (within the past five years) and appropriate. Information is available from charities associated with specific illnesses. Many topics will have specialised web sites which can be accessed by using Google or a similar search engine. The Social Science Information Gateway www.sosig.ac.uk will also provide pointers to appropriate information sites.
37
Sampling Students need to investigate the different sampling methods that are used to select participants for their research and recognise advantages and disadvantages of each method before making their final choice which could be any of the following: Random sampling; Stratified sampling; Quota sampling; Snowball sampling; Opportunity sampling; Self selection.
It is important that students recognise that because of the size of the sample, time constrictions and the constraints of providing participants not all the methods listed above are available to them. Concepts of Validity Reliability and Ethical Issues These concepts are well addressed by using a range of sources, a few examples are listed below. Bell, J., 2000 Doing Your Research Project, Third Edition, Open University Press. Blaxter, L. et al, 1966 How to Research, Open University Press. Green, S., 2000 Research Methods in Health Social and Early Years Care, Stanley Thornes. Harding, J. and Meldon Smith, L., 2000, How to Make Observations and Assessments. Hucker, K., 2001, Research Methods in Health, Care and Early Years, Heinemann. Parahoo, K., 1997 Nursing Research, Principles, Process and Issues, Macmillan Validity and reliability ensure that objectivity or lack of bias is applied in designing and refining the research process. Validity is the term used to embrace accuracy and truth in the research tool; there are two ways of ensuring it:1. Content validity where the research tool is given to an expert to scrutinise and suggest changes which are then made to the final draft. 2. Face validity, this involves giving the research tool to anyone who can on the face of it assess if the questions posed are relevant to the topic, often peers can carry out this function. Reliability means that if a different researcher carried out the same research the results would be the same or similar. This can be achieved by:1. Pilot testing - where a copy of the research tool is given to a smaller number of respondents who will identify problems and amendments can be carried out before the final draft is distributed. 2. Test - retest where the process is carried out on 2 different occasions. 3. Triangulation where 2 different research methods are used e.g. questionnaire and interview and the results compared.
38
Ethical Issues in Research Many issues in Health and Social Care present ethical issues, some are generic e.g. confidentiality, consent and harm or distress to the participants, others are specific to the topic and may include, disclosure, issues around underage activities, breaking the law or engaging in an activity which contravenes school rules or ethos. All of these need to be recognised and students should inform participants of their right to withdraw at any time and how anonymity and confidentiality will be achieved Planning and Carrying out Research This involves: 1. Identifying the topic, defining the objectives which should be behavioural e.g. gather statistics, survey a group of people, evaluate and review the process etc. These could be presented in a flow chart for easy reference during the research which aids focus. 2. Developing the hypothesis in line with the stated rationale and relevant to health and social care or early years 3. Considering primary and secondary sources appropriate to the chosen topic 4. Carrying out and referencing an appropriate literature search. 5. Selecting and justifying a research method taking sampling, ethical considerations, validity and reliability into account .Designing a suitable research tool and carrying out primary research which enables the researcher to produce quantitative data to complete the report. Analysing Research Results The analysis of quantitative data will include the production of well labelled graphs, bar charts, pie charts etc., a number of suitable computer packages are available to assist in this area of the work. Qualitative information should also be analysed to reflect key themes which address the previously stated objectives. These will be described in statement E. It is important to link the findings of the primary and secondary research to the original objectives and to equate them with the hypothesis which can then be accepted or rejected. At this point, some candidates may recognise that the hypothesis could be refined. This analysis will be completed in statement F. Evaluating the Research Process The evaluation process is crucial to accessing the higher mark bands, it involves students looking at the whole process critically, recognising errors and making suggestions for improvements. The relevance and effectiveness of secondary sources, the reliability and validity of primary research methods used, the success or otherwise of the research tool/tools employed, the appropriateness of the sampling method as well as the importance of bias and ethical considerations in research should all be addressed. This process should enable the researcher to suggest improvements in carrying out the research and to introduce relevant topics for future research. Writing the Report To satisfy the scientific nature of this unit the report should be written using traditional format.
39
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Title to identify the topic. Abstract a summary of the research process An index or contents list. Introduction - which includes a rationale for the research, research objectives and a clearly stated hypothesis. Literature Review - to include a carefully referenced review of a variety of appropriate secondary sources. Methodology - a discussion of all areas of the primary research method employed and previously explained justifying choices made at all stages and outlining the procedures used. Results - accurate clearly labelled graphs, tables or charts demonstrating the ability to apply an appropriate way of presenting data. Discussion - this should include an in depth analysis of results highlighting similarities and differences between primary research findings and secondary sources as well as detailed conclusions and comparison with research objectives and hypothesis. Evaluation - a detailed and critical evaluation of the entire process which should enable the researcher to draw conclusions, suggest improvements and recommend topics for further research. Bibliography - to include all sources. Appendices - additional material such as pilot versions could be included here.
Statement A (Suggested length 100 words for abstract and 500 words for introduction and rationale) This includes a rationale or reason for the choice of topic, an abstract or summary of the entire process, a maximum of 4 suitable research objectives, and a clearly stated and testable hypothesis. Teachers must ensure that the hypothesis is appropriate and does not raise issues e.g. of disclosure, confidentiality or child protection. Statement B (suggested length 1000 1500 words) A clearly referenced literature review to include a range of appropriate secondary sources which are clearly linked to the objectives in Statement A . Sources should be national and taken from a range of media e.g. books, journals, websites. Statement C (suggested length 1000 1500 words) A method section which discusses methodologies employed in primary research e.g. sampling techniques, application of reliability and validity, dealing with bias and ethical issues. A variety of methods should be considered and those chosen justified. Statement D A blank copy of the final draft of the research tool or tools designed and used. Pilot versions or those tested for validity should also be included.
40
Statement E A results section displaying well labelled, appropriate graphs, tables or charts and describing the results. Statement F (suggested length 800 -1000 words) This section is crucial to accessing the higher mark bands as an in depth analysis of the results of the primary research highlighting and comparing it with secondary sources demonstrates understanding. It is important to draw conclusions from results and relate them to the research objectives and the hypothesis. Statement G (suggested length 500 words) Evaluation is also important to accessing the higher mark bands. This involves a critical assessment of all areas of the research process and recognition of areas which could be improved by application of another methodology. Students should appreciate that identifying errors is not detrimental to their work. It is important to relate all the processes to the hypothesis and make recommendations for further work in their chosen area of research. Work in excess of 10% of the word limit for each statement cannot access mark band 4.
41
A2 UNIT 8 (A6H2) MONITORING BODY SYSTEMS

