DCF Cymru Digital competence for Wales

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Skills for Life: Mental Health and Wellbeing

Mental health and wellbeing is a 20 hour Skills for Life unit, running from Entry 1 to Level 2, on what good mental health and emotional wellbeing mean, why they matter, how to ask for and offer support, and trying out and reflecting on wellbeing strategies. It is one unit that learners combine with others into a Skills for Life or Skills for Work Award, Certificate or Diploma. Digital demand is low: Appendix A does not map Digital Competence to this unit and no criterion needs a device. Digital work is optional, such as wellbeing apps for breathing exercises, researching trusted online support, and video diaries as reflection evidence.

Awarding body
WJEC
Level
Entry Level 1 to Level 2
Guided learning hours
20
First taught
September 2027
Amount of digital work
Low
Unit pack
Open the unit delivery and assessment pack
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 (what good mental health means, ways of taking care of it, showing ways of looking after own or others' mental health, describing own wellbeing). Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours, unit codes S618E1, S618E2 and S618E3.
  • Level 1 and Level 2: Four learning outcomes with assessment criteria at Level 1 and Level 2 (what good mental health and emotional wellbeing mean, why it is important to look after them, using support strategies, reflecting on those strategies). Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours, unit codes S618L1 and S618L2.

The digital skills in this qualification

  1. Using wellbeing apps and thinking about technology's effect on wellbeing

    Assessed: Taught, but not assessed

    Entry Level learners can practise short breathing or mindfulness sessions with an app such as Smiling Mind, and the pack points to the Mind Cymru app library. Using an app as one strategy can feed learning outcome 3, but no criterion requires technology, so this is suggested only. It is a chance to talk about how apps and screens help or harm wellbeing.

    DCF: Health and well-being, Identity, image and reputation

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils follow a three minute guided breathing session on a class tablet and then say whether they felt calmer, more relaxed or no different.
    Year 8
    Pupils keep a one week log of their screen time against sleep and mood and write two sentences on how their phone use helps or harms their wellbeing.
    Year 9
    Pupils compare two wellbeing apps, checking what personal data and permissions each one asks for, and recommend one to a friend with reasons covering both benefits and risks.
    Show the specification wording and the DCF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Suggested activities, Entry Level, page 13; Resources available to support delivery, Mind Cymru, page 15

    “using an app like Smiling Mind to practise short breathing or mindfulness sessions”
    Progression step 3

    • I can understand the importance of balancing game and screen time with other parts of my life, e.g. explore the reasons why I might be tempted to spend more time playing games or find it difficult to stop playing and the effect this has on my well-being.

    • I can identify the wider positive and negative influences of technology, e.g. on my life, on society, on the environment.

    • I can identify the benefits and risks of giving personal information and device access to different software.

    Progression step 4

    • I can reflect on the role of digital media in my life and habits.

    • I can demonstrate healthy online behaviours and identify unacceptable behaviour.

    Progression step 5

    • I can take reasonable steps to avoid health problems caused by the use of technology and suggest strategies to prevent or reduce the problems, both physical and psychological.

  2. Researching trusted online sources of mental health support

    Assessed: Taught, but not assessed

    Level 1 learners identify sources of support for mental health, and the pack lists online services such as Hwb, Meic, Kooth, YoungMinds and NHS Every Mind Matters. A suggested Level 1 and Level 2 mini research task uses the World Health Organization definition of mental health. Identifying sources of support is assessed at Level 1, but searching online for them is a suggested route, not a requirement.

    DCF: Sourcing, searching and planning digital content, Health and well-being

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils visit the Meic website from a link on Hwb and note two ways a young person in Wales can contact it for help.
    Year 8
    Pupils search for advice on exam stress, compare one charity site with one forum post and explain which they trust more and why.
    Year 9
    Pupils build a short guide to four online sources of support for young people in Wales, judging each for reliability and adding the web address and who runs it.
    Show the specification wording and the DCF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Level 1, learning outcome 2, assessment criterion 2.3, page 7; Suggested activities, Level 1 and 2, page 13; Resources available to support delivery, pages 15 and 16

    “learners explore WHO's definition and apply it to examples of young people in Wales”
    Progression step 3

    • I can adjust keywords and search techniques to find relevant information.

    • I can begin to reference sources used in my work, and consider if content is reliable.

    Progression step 4

    • I can evaluate the reliability of sources of information, justify my opinions and reasons for choices, and reference using appropriate methods.

    • I can identify ways of reporting unacceptable online behaviour.

    Progression step 5

    • I can search efficiently for information for my digital work and evaluate the reliability of sources of information, justifying opinions and reasons for choices, and I can reference work using appropriate methods.

  3. Recording video or audio reflections on wellbeing strategies

    Assessed: Taught, but not assessed

    Learners must describe how strategies affected their thoughts, feelings or wellbeing at Level 1 and Level 2, and the pack suggests a video diary as one way to do it, with video or audio recordings listed as evidence. The reflection is assessed under learning outcome 4, but recording it on video is optional. Because the content is personal, learners need to think about who can see and store the recording.

    DCF: Creating digital content, Identity, image and reputation

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils record a 30 second audio clip on a tablet saying one thing that helped them feel calm this week and save it to their own folder.
    Year 8
    Pupils film a one minute video diary after trying a breathing exercise for three days, trim the start and end, and decide who should be allowed to see it.
    Year 9
    Pupils make a two minute video reflection on a strategy they tried for a week, covering what worked, what got in the way and what they will change, and explain why it should stay in private storage.
    Show the specification wording and the DCF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 4, assessment criteria 4.1 and 4.2, page 8; Suggested activities, page 13; Sources of evidence, page 14

    “learners reflect on strategy effectiveness, barriers, and future plans”
    Progression step 3

    • I can use a range of software to select, produce and edit a range of multimedia components for a purpose, such as:

      • text and images, e.g. format text (bold, underline, italics, highlight); insert and edit text boxes; columns; use refine tools (spellchecker, find and replace); word wrap; crop; alter size and shape; alter images; add effects; trim and split sound and video clips; transitions; onion skin
      • presentation, e.g. page orientation; animations; transitions; remove and alter images; use background; use action buttons to create hyperlink; embed objects.

    • I can think critically about information shared online, e.g. the impact of sharing images and videos, metadata of images and videos.

    Progression step 4

    • I can select and use a variety of appropriate software, tools and techniques to create, modify and combine multimedia components for a range of audiences and purposes, such as:

      • text and images, e.g. explore and use effectively image manipulation techniques; explore and use appropriately the many aspects of document layout; use animation, video and audio effects such as echo, tempo, envelope, layering, frame rate, key frames
      • presentation, e.g. use design tools; adapt themes and colours to suit the purpose; create master templates.

    • I can understand that I have a digital footprint and that this information can be searched, copied and passed on.

Good to know

Links with other qualifications

GCSE Physical Education and Health asks learners to explore connections between their experiences and mental health, and GCSE Health and Social Care and Childcare covers factors that affect wellbeing and talking openly about mental health. Within the Skills Suite, the pack names Exercise for all, Healthy lifestyle, Healthy relationships, Looking after others and Wellbeing and work as closely related units, and the Online safety pack lists this unit as related, since it covers how online interactions affect wellbeing. The pack also names the WJEC Pathways to Employment Self Development and Wellbeing qualification.

Source: WJEC Mental health and wellbeing 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).