Community & Social Care
| Award Name | Certificate |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | |
| Awarding Body | College |
| NFQ Level | |
| Award Name | First Aid Certificate |
| NFQ Classification | |
| Awarding Body | Order of Malta |
| NFQ Level | |
| Award Name | Level 5 Certificate (Level 5 NFQ) |
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | QQI |
| NFQ Level | Level 5 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | College | ||
| First Aid Certificate | Order of Malta | ||
| Level 5 Certificate (Level 5 NFQ) | Major | QQI | Level 5 NFQ |
Duration
This is a Full time one year course, which runs from September to May, 3 days a week, Tuesday to Thursday. Exact details of the timetable will be given out to students during the induction process prior to class commencement in September.
Entry Requirements
One of the following:
Leaving Certificate (LC Established, LCVP, LCA) or equivalent
A Full QQI Level 4 Award (or equivalent)
For Mature applicants (aged 21 or over) - appropriate experience will be considered in lieu of formal qualifications. Note: Mature applicants may be entitled to VTOS funding. For details about VTOS, please contact the college.
For applicants who do not meet the above entry requirements, please contact DFEi.
Applicants whose first language is not English require level B2 competency on the CEFR language framework. Applicants may be required to undergo English language testing to establish their language competency.
Careers / Further progression
Progression Opportunities
Graduates are eligible to apply through the CAO and/or the Higher Education Links Scheme for entry to year one of a range of higher certificate and degree programmes, at Universities, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities using their full QQI Level 5 major award. Places are not guaranteed in these Institutes and are subject to students meeting certain criteria. It is the students' responsibility to consult with the relevant HEI for information on the admissions process and any specific entry requirements. Students may also refer to the individual HEI prospectus or may also refer to the QQI FET section of the CAO website. www.cao.ie
Examples of CAO progression opportunities are listed below:
Progression Examples
BA Arts (MH101)
BA Psychology (MH106)
Bachelor of Social Science (MH107)
Bachelor of Social Science (Community and Youth Work) (MH116)
Maynooth University - www.nuimaynooth.ie
BA Arts (DN520)
BA Humanities (DN530)
BSc Social Sciences (DN700)
BSocSc Social Policy and Sociology (DN750)
BSc Psychology (DN720)
BSc Criminology with Psychology (DN620)
University College Dublin - www.ucd.ie
Bachelor Law (TR004)
Bachelor of Deaf Studies (TR016)
Trinity College Dublin - www.tcd.ie
BSc Applied Psychology (DL825)
IADT, Dún Laoghaire - www.iadt.ie
BA Arts (CK101)
BSocSc Social Science (CK102)
BSocSc Social Science (Youth and Community Work) (CK114)
University College Cork - www.ucc.ie
BA Social Care (TU996)
BA Social Care Practice (TU997)
BA Applied Social Studies in Social Care (TU991)
BA Community and Youth Development (TU792)
BA Early Childhood Education (TU995)
Technological University Dublin - www.tud.ie
BSc Health and Society (DC209)
Dublin City University - www.dcu.ie
BA Community Youth Work (DK767)
Dundalk Institute of Technology - www.dkit.ie
BA Social Science (WD187)
BA Social Care Practice (WD192)
Waterford Institute of Technology - www.wit.ie
BA Social Care Practice (AL860)
Athlone Institute of Technology - www.ait.ie
BA Applied Social Studies in Professional Social Care (CW068)
Institute of Technology Carlow - www.itcarlow
BSc Psychology (GY104)
Galway University - www.nuigalway.ie
Career Paths
Graduates may find employment working with individual clients, clients in residential care or in the community e.g. resource centres, intellectual disability environments, family support, addiction services, youth projects or as a special needs assistant.
Further information
All courses commence the week beginning Monday 16th September 2024.
Sources of Funding
PLC Maintenance Grant Scheme
The Department of Education and Skills (DES) provides a means-tested maintenance grant scheme for those attending full-time further education. All applications for grants are made on-line through SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). Refer to www.susi.ie.