Assessment Guidance: This unit is internally assessed. Students will complete an assignment adhering to the specified word count. The assignment must have the word total for each statement recorded on the candidate record sheet. Teachers will mark the assignment and it must be internally standardised. A sample of assignments identified by CCEA will be submitted for moderation Introduction Introduction This unit introduces students to the practical skills needed to measure, monitor and record data associated with two body systems and describe the structure and function of the systems chosen. The mechanisms to control systems should also be explored. Students should also recognise the way in which systems work together to ensure that they function effectively and be aware of the reasons and implications of measurements which fall outside the expected range. Two diagnostic tests associated with a named disease should be researched and described in detail and the impact of the identified condition on all aspects of lifestyle should be documented. The research findings are presented as a report. The Effective Functioning of Body Systems To complete this section students need to have the underpinning knowledge of the structure and functioning of the systems involved in the monitoring they have carried out. In most cases these will be the circulatory, respiratory, nervous and endocrine systems. A Level Health and Social Care textbooks, A Level Biology textbooks, web sites and DVDs e.g. The Virtual Body will provide excellent resources for this area of the course. Students should remember to acknowledge resources by carefully referencing diagrams in their text and in their bibliography. The second strand of this section is where students are asked to identify and describe the control mechanisms employed by the systems they have described. They should demonstrate understanding of the mechanisms used to detect changes in breathing rate, pulse rate, blood pressure and temperature etc and acted upon by the nervous system to return the body to functioning within normal ranges. A range of Health and Social Care textbooks as well as A Level Biology text books are a suitable research resource. Monitoring Individuals Physiological Status Body systems can be measured externally to ascertain what is happening internally. The following systems can be monitored by taking measurements: Circulatory - monitored by taking pulse rate and blood pressure. Respiratory - monitored by measuring breathing rate and peak flow lung/capacity Nervous - measured by rise and fall of temperature as a response to internal or external stimuli. Endocrine - measured by monitoring blood sugar levels. Where it is appropriate and possible.
42
Students are required to monitor two systems of their choice using two individuals from differing life stages. The choice of individuals is important as evaluation and justification of results is more effective if the participants have different health status, fitness, age, gender etc. To attempt to achieve reliability measurement of each of the two systems should be taken on at least three occasions at rest. In addition students should monitor the return to normal after a period of moderate exercise using the same two measures for comparison with age related norms. Monitoring should take place every minute until readings return to resting rate. Before embarking on this activity, students should be aware of the safety, hygiene and ethics involved and should become competent in the use of equipment, possibly by practising on each other. It is good practice to apply the following safety measures: Carry out a risk assessment on participants as this may limit the exercise they can do. Avoid repeating measuring activity in the same session; Ensure safe practice and ethics when monitoring body systems by awareness and application of COSHH, RIDDOR, Health and Safety at Work, Education and Library Board/DEL Guidelines and CLEAPSS 2006.
Other health professionals e.g. the school nurse, or a trained member of one of the voluntary services like St, John Ambulance or Knights of Malta, the science technician or a trained first aider may be a useful resource. When adequate preparation has been completed students can begin the actual measuring process the purpose of which is to: Identify age linked normal ranges for body systems (A range is not a single value) Recognise and explain deviations from the norm Recognise and describe factors which affect the accuracy of measurements. These may include technique, faulty equipment or the participants situation at the time Suggest methods which might ensure that readings are accurate and justify these Recognise and record the effects of exercise on the body and the differences that occur because of age, fitness, health status, gender etc.
Following the monitoring by taking appropriate measurements the results should be recorded. Tables and graphs should be used to present results, in order to be meaningful and accurate these should be carefully labelled with the correct values or units. Students should identify the unit in full before using abbreviations. Investigations, Treatments and the Effect of Disease/ Illness This is an opportunity for students to carry out individual research and produce the independent work which enables them to access the higher mark bands. Within a centre it is expected that a range of medical conditions would be individually researched. The previous sections should have made students aware of the fact that abnormal readings can be the bodys way of indicating that illness or disease is present and can therefore alert health professionals that further tests need to be carried out to confirm a diagnosis and embark on a suitable treatment. Each student should choose a disease or illness which can be identified by using two different diagnostic tests, these may include some of the following; ECG, Blood Tests, Urine Samples, X-
43
rays, Glucose Tolerance Tests, MRI Scans, Angiograms, CT Scans, Allergy Tests etc. Initial physical examination by G.P. / Consultant does not constitute a diagnostic test. A wide range of diseases and illnesses can be chosen, it is wise to research carefully before making a choice to establish that two tests can be applied and these provide the abnormal data required in the unit. Various diseases can be chosen, some good examples are heart disease, angina, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, lung, breast cancer, leukaemia etc. Not all genetic diseases are suitable. A description of the way in which the tests are carried out and how the tests are interpreted should be included. While all these tests can be sourced on the internet a school nurse or health visitor may provide a presentation or it may be possible to arrange a visit to a local health centre to see them being carried out or interpreted. Some students will have personal experience of family members or friends who undergo diagnostic tests as many are ongoing, this will help to make the work interesting and provide an insight into all aspects of the disease. The aim of all diagnostic tests is to confirm the suspected illness and provide appropriate treatment, students are asked to investigate the treatments available for their chosen medical condition. These may include medication taken orally or by injection, dietary advice, physiotherapy or hospital procedures all of which should be described. Finally students are required to investigate the way in which the disease impacts on the individuals lifestyle such as relationships, work, education, leisure activities or diet. There may also be financial implications. Although students do not need to know someone with the disease it can be helpful but not necessary to conduct an interview with a sufferer or carer to complete this section; secondary sources can also be used, journals, newspapers and TV programmes are a rich resource. Introduction to the Unit (suggested length 200 words) A profile of the two individuals to be studied should be included; this could include age, gender, life choices and general health status. A brief pen portrait / profile be used to provide this information. The medical condition to be studied can also be included briefly in the introduction. Statement A (suggested length 1500 words) To access the higher mark bands here it is important to produce independent work by avoiding reproducing large pieces of text from web sites or textbooks. Work produced should be in the students own words. Work taken directly from source cannot access mark band 4. The systems they will monitor need to be described and accompanied with appropriately referenced diagrams. Functioning is as important as structure to this area of the work, so the interdependency and interaction of systems should be addressed. Control mechanisms of the systems monitored should also be included; this can be done by providing diagrams of mechanisms which control and regulate systems and by explanations of diagrams. Tables may be used to show structure function. Homeostasis should not be included.
44
Statement B (i) Two individuals should be identified on whom the tests will be carried out .Each individual should have an initial risk assessment before the tests to determine their suitability. It is better if the individuals are of different age ranges so that age related normal values are obviously different. Two systems should be monitored by carrying out measurements on at least three occasions at rest and once showing return to resting rate after a period of moderate exercise. Records of the tests should be presented clearly and accurately using the correct units. Tabular and graphical forms should be accurately completed. Qualitative comments can also be included in the table which can record the individuals wellbeing at the time and will be useful for analysis. It is helpful to highlight normal values on graphs to aid analysis. Statement B (ii) (suggested length 1000 words) Candidates can demonstrate their understanding of the monitoring process here by analysing their findings. They should highlight data which is outside the normal range for each client. Using the knowledge they have gained of each individual they should comment on varying patterns and draw conclusions about their health status, however they should not attempt a medical diagnosis. A similar analysis should be undertaken to explain changes observed as a result of exercise. It is not necessary to give advice about lifestyle choice. Statement C (suggested length 1000 words) Candidates should evaluate their own practice during the monitoring process which will involve reviewing their accuracy, safety and hygiene. They should highlight difficulties they encountered and how these may affect results as well as suggesting improvements to their own practice. Successful skills should also be included. Students should consider sources of error in their measuring and comment on hygiene and health and safety issues assessed when measuring. Statement D (suggested length 1000 words) Candidates should identify the medical condition they intend to research and very briefly describe it. The emphasis should be on the two diagnostic tests. These should be described in depth and an indication of possible results given often via diagram or table. Treatments for the diagnosed condition should be discussed. These may include medication, outpatient visits to hospital, frequency of testing or treatment, radiography, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, physiotherapy, hospital admissions for routine procedures or in some cases alternative medicine. Statement E (suggested length 1000 words) Any analysis demonstrates understanding and enables candidates to access higher mark bands. The focus is on the impact of the medical condition on the individuals lifestyle. A consideration of relationships, work, education, leisure activities, income and diet should be considered. Candidates should write in their own words. Information extracted from source material should be referenced if used and clearly discussed by candidates. Candidates should recognise that the
45
impact of any condition will vary from individual to individual depending on their personality, situation and the support they are given from their multi-disciplinary medical team as well as that from family, friends and society. It is not sufficient to comment on just one individual. Note: Tables, questionnaires, graphs and charts are not included in the word limit Work in excess of 10% of the word limit for each statement cannot access mark band 4.
46
A2 UNIT 9 (A3H6) PROVIDING SERVICES

