Veterinary Care Support: Level 2 Apprenticeship (Animal Care and Welfare Assistant)

Core Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours

Throughout the apprenticeship you will gain the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours needed of a Veterinary Care Support Assistant to ensure you can thrive in a fast-paced veterinary care environment.

Knowledge
You will gain a comprehensive understanding of wide range of knowledge areas, including:

• UK and EU Animal related legislation
• how to safely approach/handle/restrain/move animals
• the behaviours of the animal, applicable to the species and how it impacts its care and welfare such as stress/distress/pain/fear/frustration
• basic anatomy and physiology
• basic reproduction and obstetrics and reproductive behaviour, including neutering
• Data Protection and records in line with legislation, codes of practice and workplace requirements
• the importance of the human and animal bond
• hygiene, bio security procedures and infection controls when working with animals including quarantine, zoonoses, anthroponosis, isolation protocols
• common medical, behavioural and surgical care requirements
• the principles of care and related procedures and how to deal with these
• clinical parameters of common species seen in a veterinary environment
• legislation and limitations in relation to role and responsibilities in a clinical environment
• legislation in relation to the dispensing and administering of medication
• end of life care processes, procedures and support
• how to deal with emotional customers/clients

Skills
You will gain a number of skills including:

• common medical, behavioural and surgical care requirements
• the principles of care and related procedures and how to deal with these
• clinical parameters of common species seen in a veterinary environment
• legislation and limitations in relation to role and responsibilities in a clinical environment
• legislation in relation to the dispensing and administering of medication
• end of life care processes, procedures and support
• how to deal with emotional customers/clients
• exercise/socialise animals and provide appropriate enrichment relevant to their specific needs
• provide food and water to animals and monitor intake
• maintain, update and reference correct records in accordance with current legislation

Behaviours
You will look at safe working, work ethic, responsibility, team work, communication and professionalism.

Assessment

Functional Skills
If you are an apprentice under 19 years of age you will be required to undertake Functional Skills Level 1 and/or Level 2 in English and Maths unless exempt. Apprentices over the age of 19 are able to undertake these as part of the apprenticeship if they wish at no additional cost, if they do not already hold the same level qualification

Portfolio
During your apprenticeship you will compile a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and behaviours.

Once you have completed your portfolio, Functional Skills and a minimum of 12 months of training, you will be able to undertake the End Point Assessment.

End Point Assessment (EPA)
The EPA consists of:

1. Practical Assessment: An observation of the apprentice by an independent assessor completing two practical tasks.
2. Professional Discussion: A structured discussion between the apprentice and the independent assessor, made up of a portfolio review and 10 competency-based questions to establish an applied level of knowledge, skills and behaviour.

Your performance in the EPA will determine the apprenticeship grade of fail, pass or distinction.

There are no formal academic entry requirements. However, you will need to be living and working in England within a clinical role in a veterinary environment* and earning at least the National Minimum Wage for Apprentices. To complete this apprenticeship within the anticipated timeframe you will need to be working for a minimum of 30 hours per week, if you are working less than 30 hours a week the length of your apprenticeship will be extended depending on your working hours.

If you are not employed in a veterinary practice, you may look to undertake the VetSkill Level 2 Certificate in Veterinary Care Support as this can be undertaken alongside voluntary work in a practice.

* Please note the veterinary practice does not need to be a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) approved Training and Assessment Practice (TP or aTP).

International qualifications

Students with foreign qualifications are required to have their certificates translated using a UK ENIC Statement to confirm if they have previously achieved Level 2 English and Level 2 maths for their apprenticeship. If a student has not previously achieved this, they will need to complete Functional Skills English and/or maths as part of their apprenticeship. More information about how to apply, how it works and prices can be found on the UK ENIC’s website here.

Apprenticeship fees are payable by the employer. Prior to starting the course an invoice will be issued for the total course fee.

If you have not achieved your qualification by the planned end date detailed in your individual learning plan, your employer will be able to pay monthly direct debit payments to allow you to continue to receive support and access to your course until certification of your award.

Course fees for small employers/Non-Levy Payers (with an annual payroll bill of less than £3 million)

Non-levy paying employers in England are required to contribute 5% (£250 in one payment) towards the cost of the apprenticeship provided they use their digital account to process the claim for 95% funding available.

Apprenticeship fees may be free for those under 21 years of age, working in a non-levy paying organisation with less than 50 employees.

Course fees for large employers/Levy Payers (with an annual payroll bill of more than £3 million)

Levy payers in England will pay the full apprenticeship amount of £5,000 using their digital account.

These are current figures and may be subject to change. The differences in course fees reflect the level of funding that is available as a result of government policies and priorities. These may be as a result of age, employment status, previous education achievements, or location for example, and are outside the control of The College of Animal Welfare.

After completing this qualification, you may wish to consider going on to train as a veterinary nurse by completing the Veterinary Nurse Apprenticeship Standard programme. To do so, the veterinary practice you are working in will need to be an RCVS approved TP or aTP; if your practice is not currently in this position we offer a TP approval service that is second to none. You would also need to have a level 2 qualification in Maths and English Language.

If you do not wish to go on to train as a veterinary nurse, but are involved in helping veterinary surgeons with the assisting of monitoring of animals under anaesthesia or sedation in your current role as a veterinary care assistant you may wish to look at undertaking the City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in Assisting Veterinary Surgeons in the Monitoring of Animal Patients Under Anaesthesia and Sedation qualification.