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Health and Social Care

Level 1 Certificate Health and Care GATEWAY

Your first step towards a career caring for and supporting people. If you want to work in a hospital, a care home or the community, this is where it starts. You'll learn how people grow and develop, how to communicate and support others, and how to keep people safe, all with support to build your confidence and a clear route to Level 2.

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How you’ll learn

Learn What Caring for People Takes.

This course is a real introduction to supporting and caring for people. You’ll learn how people grow and develop, how to communicate well, and how to give person-centred support that puts the individual first. You’ll cover the things that matter most in care: safeguarding, infection prevention and control, and awareness of dementia and disability.

It builds the caring, patient qualities every good care worker needs, and gives you a genuine feel for the job. Alongside it, you’ll keep developing your Maths and English. By the end of the year you’ll be ready to step up to Level 2 Health and Social Care, or into an entry-level care role.

What You'll Cover

  • Human growth and development
  • Communication
  • Person-centred support
  • Service provision and roles
  • Dementia awareness and disability awareness
  • Infection prevention and control, and safeguarding
Entry and progression

What you need and where it leads

  1. Entry requirements
  2. This course Level 1
  3. Further study

Entry requirements

  • GCSE Maths or English at Grade 1 or above, plus one other GCSE
  • A genuine interest in caring for and supporting people
  • Successful interview with our team

You'll also keep building your Maths and English alongside your course, built into your timetable.

Not sure you meet these? Talk to us and we will help you find the right starting point.

Further study

See all 44 courses

At this college

At North Lindsey College

Careers it can lead to

  • Care Workers and Home Carers £13.39 an hour
  • Senior Care Workers £26,800 a year
  • Houseparents and Residential Wardens £25,800 a year
  • Early Education and Childcare Assistants £13.30 an hour
See all 10 careers
  • Ambulance Staff (Excluding Paramedics) £27,800 a year
  • Childminders £12.72 an hour

With further study or experience

  • Residential, Day and Domiciliary Care Managers and Proprietors £42,000 a year
  • Welfare and Housing Associate Professionals £25,100 a year
  • Social Services Managers and Directors £33,800 a year
  • Social Workers £38,200 a year

Typical pay is the UK median for each job (Lightcast, October 2026).

Our facilities

Learn With Real Care Equipment

You'll learn in our modern Health Care Suite using real healthcare equipment, supported by tutors with real clinical and care backgrounds.

  • The Health Care Suite

    A modern training suite with real healthcare equipment, so you learn hands-on.

  • Tutors From Care and Clinical Backgrounds

    Learn from tutors who've worked in care and clinical settings themselves.

  • Skills Academy Extras

    Extra qualifications in First Aid, infection control and mental health awareness.

Health and Social Care Healthcare (7)
Health Care Suite · Real Equipment
Lucie-Mae

Lucie-Mae

T-Level Health

Student Voice

“

Doncaster College has been an amazing experience. I’ve learnt teamwork, problem solving, and gained real experience through work placements. The tutors and students are great, and it’s helped me get ready to study paramedic science at university.

Read more student stories
For parents and carers

Supporting your child’s journey

Mental Health & Wellbeing

College is a big change. Our wellbeing team is here for every student, whether they need someone to talk to, help managing stress, or ongoing support. No referral needed.

Wellbeing support

GCSE Support Built In

If your child needs to resit GCSE English or Maths, it's built into the timetable, not bolted on as an extra. They'll get structured support alongside their main course.

About student support

Real Career Prospects

These qualifications lead to real jobs. Our courses are built around the skills that employers are actually hiring for, locally and nationally.

See career options

Your next step

Apply now, come and see us first, or ask us anything.

Ready to Start in Care?

Applications for September 2027 are open. Apply online in 10 minutes.

Apply online

Want to visit first?

FE Open Event – 12th January 202712th January 4:30pm to 7:00pm

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What happens after you apply

1

You apply

Apply online and you’ll get a confirmation email.

2

You meet your tutor

We’ll invite you to an interview to talk through the course and your plans, and make sure it’s right for you.

3

You get an offer

We’ll email you a conditional or unconditional offer.

4

You get ready to start

Come to a taster session in the summer, then enrol in August, bringing your results.

Read our full guide to applying