Introduction Unit 9 provides students with the opportunity to build on the knowledge they have gained other units and enables them to gain a greater understanding of the services available for the range of service user groups that exist in health and social care. Students will gain a general understanding of the range of services which exist for the clients and should develop an in-depth knowledge of service provision for the service user group identified on the pre-release material. Teachers should ensure that students are aware of the importance of recognizing and valuing cultural diversity in the provision of health and social care services. Unit 9 is assessed externally by a 2 hour written exam which is based on pre-release material which is available 8 weeks prior to the written exam. Effects of policy and legislation When teaching the legislation aspect of this unit to students you can begin by providing students with some information on the origin of the welfare state. It is important that students understand the origins and also know how different governments influence welfare provision. It is advisable to wait until the brief comes out before any specific legislation is taught, as specific legislation will be identified in the pre-release material. There are other aspects of this unit which can be taught in advance of the pre-release material becoming available. For example, students are expected to understand how services are funded statutory funding, private funding, voluntary donations, corporate sponsorship students doing the double award will already have sound knowledge of this as it builds upon what has been learned in Unit 5 Adult Service Users. Students should also understand the effects of policy on service provision. It is very important that all students understand the difference between policies and legislation. Students need to understand that policies are very often derived from law but reflect the needs and function of the organization which they are drawn up for. Managers within care organizations are responsible for ensuring that legislation is adhered to by staff and often this is done by writing policies which enable staff to put the law into practice. Students also need to understand how policies and procedures improve the quality of service provision. Students need to understand the policies are not a panacea for problems which arise in health and social care settings they do not guarantee or ensure anything including for example improvements in relation to issues such as abuse, bullying, staff training etc. Policies can only work if they are properly implemented and monitored therefore, they only help to prevent abuse, bullying and promote staff training. Students need also to understand clearly that policies and legislation is not the same thing. This can be a difficult topic for students and is one on which time needs to be spent. Identifying and meeting needs Students will need to have a sound understanding of what influences demographic change and how changes in demography can impact upon the provision of services. Information pertaining
47
to demography and demographic changes can be found at www.nisra.gov.uk local and national newspapers also often produce very useful articles on changes in the population. Students are expected to be able to evaluate the mixed economy of care approach to service provision. Students should be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of care being provided by each sector. Students also need to understand the physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs of service users. Case studies can be used by teachers to facilitate students understanding of needs and how they might be met. Work placement also provides a valuable opportunity for students to understand the needs of service users and how these needs can be met. This section also requires candidates to demonstrate knowledge of how the service users might access health and social care/early years services and the barriers they may face. Case studies again are a useful learning tool to help students to think about how service users can get the help and support they need, what might prevent them from accessing a service and how access to services can be improved. Candidates will also be expected to demonstrate understanding of the debate on rationing care services. They can learn about this debate by accessing local and national newspapers and through watching documentaries. Practitioner roles It is very important that students have a clear understanding of the roles of a range of professionals who work with service users in health, social care and early years settings. Career websites can be very useful for this topic. Students must be able to explain how named professionals contribute to the provision of care. They should be able to explain the specific roles and responsibilities of the named professionals. Students can become independent learners by working in partnership researching the roles of professionals and how they contribute to care. The information can then be shared with the remainder of the group via intranet, power point presentation or hard copy. This encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning. Case studies, work placement experience and visiting speakers can also make a very valuable contribution to the students understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the range of health care practitioners. Team working Students are expected to have a sound knowledge of the principles of working in partnership. They need to understand the concept of multi-disciplinary team working. They need to appreciate the value of a range of professionals working together to provide care. Teachers can support the students to develop this appreciation through the use of documentaries, popular hospital dramas on TV, case studies and visiting speakers. Work placement experience can also be very useful. On return to school/college, ensuring confidentiality, students can share with the rest of the group their experience of multi-disciplinary team working. Closely related to this is the topic of inter-agency co-operation. Again there are real life case studies that can help students to understand the importance of effective inter-agency co-operation Victoria Climbie and Baby P illustrate the very real and tragic outcome of failure in inter-agency co-operation. Case studies relating to this topic can be found on websites such as www.societyguardian.co.uk as well as in local and national newspapers and in social care journals. Students can examine these irrespective of the service user group in the pre-release because they are only the vehicle through which the learning should occur. The importance of interagency co-operation for quality care applies in the same way to all client groups. For example it is very important that social workers share information with police in the case of children and equally important that
48
they share relevant information with the police in the case of elder abuse. Students should be encouraged to examine the advantages or strengths of multi-disciplinary and interagency cooperation but also the difficulties involved and possible consequences. For example service users should receive a better standard of care if they are receiving effective joined up support from an OT, a physiotherapist, a nurse and a GP compared with receiving support from only one of these professionals or if the professionals operate in a disjointed way and fail to communicate properly. Quality assurance In this section students need to understand how codes of practice influence the practice of care workers. The NMC website www.nmc-uk.org provides real life case studies which help the students to understand how the nurses code of conduct influences their practice and helps to ensure the delivery of quality care for the patients in their care. The students do enjoy reading these case studies and it really helps them to understand the role of regulatory bodies such as the NMC and of the importance of having a code of conduct and abiding by that code. It is important to remember that students can examine the social care workers code of conduct instead of the nurses and that they realize that codes of conduct, irrespective of the professional they apply to, are there fundamentally to raise the standards of care patients receive by professionals. Students also need to know about legislation that influences quality assurance. For example, the Data Protection Act 1998 makes clear the procedures to be followed in relation to the storage and retrieval of sensitive information this legislation also therefore helps to promote quality care where service users feel their privacy is respected. Teachers can help the students to understand how this legislation influences quality by linking the legislation to ways in which service users benefit. Visiting speakers would also be in a position to talk to students about this and perhaps give some real examples of how this legislation promotes quality. Work placement opportunities can also be extremely beneficial; however, again students need to be prompted to ask staff in the settings they visit for examples of how the named legislation helps to promote quality. This section also requires students to demonstrate their knowledge of ways in which quality of service provision can be measured e.g. inspections and feedback. They should understand that simply asking service users for feedback does not necessarily lead to improvements it should but it may not because of financial implications therefore students should not be idealistic, determining that feedback from clients means that a problem or issue will not exist anymore. Websites such as www.doh.gov.uk and www.dhsspsni.gov.uk and broad sheet newspapers can be a rich source of information on these issues. It is very important that students understand that these methods of measuring quality are debatable and that there are many critics. For example a hospital which meets all government targets regarding waiting lists may have shunted appointments for more complicated patients (patients with greater need) to a later date to get through a greater number of more straightforward patients simply to meet a government target to see X number of patients in a clinic within a certain time frame. This is obviously contrary to the intention of targets like this but many critics suggest that it does happen. Assessment Guidance The external examination will require candidates to demonstrate a range of knowledge and skills related to providing services for a particular service user which will be identified in the pre-
49
release material available eight weeks prior to the exam. The examination will require candidates, at a basic level, to describe various issues related to service provision. Candidates will be expected to apply their knowledge to demonstrate understanding of key issues. In some sections of the examination candidates will be expected to demonstrate the ability to analyse concepts and issues in order to justify the awarding of higher grades for example candidates may be required to analyse the impact of demographic characteristics on health and social care provision. Questions which challenge the candidate to demonstrate skills of evaluation will allow for the awarding of higher marks. For example candidates may be required to evaluate the usefulness of interagency cooperation in providing care services or the usefulness of codes of conduct, charters of rights and legislation in promoting service users rights and choices. Resources Students should have access to a range of sources at A2 level. The following sources are recommended. Both broad sheet and online newspapers provide valuable and can be used with students to highlight relevant health and social care issues; these can be both local and national newspapers Moore, S. (2002) Social Welfare Alive! 3rd edition Cheltenham Stanley Thornes Moonie, N. (2005) Health & Social Care Heinemann Tossell, D. & Webb, R. (1994) Inside the Caring Services Arnold Hodder Headline Group
Useful Websites www.doh.gov.uk www.societyguardian.co.uk www.nhsdirect.nhs/main.jhtml www.niscc.info www.nmc-uk.org www.ccea.org www.dhsspsni.gov.uk www.nisra.gov.uk
50
A2 UNIT 10 (A6H4) HEALTH PROMOTION

