Contribute to Children and Young People's Health and Safety
This element covers the essential knowledge and skills required to maintain a safe environment for children and young people. It includes understanding and applying health and safety policies, identifying risks in both the work setting and during off-site visits, responding appropriately to incidents, injuries, and illnesses, and following correct procedures for reporting, infection control, and managing medicines.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The Open Awards Level 2 Diploma in Skills for Health and Care Professions (RQF) is a vocational qualification designed to prepare you for a career in health and social care. It covers essential knowledge and skills needed to work in settings such as hospitals, care homes, or community support services. The diploma focuses on understanding the principles of care, communication, safeguarding, and the roles and responsibilities of health and care professionals. By completing this qualification, you will gain a solid foundation for further study or entry-level roles in the sector.
This qualification is structured around mandatory and optional units that reflect real-world practices. You will explore topics like person-centred care, equality and diversity, infection prevention, and health and safety. The diploma also emphasises the importance of effective teamwork and professional boundaries. Mastering these areas is crucial because they directly impact the quality of care provided to individuals, ensuring their safety, dignity, and well-being. The knowledge gained here aligns with the standards set by regulatory bodies like the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Skills for Care.
Studying this diploma helps you develop both theoretical understanding and practical skills. You will learn how to support individuals with their daily living activities, promote independence, and respond to emergencies. The qualification also prepares you for progression to Level 3 diplomas or apprenticeships in health and social care. In a sector where demand for skilled workers is high, this diploma gives you a competitive edge and a clear pathway to a rewarding career helping others.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Person-centred care: Tailoring support to an individual's needs, preferences, and values, ensuring they are actively involved in decisions about their care.
- →Safeguarding: Protecting vulnerable individuals from abuse, neglect, and harm, following policies like the Care Act 2014 and local safeguarding procedures.
- →Effective communication: Using verbal and non-verbal techniques to build trust, understand needs, and share information accurately with colleagues and service users.
- →Equality and diversity: Recognising and respecting differences in culture, age, disability, gender, religion, and sexual orientation, and promoting inclusive practice.
- →Health and safety: Applying risk assessments, infection control measures, and emergency procedures to maintain a safe environment for everyone.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Know the health and safety policies and procedures of the work setting., Be able to recognise risks and hazards in the work setting and during off site visits., Know what to do in the event of a non medical incident or emergency., Know what to do in the event of a child or young person becoming ill or injured., Be able to follow the work setting procedures for reporting and recording accidents, incidents, emergencies and illnesses., Be able to follow infection control procedures., Know the work setting's procedures for receiving, storing and administering medicines.
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for clearly describing specific health and safety policies (e.g. safeguarding, fire safety, infection control) and explaining how they are implemented in the learner's own work setting.
- Look for evidence that the learner can systematically identify hazards in the environment and on off-site visits, and demonstrate appropriate actions to minimise risks, involving children where developmentally appropriate.
- In simulated or real emergencies, expect the learner to state or demonstrate immediate, safe responses: raising the alarm, following emergency plans, and cooperating with emergency services if required.
- When a child becomes ill or injured, award credit for demonstrating correct first aid within role boundaries, comforting the child, and promptly notifying the designated person while maintaining confidentiality.
- Assess the learner's ability to complete accurate, factual, and timely records for accidents, incidents, emergencies, and illnesses, using the setting's documentation and respecting data protection.
- For infection control, require demonstration of effective hand hygiene, appropriate use of PPE, safe disposal of waste, and cleaning routines, adapted to children's activities (e.g. nappy changing, food handling).
- Award credit when the learner explains procedures for safe receipt, storage, and administration of medicines, including checking against the child's care plan, obtaining consent, and recording accurately.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡During professional discussion, always refer to your setting's policies by name and give concrete examples of how you have followed them in practice.
- 💡When demonstrating risk assessment, think from the child's perspective: get down to their eye level to spot hazards you might otherwise miss.
- 💡Practice filling in a blank accident/incident form accurately and completely; remember that if it's not recorded, it didn't happen legally.
- 💡In any scenario involving a child's illness or medication, make it a habit to state that you would first consult the child's care plan or health plan before taking action.
- 💡For infection control tasks, show the correct sequence: remove jewellery, wash hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds, put on apron and gloves in the right order, and dispose of them safely after use.
- 💡Learn the names and roles of the designated safeguarding lead and first aider in your setting, as you will need to reference them in emergency responses.
- 💡When discussing off-site visits, mention how you involve children in safety briefings and what extra items you take (first aid kit, emergency contacts, mobile phone).
- 💡Use specific examples from your placement or case studies to illustrate your answers. Examiners look for evidence that you can apply theory to practice, so mention real situations where you demonstrated person-centred care or handled a safeguarding issue.
- 💡Always link your answers to relevant legislation, policies, or codes of practice, such as the Health and Social Care Act 2008, Care Act 2014, or your organisation's policies. This shows you understand the legal and regulatory framework.
- 💡In questions about communication, describe both verbal and non-verbal methods, and explain how you adapt your approach to meet the individual's needs (e.g., using Makaton for a person with learning disabilities). Avoid generic statements like 'I listen carefully' without specific techniques.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Confusing hazard identification with risk assessment, without evaluating the likelihood and severity.
- Failing to distinguish between a minor incident that needs only in-house recording and a serious incident that must be reported to external agencies like Ofsted or the Health and Safety Executive.
- Omitting essential details when recording an accident, such as the exact time, witnesses, or follow-up actions, which can compromise legal and safeguarding requirements.
- Applying adult infection control measures without adapting to children's specific needs, e.g. not using appropriate handling for soiled nappies or not supervising handwashing for younger children.
- Assuming that off-site visits require the same risk assessment as the main setting, rather than conducting a dynamic, activity-specific and location-specific risk assessment.
- Administering any medicine, including over-the-counter remedies, without first checking the child's individual health plan, parental consent, and storage instructions.
- In a non-medical emergency (e.g. fire, security threat), focusing on the incident before ensuring the immediate safety of the children, such as forgetting to evacuate or secure the area.
- Misconception: 'Person-centred care means doing whatever the individual wants.' Correction: It means involving them in decisions, but within professional boundaries and safety requirements. You must balance their wishes with their well-being and legal duties.
- Misconception: 'Confidentiality is absolute and can never be broken.' Correction: Confidentiality can be breached if there is a risk of harm to the individual or others, or if required by law (e.g., safeguarding concerns). You must follow your organisation's policy and seek advice when unsure.
- Misconception: 'Equality means treating everyone the same.' Correction: Equality is about ensuring fair access and opportunities, but it may require different treatment to meet individual needs (e.g., providing a translator for someone who doesn't speak English).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for OPEN AWARDS Contribute to Children and Young People's Health and Safety
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic understanding of the health and social care sector, including common job roles and settings.
- •Good literacy and numeracy skills to complete written assessments and handle medication calculations if applicable.
- •A willingness to reflect on your own values and attitudes, as the course requires self-awareness and professional development.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Know the health and safety policies and procedures of the work setting., Be able to recognise risks and hazards in the work setting and during off site visits., Know what to do in the event of a non medical incident or emergency., Know what to do in the event of a child or young person becoming ill or injured., Be able to follow the work setting procedures for reporting and recording accidents, incidents, emergencies and illnesses., Be able to follow infection control procedures., Know the work setting's procedures for receiving, storing and administering medicines.
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