LNF Cymru Literacy and numeracy for Wales

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Skills for Life: Looking After Others

Looking after others is a 20 hour Skills for Life unit, running from Entry 1 to Level 2, on caring for other people: their physical, emotional and social needs, hygiene and safety, positive relationships and self-care. It is one unit that learners combine with others into a Skills for Life or Skills for Work Award, Certificate or Diploma. Literacy carries most of the assessment: describing and explaining needs, reading and following hygiene and safety procedures, communicating respectfully and explaining why self-care matters. Evidence can be spoken or written. Numeracy is light and untested, appearing in timings, temperatures and measures when following hygiene routines or preparing food.

Awarding body
WJEC
Level
Entry Level 1 to Level 2
Guided learning hours
20
First taught
September 2027
Amount of literacy work
Medium
Amount of numeracy work
Low
Unit pack
Open the unit delivery and assessment pack
How this unit is assessed
  • Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): Four learning outcomes with assessment criteria at Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3 (needs of others, safety and hygiene, positive relationships, self-care). Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours, unit codes S617E1, S617E2 and S617E3.
  • Level 1 and Level 2: Four learning outcomes with assessment criteria at Level 1 and Level 2 (needs of others and ways to support them, hygiene and safety, positive and appropriate relationships, managing own self-care and wellbeing). Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours, unit codes S617L1 and S617L2.

The literacy and numeracy skills in this qualification

  1. Describing and explaining the needs of others

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Learners describe the needs people may have and suggest ways to support them, moving from pointing out one basic need at Entry 1 to describing needs in two settings at Entry 3, describing a range of needs at Level 1 and explaining physical, emotional and social needs at Level 2. This is required by the assessment criteria for learning outcome 1, and the answers can be spoken or written.

    Literacy: Clarity and vocabulary, Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Vocabulary, spelling, grammar

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils look at pictures of a baby, a teenager and an older person and write two sentences each on what that person needs to feel safe and comfortable.
    Year 8
    Pupils sort a list of needs into physical, emotional and social columns, then describe to a partner how the needs of a child with a broken leg change at home and at school.
    Year 9
    Pupils write a short explanation of the physical, emotional and social needs of a resident in a care home, using the correct terms, and suggest one way to meet each need while respecting dignity.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 1, assessment criteria 1.1 and 1.2, page 6; Entry Level, learning outcome 1, page 5

    “Explain a variety of physical, emotional and social needs that individuals may have”
    Progression step 3

    • I can express issues and ideas clearly using area of learning and experience/discipline-specific vocabulary and examples.

    • I can write a comprehensive account of a topic, theme or viewpoint.

    Progression step 4

    • I can use summary, discussion of issues, detailed explanations and logic when covering a topic.

    • I have experienced a range of area of learning and experience/discipline-specific and general academic vocabulary, and can use them in my own communication.

  2. Reading and following hygiene and safety procedures

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Learners read instructions and procedures and then identify, describe and follow hygiene and safety routines for caring tasks. Entry learners recognise or describe hygiene routines and hazards, Level 1 learners describe how to follow procedures in everyday situations, and Level 2 learners explain their importance and assess risks. This is required by learning outcome 2.

    Literacy: Reading strategies, Understanding, response and analysis

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils read a handwashing poster, put the steps in order on cards and then carry out the routine while a partner checks each step.
    Year 8
    Pupils scan a kitchen safety leaflet for hazards that matter for a young child and highlight each hazard and its control in two colours.
    Year 9
    Pupils read a simple care setting risk assessment, explain in writing how staff should follow two of its procedures and say why each one prevents illness or injury.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 2, assessment criteria 2.1 and 2.2, page 6; Unit overview, page 4

    “Describe how to follow these hygiene and safety procedures in everyday situations”
    Progression step 3

    • I can use a range of strategies for finding information, e.g. skimming for gist, scanning for detail.

    • I can read closely, identifying and noting features of texts, e.g. introduction, sequence, illustrations, formality, key vocabulary.

    Progression step 4

    • I can use a range of strategies, e.g. speed reading, close reading, annotation, prediction, to skim texts for gist, key ideas and themes, and scan for detailed information.

    • I can read closely, follow up and use additional material in texts to extend my understanding.

  3. Communicating with respect and listening when caring

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Learners show and describe positive communication: a basic way to communicate at Entry 1, positive communication when caring at Entry 2, strategies for effective, respectful communication at Level 1 and approaches to building trust at Level 2. The amplification adds listening skills, empathy and appropriate boundaries. This is required by learning outcome 3 and is often evidenced through observed role-play.