Assessment Guidance: This unit is internally assessed. Students will complete an assignment adhering to the specified word count. The assignment must have the word total for each statement recorded on the candidate record sheet. Teachers will mark the assignment and it must be internally standardised. A sample of assignments identified by CCEA will be submitted for moderation. Introduction Unit 10 provides students with the opportunity to work as part of a group. It also provides the opportunity to complete the assessment evidence independently increasing the opportunity for students to access mark bands three and four. Students will have already studied AS Unit 3 (Health and Well Being) parts of which focused on health promotion. Some of this knowledge will be of benefit when completing this unit. Background to the Activity Students need to be aware of why health education activities are carried out, how targets are drawn up and the organisations and professionals responsible for their delivery. The study of Unit AS 3 will have already increased the students awareness of these aspects. A teacher-led discussion highlighting these aspects may suffice. The study of AS Unit 3 required students to research a health education/activity focused on a current health issue. Teachers should give guidance on appropriate health education issues and be mindful of the target audience. Students could refer back to this work and consider why the activity was carried out, how and why the targets were drawn up and who was responsible for the delivery of the activity. This activity could be either a class discussion or a reporting back session, where each student provides feedback on one activity they researched. Students then need to research local health promotion priorities for Northern Ireland. This could be carried out as group work with the teacher offering advice and guidance on research techniques. The class could be divided into groups and given the task of researching health improvement priorities for Northern Ireland. Each group would then report back on their research and the end result should be a comprehensive list of current health improvement priorities for Northern Ireland. This will raise students awareness of current health improvement priorities and enable a more informed and independent choice to be made when addressing Statement A of the Assessment Evidence. Articles from a range of local newspapers, current affairs television programmes and websites may provide useful information on current health promotion priorities e.g. there have been numerous articles on childhood obesity, mental health issues and binge drinking. Valuable information on current health improvement priorities is available on the Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety for Northern Ireland (DHSSPSNI) website (www.dhsspsni.gov.uk) in particular two documents Priorities for Action and A Healthier Future. Within this section the Government has identified several health promotion priorities such as smoking, physical activity, food and nutrition, alcohol abuse, oral health and mental health. Targets have been set for each priority and strategy papers have been produced detailing how the Government hopes to achieve these. These strategy papers are available on the Public Health Agency website (www.publichealth.hscni.net). Students may be able to identify health promotion priorities for their local area by contacting their local Trust e.g. Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. Most trusts also have strategic plans for their local area.
51
The completion of this part of the specification should have raised students awareness of the health promotion priorities, required to address Statement A of the Assessment Evidence. Designing and Implementing your Activity This section of the specification provides students with the knowledge to enable them to plan and carry out the health education activity which is required for the Assessment Evidence. Students will need to produce a plan for their education activity in Statement B. The section is introduced by considering the different approaches (models) used by health care workers to design and carry out campaigns. Students will already have studied the approaches listed as these were studied in AS Unit 3 Health and Well Being. Revision in the form of a class discussion should help students recall the various approaches. Only the approaches listed should be considered. Mark schemes from previous Unit 3 exam papers provide a concise summary of the approaches. Textbooks such as Promoting Health by Ewles and Simmnett and Applied AS Health and Social Care published by Folens also provide relevant information. Students need to be aware of the importance of setting aims and objectives when carrying out their activity. Students may be confused and find it difficult to differentiate between them (students who are also completing Unit 7 Applied Research may have a clearer understanding). The aim is the overall purpose of the activity while the objectives set out quite clearly how the aim will be achieved. The objectives set should be SMART specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timed. Students may require practice at drawing up aims and objectives. An initial example could be provided and then group work/class discussion used to give students opportunities to draw up aims and objectives themselves. For example if the aim was to improve the oral health of primary school children the objectives could be: to demonstrate how to brush their teeth effectively to have a display of healthy/unhealthy snacks to explain the importance of visiting the dentist regularly to show a video.
Students should be aware of the different communication methods which may be used in the delivery of activity. An initial class discussion will enable students to identify a range leaflets, videos, posters, demonstrations, PowerPoint presentations, handouts, quizzes, word searches etc. Students should also understand the advantages and disadvantages of these methods. A useful approach may be to provide students with a range of health promotion materials leaflets, videos, posters etc and the advantages and disadvantages of each could be discussed in class. Within this section students also need to understand that an activity must be monitored in order to evaluate their success and effectiveness. Students should consider the methods they may use to monitor the activity they will carry out. A class discussion may be the most effective method of addressing this considering methods such as self assessment, participant assessment, peer assessment, teacher assessment etc. Evaluating your Activity Students often experience difficulty when evaluating work but they need to understand that evaluation is always an important part of any health education activity. Evaluation involves reflection students need to be aware of the importance of reviewing all areas of their activity from the planning stage to the end of the activity. A class discussion outlining and explaining the process of evaluating their campaign may be the most effective way of delivering this final section. Aspects to consider may include:
52
were the aim and objectives met? if not, why not? which communication methods were successful and why? which communication methods were unsuccessful, why and what improvements could be made? what were the outcomes of the activity? expected and unexpected what was the impact of the activity on the target audience were they interested, bored etc? consideration of possible barriers the target evidence may face acting upon the advice given in the activity. were the approaches used successful if not, why not? was the activity well planned/what changes could be made to make it more successful?
In conclusion the delivery guidance requires a great deal of class discussion to enable students to acquire the knowledge and skills to complete the assessment evidence/assignment. Assessment Guidance The Assessment Evidence (assignment) for this unit requires candidates to plan and implement a small scale health education activity, based on local health promotion priorities. Candidates may produce this independently or work as part of a group. The group should have a maximum of five candidates. It is imperative that if candidates decide to work as a group they understand the importance of team work, of attending classes and playing an active role in the activity. Each group member must have a clearly defined and active role in the activity and produce independent work. Each candidate must produce their own individual work addressing statements A E of the assessment evidence. The health education activity may be carried out in school if appropriate to the target group or in a health care setting. Candidates do not need to produce their own materials for the activity leaflets, posters, videos etc already used in an existing campaign are acceptable. It is good practice to introduce the assignment. The workload is more manageable for candidates and teachers if the assignment is completed statement by statement and marked as such. A reasonable amount of time should be allocated for the completion of each statement. This unit provides excellent opportunities for candidates to work independently the teacher playing an advisory role. The introduction should provide detail on the number of candidates in the group and identify the topic addressed by the health education activity. Statement A (suggested length approx 1200 words) To complete this statement, candidates need to review and analyse the local health promotion priorities set by the Government in relation to the subject of their health education activity being undertaken. They are also required to describe the target audience to whom the activity is being delivered. Candidates should endeavour to produce succinct work definitions of health promotion or detail on the work of the Public Health Agency is irrelevant. It is good practice to introduce and justify the choice of activity e.g. the topic of the health education activity is Healthy Eating. This has been chosen because media and newspapers have highlighted increasing levels of childhood obesity. The justification of the choice of topic should be supported by statistics and with reference to research from newspaper/media articles and other relevant sources. Example; on 23rd October 2006 Marie Eagle, the Northern Ireland Health