VTOS (Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme)
This scheme applies to all courses within DFEi and is designed to assist unemployed people over 21 with an opportunity to return to full time education without losing benefits. Early application, directly to DFEi, for this funding is required, as there are a limited number of places. Refer to www.vtos.ie.
BTEA (Back to Education Allowance)
This scheme is run by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and allows people in receipt of certain social welfare payments to retain those payments whilst participating in full-time further education course. Refer to www.welfare.ie.
SOLAS Fund for Students with Disabilities
The Fund for Students with Disabilities allocates funding to further and higher education colleges for the provision of services and supports to full-time students with disabilities. Applications to the fund are made on behalf of an eligible student by DFEi. Submissions should be made to the Guidance and Disability Officer in DFEi.
Other Funding Sources
Students are advised to check Local Partnerships including Southside, Bray, Northside and Wicklow Working Together for any funding that maybe available.
Admissions Information:
Admissions for the academic year 2024/2025 are now open.
Applications are only accepted online.
Five Step Admissions Process 2024/2025.
Step 1 - Apply online. No application fee charged.
Step 2 - Offer: You will be notified by DFEi with an offer of a course place. Please check your junk mail.
Step 3 - Acceptance: To secure your place, you must submit additional data required through your individual online account and pay your €40 non-refundable acceptance fee (only payable online). Failure to complete this process will result in you not securing your place on the course.
Step 4 - Registration: This is done through your online account. This involves paying all of your course fees in full and uploading all of the relevant documentation below on or before Monday 26th August 2024.
Step 5 - Induction and Commencement: Induction is provided before course commencement. You will be notified in due course of the relevant dates.
Overview
This course is suitable for both mature students and school leavers, who would like to work in the area of health and social care. This QQI Award provides the opportunity to pursue a fulfilling and rewarding career providing care and support to vulnerable people in the community. Students will acquire knowledge of health and social care theories and best practice. Students will also acquire practical experience on work placement. This could include a variety of settings such as resource centres, hostels for homeless, addiction services and youth projects. This course is delivered by teachers including specialist nurses who bring a real depth of experience to their teaching. Students will use two fully equipped nursing suites for all of the practical work.
Special Features
All DFEi students are provided with an M365 account, which gives them access to the tools and resources needed to deliver assessment work while attending their course. M365 Apps include Word, PowerPoint, Excel, outlook and OneDrive.
Work Experience
Students will be required to undertake a period work placement in an organisation connected to their vocational area during the academic year. Work Experience is mandatory for all of our full-time Level 5 courses. Students are required to source their own work placement but will be assisted in this by the work experience teacher. The work placement is usually for a period of 10 days or a minimum of 60 hours. Students usually find the work experience element of the course to be invaluable and should bear in mind that a successful work placement can sometimes lead to further opportunities.
This programme requires students to undertake work experience that will bring them into contact with children or vulnerable adults and in which they assume positions of trust. As a result all students will undertake Garda Vetting prior to commencing their work experience.
Applicants should be aware that healthcare environments used in work experience may insist that students are fully vaccinated for Covid 19.
Care Provision and Practice
Family Studies
Social Studies
Community Addiction Studies
Human Growth and Development
Teamworking
Work Experience
Communications
Assessment techniques will be used to assess the knowledge and skills that students will have achieved on successful completion of modules:
Student Record
Collection of Work
Assignments
Examination (Written)
Project
Skills Demonstration
A full major award is granted on passing the relevant eight components. On successful completion of each component, you will be awarded a pass, a merit or a distinction grade. See www.qqi.ie for more details
5M4468 - Community Health Services.
Certification:
Level 5 QQI Award - Community and Health Services (5M4468)
First Aid Certificate (Optional)
Manual and People Handling Certificate (Optional)
Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults - HSeLanD
Additional Information
Emerging Health Occupations
Due to unprecedented demand, Ireland's health system is currently recruiting qualified staff who can treat and support dementia, disabilities, mental health and social issues. This course is an ideal stepping stone for either employment or educational progression in these specialist areas.
Dún Laoghaire Further Education Institute,
17 Cumberland Street, Dún Laoghaire,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.
Tel: +353 1 2809676
Fax: +353 1 2843767
Email: info@dfei.ie