Dementia Care (3565)

Last Updated: 15 Dec 2023
Currently 700,000 people in the UK have dementia and this figure is expected to double over the next few decades. The Awards in Awareness of Dementia/Certificates in Dementia Care will help to improve health and care services supporting individuals diagnosed with dementia.
The qualifications in awareness of dementia and dementia care are aimed at occupational areas across all service user groups and ages, working in statutory (including NHS), private and voluntary agencies. This also includes healthcare/care assistants, support/key workers, family support workers and team leaders/first line supervisors.
Available to deliver in the following:
  • England
  • Wales – please check QiW website for available funding
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland
  • International

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form. 

General Information

What Is Involved In Studying This Course?

The Awards in Awareness of Dementia cover:

  • basic knowledge of dementia care
  • person centred planning and understanding equality
  • advanced knowledge of dementia care (Level 3)
  • communication (Level 3)
  • administration of medication (Level 3).

The Certificates in Dementia Care cover:

  • providing support for therapy sessions
  • positive risk taking
  • assistive technology
  • advocacy
  • models of disability.

You will be in a suitable work placement and will be assessed via a portfolio of evidence consisting of practical and documental evidence.

Which level is right for me?

Level 2
You have very little knowledge of dementia and/or dementia care.

Level 3
You have basic knowledge of dementia and/or dementia care and want to progress further and increase your knowledge and skills.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

The qualifications in awareness of dementia and dementia care can help you progress or lead to:

  • Care assistant/Support worker
  • Healthcare assistant
  • Community based care assistant
  • Team leader/First line supervisor.
What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?

Learners are generally expected to be operating in a setting with people diagnosed with dementia. Observation would then take place in that environment. All the qualifications also have knowledge units, which can be delivered offsite at a training venue.

These qualifications have units that will be assessed by either an assignment or a portfolio of evidence. The assignments have specific marking criteria associated with each one. Centres and assessors will internally mark candidates' assignments against these marking criteria. The portfolios of evidence involve candidates collecting documental and other evidence to show they have demonstrated the assessment criteria, often practically.

The marking and the portfolios will then be externally verified for consistency and quality assurance.

To find all the resource requirements; download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

These qualifications are suitable for anyone aged 16 or older interested in operating in a caring role for older people. Ideally, learners should be in a suitable work placement.

Level 2

Level 2 will suit you if you have little or no knowledge of dementia and/or dementia care.

There are two qualifications available at this level:

  • Level 2 Award in Awareness of Dementia
  • Level 2 Certificate in Dementia Care.

You'll need to complete four mandatory units for the award, and five mandatory units for the certificate. These include:

  • Dementia awareness
  • The person-centred approach to the care and support of individuals with dementia
  • Understand the factors that can influence communication and interaction with individuals who have dementia.

The certificate additionally requires four credits from a range of optional units, including:

  • Understand the administration of medication to individuals with dementia using a person centred approach
  • Provide support for therapy sessions
  • Purpose and principles of independent advocacy.

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

The qualifications in awareness of dementia and dementia care can help you progress or lead to:

  • Care assistant/Support worker
  • Healthcare assistant
  • Community based care assistant
  • Team leader/First line supervisor.
Level 2 Award in Awareness of Dementia (3565-21)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024

Level 2 Award in Awareness of Dementia

  • Accreditation No: 501/1146/2 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 8 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 72 - 72 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 80 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £57.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.
Level 2 Certificate in Dementia Care (3565-22)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2023

Level 2 Certificate in Dementia Care

  • Accreditation No: 501/1206/5 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 18 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 131 - 136 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 180 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/03/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £64.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 3

Level 3 is ideal if you have basic knowledge of dementia and/or dementia care and want to progress further and increase your knowledge and skills.

There are two qualifications available at this level:

  • Level 3 Award in Awareness of Dementia
  • Level 3 Certificate in Dementia Care.

You'll need to complete four mandatory units for both the award and the certificate. These include:

  • Understand the process and experience of dementia
  • Enable rights and choices of individuals with dementia whilst minimising risks
  • Equality, diversity and inclusion in dementia care practice.

Additionally, the certificate requires that you choose six credits' worth of a range of optional units, including:

  • Understand and meet the nutritional requirements of individuals with dementia
  • Contribute to support of positive risk-taking for individuals
  • Facilitate person-centred assessment, planning, implementation and review.

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

The qualifications in awareness of dementia and dementia care can help you progress or lead to:

  • Care assistant/Support worker
  • Healthcare assistant
  • Community based care assistant
  • Team leader/First line supervisor.
Level 3 Award in Awareness of Dementia (3565-31)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024

Level 3 Award in Awareness of Dementia

  • Accreditation No: 501/1654/X This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 11 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 86 - 86 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 110 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2027 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £70.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.
Level 3 Certificate in Dementia Care (3565-32)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2023

Level 3 Certificate in Dementia Care

  • Accreditation No: 501/1655/1 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 21 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 143 - 182 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 210 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/12/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £103.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Here you can find all documents related to this suite of qualifications.

By clicking on the section headings below, you can access a variety of documents such as the qualification handbooks and assessment materials, Statements of Purpose, and recognition letters from industry and employers.

Some documents may be password protected. Passwords can be retrieved by logging in to Walled Garden and visiting the Administration section of the relevant qualification catalogue page.

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form. 

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