53
Minister outlined plans to tackle childhood obesity in schools. She revealed that one in four P1 girls and one in five P1 boys in Northern Ireland is considered to be obese or overweight. Candidates may then continue by describing the target audience to which they are delivering the activity e.g. the target group for the health education activity is year 8 pupils in my school. The group comprises x number of girls and y number of boys. The pupils come from varying backgrounds and are of mixed ability. Candidates should also explain clearly why this target group was chosen e.g. research shows that many school children eat an unhealthy diet. Example; a Survey of Eating Habits Among Children and Young People in Northern Ireland carried out by the Public Health Agency in March 2001 revealed that only 2% of the participants ate the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day etc. Candidates should conclude Statement A by reviewing and analysing local health promotion priorities e.g. if the topic chosen is healthy eating what are the Government improvement priorities drawn up to address this issue. It is imperative that candidates undertake extensive research to review and analyse these health promotion priorities in Northern Ireland and perhaps in the local area. Information is available from a range of sources, A Healthier Future Priorities for Action and websites such as www.dhsspsni.gov.uk and www.publichealth.hscni.net and www.northernifhpartners.co.uk/publications.aspx The work undertaken to complete this statement must be individual even though the candidate may be part of a group. Work awarded mark band four must be produced independently and be comprehensive and detailed. Sources used should be the most up to date available (usually within the last 5 years). Statement B (suggested length maximum 1600 words) The successful completion of this statement requires the candidates to produce work showing the implementation of the health education activity. If the candidate is working in a group it is essential that the role of each member is described. This statement can be awarded a maximum of thirty marks, nearly one third of the total marks available for the assignment. Candidates should be made aware of this and encouraged to produce a detailed plan. Candidates will require guidance on the detail required in the plan. The plan should describe the approaches/models which will be used to carry out the activity e.g. behaviour change, educational, or the use of fear arousal. The candidate should also explain why or justify the approach(es) used the educational approach is being used because the activity is taking place in school etc. It is good practice to include a brief description of the population group/target audience (this will already have been justified in more detail in statement A). The overall aim and objectives of the health education activity should be listed. Three or four clear objectives should be identified e.g. to explain the importance of eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Candidates should then draw up a detailed plan showing how the health education activity will be carried out. The role of each group member should be included, the candidate highlighting their own. It is good practice to also include detail on the preparation of the health education activity. Part of the plan could be completed in table form but it must be detailed e.g. time, where, when, how etc. Candidates should also include a description and justification of the communication methods they intend to use to deliver the activity PowerPoint, posters, leaflets, videos, taste tests etc and explain the advantages of each. The resources required to deliver the activity should also be identified venue/equipment/materials/time etc. The activity must have a realistic and achievable time scale. Candidates awarded mark band four must independently produce a comprehensive plan including not only their own role but that of each group member.
54
Statement C (suggested length approx 700 words) Candidates need to focus on the requirements of this statement. They need to describe the methods used to monitor both the impact of the activity and the success of the communication methods used on the target audience. Candidates should not describe the communication methods used this was completed when addressing statement B. Definitions of monitoring and details of the importance of the process are irrelevant and should not be included. Candidates should describe and justify in their own words the methods that they will use to monitor the impact of the activity and the success of the communication methods used. Monitoring methods may include a pre and post test, comment cards, self, peer, participant, teacher or observer questionnaires. When monitoring the impact of the activity on the target audience candidates may consider the following did the audience pay attention or did they appear to be bored? Did they take part in the discussion/activities/feedback from evaluation sheets if used/feedback from before and after questionnaire if used/feedback from peers, teachers etc. The methods used to monitor the success of each communication method used should also be described e.g. posters these will have been successful as a communication method if the members of the target audience take an interest in them/take time to look at them/discuss or ask questions about them. If the posters are ignored then they are not successful as a communication method. The maximum marks available for this statement are sixteen. The monitoring records should be included in statement C. Work awarded mark band four should be comprehensive and independently produced. Statement D (suggested length approx 1200 words) Candidates should focus on the command word of this statement evaluation. They are required to evaluate the impact of the activity and the success of the communication methods used on the target audience. Candidates need to evaluate what worked well/what did not work well. Suggestions for possible improvements to the activity should not be included in this statement. Statement E focuses on the recommendations for improvement of the activity. Candidates should use their monitoring records to provide evidence as a basis of their evaluation. Other aspects candidates should consider include were the aim and objectives achieved? Were the outcomes of the activity as expected? How can the long term impact of the activity be analysed/what possible barriers may the target audience face when acting on the advice given etc. Candidates should find the evaluation of the communication methods used more straightforward e.g. the posters illustrating various forms of cancer caused by smoking were very effective. The audience were interested, spent time looking at the posters and took part in the discussion. Some of the audience said the posters were too graphic illustrating the success of the fear arousal approach or the booklet of healthy eating was not a successful communication method. The language used was too difficult for the audience and the booklet was lengthy with no illustrations. Many said the booklet was not user friendly but boring and difficult to understand. Candidates should evaluate the success of each communication used. Candidates must make sure they evaluate both the impact of the activity and success of communication methods Work awarded mark band four should be comprehensive, independently produced and address both requirements of the statement.
55
Statement E (suggested length approx 800 words) This statement requires candidates to describe and justify recommendations for improvements to the activity. While completing Statement D candidates will already have identified areas of the activity which could be improved. This statement not only requires candidates to describe in detail what improvements could be made to the activity, but they must justify the suggested improvements. The suggested improvements may focus on the communication methods used and include suggested changes to the planning and approach of the activity. Candidates need to write discursively to achieve in the higher mark bands. As in previous statements candidates achieving mark band four have independently produced detailed and accurate recommendations for improvement of the activity with comprehensive justification of the recommendations. It is not necessary to include the resources such as Powerpoints and posters etc in the Appendices. Conclusion It is good practice to annotate work and at the end of each statement include a brief comment justifying mark band awarded. A bibliography is essential. Note: Tables, questionnaires, graphs and charts are not included in the word limit Work in excess of 10% of the word limit for each statement cannot access mark band 4.
56
A2 UNIT 11 (A6H5) SUPPORTING THE FAMILY

