Health and Social Care (3086)

Last Updated: 21 Jan 2022

The 3086 suite of qualifications has been designed specifically for those working in a range of roles in health and social care settings in Northern Ireland.

The suite consists of the following qualifications:

3086-02 Level 2 Diploma in Health & Social Care (Northern Ireland)

3086-03 Level 3 Diploma in Health & Social Care (Northern Ireland)

3086-40 Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care (Northern Ireland)

Progression through the levels of qualifications requires learners to be able to demonstrate their skills and practical ability, which increase in complexity, depth and breadth of required knowledge and / or levels of autonomy, as the level of the qualification increases.

The qualifications support learners to develop their knowledge and practical skills required for employment and/or career progression in Health & Social Care or Adult Care in Northern Ireland.
Available to deliver in the following:
  • Northern Ireland

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 qualifications are structured at each level, to include both mandatory and optional units.

The mandatory units must be completed by all learners and cover the key knowledge and skills required to work in any health and social care setting in Northern Ireland.

Please see the qualification handbook for a full list of units.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

Learners will be able to progress into employment at level 2 and progress through the different levels into a variety of roles.

A typical progression route could be:

  • Care Worker
  • Senior Care Worker
  • Community Care Support Officer
What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?

Centres delivering these qualifications must have staff resource, which meets the requirements of each of the qualifications. This will include staff who are occupationally competent and/or knowledgeable to at least the same level as the qualification they are delivering and dependent on the role they play in the delivery.

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

Level 2


What Careers Can This Lead To?

City and Guilds Level 2 Diploma Health and Social Care (Northern Ireland) (3086-02)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2025

City and Guilds Level 2 Diploma Health and Social Care (Northern Ireland)

  • Accreditation No: 603/5088/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: 46 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 339 - This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 460 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/12/2027 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £137.00 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

City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma Health and Social Care (Northern Ireland) (3086-03)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2025

City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma Health and Social Care (Northern Ireland)

  • Accreditation No: 603/5087/8 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: 58 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 371 - This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 580 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/12/2028 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £137.00 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 4

Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care (3086-40)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2025

Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care

  • Accreditation No: 603/2024/2 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: VRQ This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 70 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 479 - 534 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 700 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: N/A This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/12/2028 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £184.00 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