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
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.
Skills that use Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context
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Describing and explaining the needs of others
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.
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Explaining why self-care matters when caring for others
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.
Good to know
- The unit has five unit codes, one per level: "Unit Codes S617E1" to S617L2, and it is a 20 guided learning hour Skills for Life unit (Unit overview, page 3).
- Spelling and presentation are not judged and evidence can be spoken: "extended written work is not required unless appropriate" and assessor judgements should not focus on spelling or presentation (Sources of evidence, page 10).
- No special kit is needed: "Assessment of this unit should not require any specific resources" (Resources required for assessment, page 11).
- Suggested activities and assessment tasks are optional: "These tasks are not mandatory" (specification section 4.1, page 18).
- AI tools may be used only if acknowledged: "When properly referenced, this can be acceptable", but copying AI content or failing to acknowledge AI is malpractice (specification section 4.6, page 21).
- Literacy is named in the unit overview: "reading instructions, completing worksheets and communicating effectively with others" (page 4), and Appendix A of the specification maps both Literacy and Numeracy to this unit (page 28).
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).