Assessment Guidance: This unit is internally assessed. Students will complete an assignment adhering to the specified word count. The assignment must have the word total for each statement recorded on the candidate record sheet. Teachers will mark the assignment and it must be internally standardised. A sample of assignments identified by CCEA will be submitted for moderation. Family Functions This section can be introduced by a class discussion on the definition of a family and its purpose. Students should focus on how the family can meet the physical, intellectual, emotional and social (PIES) needs of it members. There is a wide range of information available on PIES needs. Information is available in Child Development, Sociology, Home Economics and Health and Social Care Textbooks (GCSE, AS and A2 Level). Mark schemes for AS Unit 3 (Health and Well Being), AS Unit 5 (Adult Client Groups) and A2 Unit 9 (Providing Services) which are available from CCEA also provide valuable information on PIES needs. Students could be given various activities to promote an understanding of how the family meets the needs of its members e.g. case studies on individuals in different life stages allowing group discussions on how the needs are met. Posters and the use of families in television programmes can also form a basis for work highlighting how the family unit can meet the needs of its members. Changing Family Structures A class discussion may be used to introduce family structure as many of the students may already be familiar with different family structures. A comparison of family structure now with that of their grand/great grand parents usually evokes discussion. Examples of families from various television programmes may be used as a starting point. Students need to understand the reasons why family structure has changed. This could be introduced by describing a family which was headed by a married couple and the mother stayed at home to care for the children, do the housework etc while the father was the breadwinner and head of the household. This could then be developed into a comparison of family structure today and the reasons why it has changed. The focus needs to be on how divorce etc has impacted on family structure and findings should be supported by NI/UK statistics. e.g. divorce has lead to an increase in one parent families. Today 71% of families are headed by a married couple and the number of families headed by a cohabiting couple has risen from 9% to 14%. The increased availability of contraception may have contributed to a decrease in family size e.g. in 1971 the average family had two children, in 2007 this has dropped to 1.8 children. Support Available to Families Students should already be familiar with the different sectors which provide services statutory, private, voluntary and informal. Students need to be clear on what services are offered and why families may need them. A useful approach is to use case studies of different families and allow students to identify the services available to the family and evaluate the effects of the support available. A range of case studies will enable the students to gain a wide knowledge of the services available. When constructing the case studies the families do not need to be totally dysfunctional most families use a range of services. However do try and construct case studies in which the family can
57
access services from the four sectors (statutory, private, voluntary and informal). A simple case study could be as follows, Mr and Mrs Harding have two children, Jack aged 6 and Laura aged 3. Mrs Harding is expecting her third child. Jack has Downs syndrome but is coping well in mainstream education. This family could access the following services: Statutory Sector the health centre for emergencies, illnesses, immunisations, health checks, ante-natal appointments etc. The hospital ante-natal visits and health checks for Jack. Dental check ups and treatment for the family. Private sector Lucy may attend a privately owned crche/playgroup. Voluntary sector Downs Syndrome Association may support the family. Informal sector the childrens grandmother collects them from school. Each case study should be accompanied by a series of short tasks e.g. what services are available to the family? why do the family need the services? what support do the services offer the family? evaluate the support available to the family.
Family Issues This part of the specification requires students to consider a range of issues families may face and their effect on individual members. Only the six issues in the specification should be addressed domestic violence, poverty, parenting skills, adolescents/children with behavioural problems, bereavement and social exclusion related to ethnicity. It is important to consider all theses issues at this stage to encourage students to make independent and informed choices when completing the assessment evidence. A newspaper/website article on each issue can prove to be a useful starting point and evoke class discussion on each issue e.g. bereavement common behaviour changes include bed wetting, being withdrawn, lack of concentration, clinging, bullying, telling lies and being aggressive, all of which may indicate upset (www.BBC.co.uk Relationships Dr Ann Dent on the effects of bereavement on children) It is important to consider only the effects of the different issues on the different family members. Students may if desired research the effects as a group activity but at this stage a broad outline of the effects is all that is required. When completing the assessment evidence students will choose two issues to research in detail. Having researched the effects of the issues on family members students are then to investigate recent government initiatives which aim to support these families. This could be completed as a homework task followed by a group discussion. Students should focus on Northern Ireland/United Kingdom initiatives only. Each student could be given an issue and asked to outline briefly two government initiatives introduced to support families facing that issue. Guidance may be required whilst researching the work encouraging students to focus on government initiatives only. The most up to date information is available on the internet.
58
The final section of the specification requires students to evaluate the role played by organisations which provide support to families facing the listed issues. Organisations should be Northern Ireland or UK based. Assessment Evidence It is good practice to introduce the assignment assessment evidence. The workload is more manageable for candidates and teachers if the assessment is completed statement by statement and marked in the same way. A reasonable amount of time should be allocated for the completion of each statement. As stated before, candidates should aim to work independently, the teacher acting as advisor. It is important to maintain confidentiality when completing the assignment. Statement A (suggested length approx 300 words per reason) In this statement candidates are required to explain three reasons why family structures are changing. Each candidate should choose three of the reasons listed in the specification and explain succinctly how each has affected family structure. No other information is required only the effect on family structure. Where possible, findings should be supported by current NI/UK statistics. A piece of work may read Divorce may have contributed to the increase in the number of one parent families which has tripled since 1972 according to a report on social trends (www.telegraph.co.uk). Nearly one in four children in Britain now lives in a single parent family, with the number of such families rising from four to twelve million. Since 1971 the numbers living in the traditional family household comprising a couple with dependent children has fallen from 52% to 37% etc. Information on effects of divorce, grounds for divorce etc is irrelevant and should not be included. Contraception may include details such as contraception may have lead to an increase in the number of people living in couple families with no children so-called Dinkeys, dual income no kids couple which has increased from 19% to 25% since 1971 (www.telegraph.co.uk). In 1971 the average number of children per family was 2.0 and 2007 this had dropped to 1.8 etc. Candidates should not provide information on types of contraception etc which is irrelevant. The focus should be on how contraception has affected family structure. This statement is worth a maximum of twelve marks so each of the three reasons explained can be given a mark out of four. Statement B (suggested length approx 300 words) This statement requires candidates to describe the structure of a family, fictional or real (changing names to maintain confidentiality). The family should have at least three members and receive support from a range of services. This is important to ensure candidates can complete statements C and D. The family does not have to be totally dysfunctional with numerous problems. Candidates should identify the family structure e.g. Family A is a one parent family. An illustration of the family structure should also be included. It is good practice to include a short description of each family member. This statement can be awarded a total of eight marks. Statement C (suggested length approx 700 words) Candidates should focus on the command word when completing this statement they are required to analyse how the family described in statement B meets the needs of one member. It is good practice to include the physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs (PIES) of the
59
family member to encourage a detailed response. It is acceptable to produce a summary of the needs in a table which can then be analysed. Candidates should adopt a holistic approach and analyse how the family meets the needs of one member. Statement D (i) (suggested length approx 1200 words) This statement requires candidates to describe the support used by the family in statement B. Candidates should describe four sources of support used by the family to meet their needs. Support should if possible comprise of one from each of the sectors in the specification Statutory, private, voluntary and informal support. Candidates should focus on the command word which is describe. Candidates should produce succinct work describing the support used by the family. Detail on the organisation, number of staff etc is irrelevant and should not be included. Statement D (ii) (suggested length approx 800 words) The focus of this statement is evaluation, which requires candidates to consider the strengths/weaknesses, positive/negative aspects of the support provided to the family in statement B. This can be completed as a stand alone piece of work or combined with D(i) candidates could evaluate the support after describing each service used by the family. Candidates should be encouraged to evaluate using the terms in the specification e.g. self esteem, empowerment etc. Other aspects are also acceptable. Statements (E) and (F) refer to the families in general and not the family described in statement (B). Statement E(i) (suggested length approx 1000 words) The completion of the first part of this statement requires candidates to choose two issues from the specification (domestic violence, poverty, bereavement, parenting skills, adolescents/children with behavioural problems/special educational needs, or social exclusion related to ethnicity, bereavement). Independent choice should be encouraged. Candidates need to research and analyse how these two issues may affect the various family members. The work should focus only on the effects e.g. how bereavement may affect various family members. Candidates may find it useful to focus on physical, intellectual, emotional and social effects. Information provided which does not analyse the effects is irrelevant and should not be awarded any marks. Statement E(ii) (suggested length approx 800 words) The second part of this statement requires candidates to describe two government initiatives which aim to support families (one for each issue chosen). The initiatives, where possible should be Northern Ireland based. If this is not possible then United Kingdom is acceptable. Voluntary organisations are not government initiatives. Statement F (suggested length approx 1000 words) Candidates should focus on the command word of this statement they are required to assess the work of one organisation aiming to support families facing each of the chosen issues analysed in statement (E). The focus is to access the support offered by each organisation, not
60
to produce information on the history of funding etc. of the organisation. A wide range of organisations offer support to families and while most candidates focus on voluntary organisations it is also acceptable and often shows independence if organisations from the other sectors are researched. Organisations assessed should be Northern Ireland based and work to support families in the province. Work in excess of 10% of the word limit for each statement cannot access Mark Band 4.
61
A2 UNIT 12 (A6H6) UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