    Literacy: Listening to understand, Clarity and vocabulary, Purpose

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils practise active listening in pairs, one talking about their weekend while the other listens without interrupting and then repeats back the main points.
    Year 8
    Pupils role-play helping a younger pupil who is upset, choosing calm words and body language, then list three things that made the conversation respectful.
    Year 9
    Pupils role-play a care worker talking to an older person who is confused, adapting their language and tone, and then explain to the class how they built trust while keeping a professional boundary.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 3, assessment criteria 3.1 and 3.2, page 6; Amplification, LO3, page 8

    “Outline strategies for effective, respectful communication with others”
    Progression step 3

    • I can listen to others’ ideas/presentations, and understand that they may have a different perspective to my own, in order to respond appropriately.

    • I can speak clearly, recognising the appropriate language for different audiences and purposes, and varying my expression, vocabulary, tone and gestures to engage the audience.

    Progression step 4

    • I can share, talk and write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions showing empathy and respect.

    • I can speak clearly, selecting and adapting my language appropriately for a range of audiences and purposes, conveying meaning effectively to the audience.

  4. Explaining why self-care matters when caring for others

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Learners talk or write about their own wellbeing needs and why self-care helps them care for others, from showing why at Entry 1 to explaining the impact of poor self-care at Level 1 and analysing its consequences at Level 2. Level 1 and Level 2 learners also carry out and reflect on personal wellbeing strategies. This is required by learning outcome 4.

    Literacy: Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Purpose

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils keep a two day log of sleep, water and breaks and write a sentence on how they felt each day.
    Year 8
    Pupils write a paragraph explaining how being tired or hungry could affect a young carer looking after a brother or sister.
    Year 9
    Pupils write a short reflection on a stressful week, explaining how poor self-care could affect someone in a caring role and which two strategies they would use to manage it.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 4, assessment criteria 4.1 and 4.2, page 6; Entry Level, learning outcome 4, page 5

    “Explain the impact of poor self-care on the ability to support others”
    Progression step 3

    • I can write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions, showing empathy and respect.

    • I can share, talk and write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions using a range of techniques to show impact.

    Progression step 4

    • I can use summary, discussion of issues, detailed explanations and logic when covering a topic.

    • I can write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions, using a range of techniques, e.g. emotive language, hyperbole, choice of pronouns (you, we), to show impact.

  5. Using timings, temperatures and measures in hygiene and food tasks

    Assessed: Taught, but not assessed

    The pack says numeracy is applied when following measures for hygiene, preparing food or assessing risks, for example timing handwashing or reading a fridge or water temperature. No assessment criterion asks for a calculation, so this is light, taught numeracy rather than assessed work.

    Numeracy: Measurement

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils use a stopwatch to time how long they wash their hands and compare it with the recommended 20 seconds.
    Year 8
    Pupils read a fridge thermometer and a food probe, record the temperatures and say whether each is in the safe range.
    Year 9
    Pupils weigh and measure ingredients for a simple snack for a young child, converting between grams and kilograms and millilitres and litres where needed.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit overview, Curriculum for Wales, integral and cross-curricular skills, page 4

    “Numeracy skills are applied when following measures for hygiene, preparing food or assessing risks”
    Progression step 3

    • I can read and interpret scales or divisions on a range of measuring instruments.

    • I can time events in minutes and seconds, and order the results.

    Progression step 4

    • I can read and interpret scales on a range of measuring instruments.

    • I can use the common units of measure, convert between related units of the metric system and carry out calculations.

Good to know

Links with other qualifications

The pack names GCSE Health and Social Care and Childcare as a linked WJEC qualification, and describing needs, explaining care practice and communicating respectfully lead straight into it and into the WJEC Foundation Health and Social Care, and Childcare. Reading hygiene procedures and measuring temperatures and quantities link with GCSE Food and Nutrition and VCSE Hospitality and Catering. Within the Skills Suite, the pack lists Basic first aid, Food planning and preparation, Healthy relationships, Mental health and wellbeing, Teamwork, Understanding self and others and Wellbeing and work among the closely related units, so communication and self-care work can be shared across them.

Source: WJEC Looking after others unit delivery and assessment pack, read with the WJEC Entry 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life and Skills for Work specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).