Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care

This knowledge & skills-based qualification ensures that the learner can demonstrate understanding and effective practice across both health and adult care. This supports the vision of employers providing integrated services and the portability of skills and knowledge across the health and adult care workforce.

This diploma is formed of mandatory and optional units. The mandatory units listed below cover core competencies while optional units allow learners to choose from a variety of areas to tailor the qualification to their needs, interests and to reflect the context of their work:
■ communication
■ personal development
■ values and behaviours
■ health and wellbeing
■ responsibilities
■ safeguarding.

How it helps care and support workers
This qualification will support learners to develop skills and knowledge needed to provide frontline care for vulnerable adults within their own homes, day care centres, residential and nursing homes and other healthcare settings.

The content applies to a variety of roles, including a lead adult care worker and lead personal assistant.

There are a wide range of optional units to support areas of specialism, including:

• learning disability services
• dementia care
• residential care
• domiciliary care
• healthcare support
• leadership

When should it be undertaken?
This qualification can be undertaken at point of entry into the sector dependent on job role and responsibilities.

It’s also often seen as a progression route for care support workers after completing the Level 2 Diploma in Care.

How long does it take?
The timeframe can vary but usually this qualification takes six to eight months to complete.