Introduction Unit 12 is an optional unit at A2 for both single and double award students. It aims to give students an understanding the main perspectives in psychology that can explain various aspects of human behaviour as well as the socio-economic factors that influence those behaviours. The application of the psychological perspectives in terms of therapy and treatment for individuals experiencing a range of problems is also explored. The Unit is assessed externally by a 2 hour written examination. It should be noted that the first section of this unit introduces the six major perspectives in psychology whilst the second section starts with the therapies and treatments that are associated with each perspective in turn. Students may wish to explore the therapies/treatments with the theories, though focusing on the theories first and then moving on to the therapies/treatments does afford the opportunity for revision of the theories which may well be of benefit to candidates. Psychological perspectives on behaviour and personality Students should start this unit by exploring the six major perspectives in psychology and how they view human behaviour, and in each case they should focus on the theories or concepts listed. For example, for the psychoanalytic perspective, candidates should know Freuds theory in some detail, including the meaning of the key concepts of fixation, the id, ego and superego, the libido and death wish, erogenous zones, the stages of personality development and examples of defence mechanisms. With regard to the humanistic perspective they should focus on Rogers theory of personality development including the key concepts of self actualization, positive regard, conditions of worth, the defence mechanisms of denial and distortion, the real self, the ideal self and incongruence. Students exploration of the behaviourist perspective should include both Pavlovs classical conditioning and Skinners operant conditioning. The former includes the concepts of learned associations, conditioned responses, generalisation, extinction and reinforcement whilst the latter includes the concepts of reinforcement, both positive and negative, schedules of reinforcement, punishment and behaviour shaping. The cognitive perspective in psychology encompasses a wide range of thinking and information processing behaviours but in this unit candidates are simply asked to look at Beck and Elliss theories, which propose that irrational thoughts and beliefs cause abnormal behaviours. Aaron Becks key concepts include cognitive errors, the cognitive triad of negative thoughts and negative schemas. Ellis used the concept of an internal dialogue of negative self statements and used the ABC model to explain the development of irrational beliefs. From the biological perspective, students should focus on the role of genetics, physiology and in particular neurobiology in depression, aggression and stress. They should also learn about Eysencks theory of personality development, including the concepts of extraversion,
62
neuroticism and psychoticism, with a clear focus on how these aspects of personality are determined by the nervous system. Finally, from the social perspective candidates should understand the key concepts of Banduras Social Learning Theory (SLT) including imitation, modelling and identification. In some psychology texts, this theory will be included in a chapter on the behaviourist approach, as it can be regarded as developing the theories of classical and operant conditioning, but for the purposes of this unit, SLT is regarded as being part of the social perspective in psychology. For the social perspective, candidates should also use Asch and Sherifs work to explore conformity and they should explore the meaning of Tajfel and Turners concepts of social identity and selfcategorization. The best source of material to introduce candidates to the theories is AS and A2 level psychology texts; useful examples are listed below. Students may use internet sources but it should be noted that many of the psychology notes on the internet are aimed at degree level students or professionals and are often confusing for candidates at this level. There are, nevertheless, some useful on-line resources e.g. the website www.psychologyabout.com has some useful notes and quizzes pitched at an appropriate level. It is important that candidates have accessible revision notes for each perspective so it is recommended that hand-outs are produced. Applying psychological perspectives to understanding the behaviours and meeting the needs of individuals through treatment and therapy The first part of this section introduces students to the therapies and treatments that are associated with the psychological perspectives studied in the first section of the unit. Note that the therapies and treatments are listed in an order that corresponds to the ordering of the associated perspectives; this is to help teachers and candidates identify the links between theoretical perspectives and interventions or therapies. Teachers should stress the importance of understanding the links between theory and practice and it will be useful to have revision tests on the key theoretical concepts of each theory before moving on to the associated therapy or treatment. For example, a test on Freuds theory will be useful preparation for exploring psychoanalysis and play therapy, and revision of Rogers key concepts will help candidates to understand client-centred therapy (also known as person-centred therapy or PCT) and encounter groups. Please note that there are many forms of play therapy, but students are required to explore play therapy based on the psychoanalytic perspective (Anna Freud). With regard to behaviour students should understand that systematic desensitization and implosion therapy are based on classical conditioning and that behaviour modification and time management for stress are based on the principles of operant conditioning. There are many new forms of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) but in line with the theory in the first section of the unit, students should focus on the work of Beck and Ellis (Cognitive Restructuting and RET/REBT). They should also learn about Meichenbaums three stage therapy for dealing with stress. The application of the biological perspective should be explored by focusing on the physical effects of drugs, ECT, biofeedback, meditation and relaxation; at this stage a couple of examples of how prescription drugs work, e.g. for depression or stress, is sufficient, as drugs specific to particular conditions or problems will be explored in more detail in the second part of this section. From the social perspective modelling therapy based on Banduras Social Learning Theory as well as social skills training and family therapy should be studied. Again, psychology texts aimed at AS and A2 level candidates are useful. Video material showing some of the treatments or
63
therapies in action may also be used some of the video material available to buy is expensive and is often too detailed in content for the purposes of this unit, but there are many useful short clips available on www.youtube.com which can help students to understand how the therapies are delivered. Teachers may wish to explore these and either post appropriate links on the VLE or play the clips for the students, as simply conducting a search on the site for a treatment or therapy can lead candidates to unsuitable material. Students need to be able to describe the advantages and limitations of each type of treatment or therapy, and texts are the best source of this. Please note that the evaluative points should be specific to the treatment or therapy under consideration e.g. individuals may not want to be in therapy is a very general point, but individuals may find it very difficult to talk about painful childhood memories is clearly specific to psychoanalysis. The second part of this section requires students to apply their learning by exploring how the psychological perspectives can be applied to understanding the different groups of individuals listed and to meeting their needs through therapy/treatment. Case studies, based on the groups of individuals listed, should be used. The following links between individuals and relevant theory and practice should be explored Individuals suffering from depression: Explanations- psychoanalytic, humanistic, cognitive, biological. Treatment/therapy- psychoanalysis and play therapy; client-centred therapy and encounter groups; Becks cognitive therapy and Elliss rational emotive therapy (RET) and rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT); drug therapy, specifically MAOIs (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors), Tricyclics and SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and ECT. Individuals who are aggressive: Explanations- psychoanalytic, humanistic, behaviourist, cognitive biological and social. Treatment/therapy- psychoanalysis and play therapy; clientcentred therapy and encounter groups; behaviour modification; Becks cognitive therapy and Elliss RET and REBT; drug therapy i.e. minor tranquillizers such as benzodiazepines; modelling therapy and social skills training. Individuals suffering from stress: Explanations- cognitive, behaviourist, humanistic and biological. - Treatment/therapy- Becks cognitive therapy, Elliss RET and REBT and Meichenbaums Stress Inoculation Therapy (SIT); time management; client-centred therapy and encounter groups; drugs, specifically beta blockers, anti-depressants and anxiolytic drugs, biofeedback, meditation and relaxation. Individuals with eating disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa): Explanationspsychoanalytic, including Hilde Bruch, cognitive, behaviourist, biological and social. Treatment/therapy psychoanalysis; Becks cognitive therapy and Elliss RET and REBT; behaviour modification; drugs, specifically anti-depressants; and family therapy. Individuals with phobias: Explanations-psychoanalytic, cognitive, behaviourist, social. Treatment/therapy psychoanalysis; Becks cognitive therapy and Elliss RET and REBT; behaviour therapies specifically systematic desensitization and implosion therapy; and modelling therapy.
This information is set out in the following table -
64
Individuals Individuals suffering from depression
Theory (Explanations) Psychoanalytic Humanistic Cognitive Biological
Treatment or Therapy Psychoanalysis, play therapy Client centred therapy and encounter groups Becks cognitive therapy, Elliss RET and REBT Drugs- 3 main types: MAOIs (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors); Tricyclics: SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) ECT Psychoanalysis (catharsis), play therapy Client centred therapy and encounter groups Behaviour modification Becks cognitive therapy, Elliss RET and REBT Drugs minor tranquilisers e.g. benzodiazepines Modelling therapy, social skills training Becks cognitive therapy, Elliss RET and REBT Michenbaums SIT (Stress Inoculation Therapy) Time management Client centred therapy and encounter groups Drugs beta blockers, anti depressants, anxiolytic (anxiety reducing) drugs, Biofeedback, Relaxation and meditation. Psychoanalysis Becks cognitive therapy, Elliss RET and REBT Behaviour modification Drugs anti- depressants Family therapy
Individuals who are aggressive
Psychoanalytic Humanistic Behaviourist Cognitive Biological Social
Individuals suffering from stress
Cognitive Behaviourist Humanistic Biological
Individuals with eating disorders anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa
Psychoanalytic (including Hilde Brunch) Cognitive Behaviourist Biological Social
65
Individuals with Phobias
Psychoanalytic Cognitive Behaviourist social
Psychoanalysis Becks cognitive therapy, Elliss RET and REBT Behaviour therapies (systematic desensitization and implosion therapies) Modelling therapy
You may find it useful to give your students a copy of the table above as it is a very useful revision tool. Students will benefit from exploring the application of the psychological perspectives and treatments/therapies to the different individuals. Television documentaries or radio programmes and websites such as www.nhs.co.uk and www.nice.org.uk may also provide useful information on specific behaviours or conditions and the associated therapies/treatments. The influence of the range of socio-economic factors identified in the next section can also be explored through the use of the same case studies, giving candidates the opportunity to examine how the same behaviours can be linked to social factors. Based on their general knowledge and learning about socio-economic influences on health and well being in Unit 3, candidates should be able to come up with ideas of their own and they can conduct research using sociology texts and sources like www.statistics.gov.uk. There is no need for in-depth study of the influence of these factors and candidates will not be expected to cite specific statistics in the examination. The influence of socio-economic factors on these behaviour This section of the unit aims to help students understand that the problems and behaviours they have examined (depression, aggression, stress, eating disorders and phobias) may be influenced by socio-economic as well as psychological/biological factors. As indicated above, the influence of the socio-economic factors listed in this section are best explored through case studies which show the complex interaction of psychology, biology and socio-economic factors in the lives of individuals. Assessment Guidance The external examination will require candidates to demonstrate a range of knowledge and skills related to understanding human behaviour. It will require students, at a basic level, to describe the key psychological perspectives/theories of behaviour and personality and the associated therapies and treatments and to describe the influence of socio-economic factors. Candidates will be expected to apply their knowledge to case studies and to demonstrate the ability to analyse how the individuals behaviour in the case studies can be both understood and treated. In some sections of the examination candidates will be required to demonstrate skills of evaluation e.g. candidates may be asked to evaluate a treatment or therapy.
66
Resources Students should have access to a range of resources pitched at AS/A2 level. Examples are listed below. Texts Bernstein, D.A., Penner, L.A., Clarke-Stewart A., and Roy, E.J. (2007), Psychology, 8th edition, Houghton Mifflin. Cave, S., (1999) Therapeutic Approaches in Psychology, Routledge. Davenport, G.C., (1996) Essential Psychology, 2nd edition, Collins Educational. Feldman, R.S., (2008) Essentials of Understanding Psychology, 8th edition, McGraw-Hill. Gross, R., (2005) Psychology The Science of Mind and Behaviour, 5th edition, Hodder Arnold. Hayes, N., (2000), Foundations of Psychology An Introductory Text, 3rd revised edition, Thomson Learning. Moore, S., (2001), Sociology Alive, 3rd edition, Nelson Thornes. ODonnell, M., 1997, Introduction to Sociology, 4th edition, Nelson Thornes. Psychology Review (quarterly journal), Philip Allen Updates. Social Trends, HMSO. Sociology Review (quarterly journal), Philip Allen Updates. The Revision Guide AS Level Psychology (2008) Coordination Group Publications (CGP) Websites www.bbc.co.uk/health www.guardian.co.uk/society www.nhs.co.uk www.nice.org.uk www.psychologyabout.com www.statistics.gov.uk www.youtube.com Broadsheet and online newspapers can be used to highlight socio-economic factors that can influence behaviour. Television documentaries may also be useful e.g. on topics like depression and its causes and treatments. Visiting speakers such as clinical psychologists, counselors or mental health nurses could also help the candidates to develop an understanding of how the therapies/treatments are used in care practice. Work placements may also be useful e.g. candidates on placement in early years settings may see behaviour modification techniques being used.
67
A2 UNIT 15 (A6H7) HUMAN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS

Nutrients in Food This section requires students to know the function sources and requirements of the range of nutrients in the specification. Students should also be aware of the excesses and the impact of deficiency diseases on an individual. Students should have an understanding of the inter dependency of nutrients in the maintenance of an individuals health and well being e.g. the importance of calcium and vitamin D for healthy teeth and bones. It is important that students have a clear understanding of the importance of the nutritional requirements of specific service users in the planning of meals in a range of care settings. Case studies may be a useful method of learning when linking the relationship between nutritional theory, service user groups and settings for example the nutritional needs of an older person in a nursing home. A range of resources can be used in the delivery of this section e.g. BNF website, Food Standards Agency and textbooks such as Fox and Camerons Food Science Nutrition & Health and The Science of Food Gaman & Sherrington. Teachers need to ensure they only address what is stated in the specification when covering this section. An example of good practice is for students to create a booklet summarising the underpinning knowledge of the nutrients in this section (functions, sources, requirements and deficiency diseases).This will serve as an effective revision tool. Recording all nutritional knowledge in a table format is also an effective method of delivery. Once this section is completed it is recommended students are tested on their level of nutritional knowledge before progressing onto the next topic. Dietary Reference Values Students need to have a clear knowledge and understanding of the dietary reference values within the specifications. They should also be aware of their use in care settings. Understanding the DRVs will enable students to apply their knowledge to specific service user groups and individuals It is therefore advised to teach these values by illustrating how care settings utilize the information they represent. Students are required to have a knowledge and understanding of the Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) along with the DRVs. A useful teaching strategy is to provide students with nutrient tables to explore the nutritional requirements for a range of individuals and service user groups. Dietary Advice. Students should be aware of the need for a balanced diet. The British Nutrition Foundation website is an excellent resource to utilize when delivering this topic. It clearly illustrates The Eatwell Plate and enables students to analyse current dietary advice.
68
Individuals and Special Dietary Requirements. When students have a clear understanding of dietary advice they can progress to how their knowledge can be applied to the specific nutritional needs of individuals e.g. infants 0-3, children 4-10 as stated in the specification. Students should then develop an understanding of the principles and the implications of the relationship between diet and health. Students can be divided into groups and given an individual to research and then the findings can be shared throughout the class. This will ensure each student has a complete set of notes for each group. It is vital that students address the specific nutritional needs and dietary recommendations for their given individual. Students should explore the different food allergies and differing religious beliefs stated in the specification. Group work may be used and case studies are a useful tool as these will encourage students to relate their findings to the different groups. The use of past papers and mark schemes from the CCEA website are a useful resource but teachers should be careful though not to encourage students to learn off answers from past mark schemes, as these are usually in summary form and hinder the breadth of knowledge. Diet related diseases/ disorders. Students need to explore and develop an understanding of the relationship between diet and health when considering a range of disorders and their associated risk factors. Teachers can use case-studies to deliver this section. Students usually find this an interesting aspect. This style of learning can improve the candidates examination technique, as many of the questions within the examination paper are incorporated within a scenario. External services can also be invited into the school to assist with the delivery. Teachers must ensure that when examining the risk factors of diet related disorders the focus is on dietary aspects only. Visiting speakers are a useful resource when addressing any of the diet related diseases/ disorders. Documentary programmes and the BBC website are also helpful. To help with students independent learning an effective delivery strategy is for students to research the influencing factors, effects and management of the range of diseases/ disorders and present findings through a variety of mediums e.g. leaflets, powerpoint presentations and Pod casts. A range of web sites also provide valuable information and are an excellent resource to use when delivering this area of the specification e.g. www.eatingdisordersni.com/ . Factors influencing dietary intake. Students are required to develop an understanding of the key determinants of food choice. Teachers should pay particular attention to the specification and address fully each factor stated. A recommended teacher resource is Human Nutrition- a Health Perspective by Mary E Barasi 2nd edition. Students should be encouraged through a range of strategies to apply key determinants of food choice to given groups for example how labelling can influence the food choice of a mother of two young children. Food preparation and handling. The key element in this section is that students are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge of good hygiene and safe practices when storing, preparing and handling food in a range of health and social care settings for example a nursing home. The Public Health Agency website is a useful resource to consider when delivering the topic of food poisoning. The Science
69
of Food Gaman and Sherrington textbook 4th Edition is an excellent resource for both teachers and students. Students should be able to identify the specific bacteria relating to food poisoning, the factors affecting their growth and identify high risk foods. At A2 Level it is expected that students can spell correctly the names of those bacteria stated in the specification. The use of subject specific language in examination responses will enable candidates to move into higher mark bands. Students should develop knowledge of the signs and symptoms of food poisoning and identify the individuals most at risk. When considering good practice students should explore the storage, preparation and handling of food. The specification states the legislation and regulations which apply to food storage, preparation and handling. Teachers need only to cover those pieces of legislation specified. The use of websites is an excellent resource tool when addressing this section e.g. Food Standards Agency. The Science of Food textbook, already mentioned, is also an excellent resource for teacher and student. This textbook also covers the topic of HACCP in detail. There is also extensive reading within the textbook, on the legislation stated within the specification. Students generally do not engage readily when studying pieces of legislation. It is imperative that teachers ensure students develop breadth and depth to their knowledge and a clear understanding of legislation. Again visiting speakers such as an Environmental Health Officer are a useful resource to incorporate into the delivery of this section. . The school canteen is also a useful resource. This adds interest and variety to student learning and assists in their application to real life settings. Some websites also afford students the opportunity to complete a formal qualification in food handling/ hygiene, Assessment Guidance. The external examination will require candidates to demonstrate a depth of knowledge and a range of skills relating to the principles of nutrition, diet and health. The examination will require candidates to explain and describe specific nutritional and dietary concepts for example; functions and sources of specific nutrients. Candidates underpinning knowledge should be applied to given scenarios including groups and a range of care settings. In some sections of the examination candidates will be expected to demonstrate the higher order skill of analysing or evaluating for example candidates may be required to analyse the relationship between diet and coronary heart disease or evaluate the role of iron in the body. Use of subject specific terminology and application of theory will justify the awarding of higher grades. Resources Students should have access to a range of nutrition and dietetic sources pitched at A2 level. A bibliography of resources is appended below but it is not exhaustive. Barasi M. E. (2003) 2nd Ed. Human Nutrition A Health Perspective. Fox and Camerons (2006) 7th Ed Food Science Nutrition & Health Gaman and Sherrington (1996) 4th Ed - The Science of Food Food Standard Agency Literature
70
Websites www.ccea.org.uk Past papers and mark schemes www.bnf.org www.nutrition.org.uk www.publichealth.hscni.net www.diabetes.org.uk www.vegsoc.org www.bhf.org.uk www.food.gov.uk www.diet-and-health.net www.fdf.org.uk www.who.int www.nationaldairycouncil.org www.consumerline.org www.eatwell.gov.uk
71

A2as HSC Support 4578

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

A2as HSC Support 4578

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

GCE AS/A2

Health and Social Care

2006 2007 2008

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

AS UNIT 1 (A3H) PROMOTING POSITIVE CARE

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

AS UNIT 2 (A3H2) COMMUNICATION IN CARE SETTINGS

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

AS UNIT 3 (A3H3) HEALTH AND WELL BEING

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

AS UNIT 4 (A3H4) CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

AS UNIT 5 (A3H5) ADULT SERVICE USERS

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

AS UNIT 6 (A3H6) HOLISTIC THERAPIES

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

AS UNIT 14 (A3H8) UNDERSTANDING HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

A2 UNIT 7 (A6H) APPLIED RESEARCH

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

A2 UNIT 8 (A6H2) MONITORING BODY SYSTEMS

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

A2 UNIT 9 (A3H6) PROVIDING SERVICES

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

A2 UNIT 10 (A6H4) HEALTH PROMOTION

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012

Updated: August 2012