Overview
About this Qualification
This is an occupational qualification — it is assessed entirely in the workplace against nationally recognised standards for health and social care practice.
The Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care is designed for workers who hold key responsibilities for the delivery of care and/or the supervision of others. It goes beyond foundation-level qualifications to recognise and develop the skills, knowledge, and values that define a competent senior practitioner.
Learners are assessed by a qualified assessor who visits their place of work to observe practice directly. Evidence is built into a portfolio that demonstrates occupational competence across mandatory and elected units.
Age restriction: This qualification is not approved for learners under 18 years of age.
Entry Routes
Who Is This Qualification For?
This diploma is the recognised occupational standard for workers moving into lead and senior positions within adult care settings. Typical roles include:
Lead Adult Care Worker
Experienced care workers leading practice and supporting junior colleagues in residential or community settings.
Lead Personal Assistant
Personal assistants with coordinating responsibilities, often working with individuals who have complex needs.
Key Worker
Named workers holding primary responsibility for the care planning and welfare of individual service users.
Domiciliary Care Worker
Home care workers delivering person-centred support in the community, often with lone-working responsibilities.
Senior Care Assistant
Care assistants who have progressed to a senior grade, taking on shift-leading or supervisory duties.
Support Worker
Workers in disability, mental health, or learning disability services who coordinate and deliver individualised support.
The qualification is also well suited to personal assistants employed directly by individuals who need care, where the worker takes on a significant coordination or lead role.
Qualification Design
Course Structure
The qualification is made up of a mandatory core (Group A) plus elective units from Groups B and C, chosen to reflect the learner's specific care sector. The assessor visits the workplace and observes practice; learners may also supply witness testimonies from their supervisors or line managers.
Elective groups align to care sector: Disability, Residential Care, and Domiciliary Care each have their own elective unit pathway within Groups B and C.
All learners must complete the following mandatory units totalling 28 credits.
| Unit Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Communication in health and social care settings | 3 |
| Promote person-centred approaches in care settings | 6 |
| Health, safety and risk management in care settings | 5 |
| Equality and inclusion in health and social care settings | 3 |
| Principles of safeguarding and protection in health and social care | 4 |
| The role of the health and social care worker | 2 |
| Implement person-centred approaches in care settings | 5 |
Total mandatory credits: 28. Additional credits are accumulated through elective units in Groups B and C to meet the overall credit requirement.
Elective units for learners working in disability care settings. Select units to meet the required credit total.
| Unit Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Understand the context of supporting individuals with learning disabilities | 4 |
| Promote active support with individuals with learning disabilities | 4 |
| Support individuals with multiple conditions and/or disabilities | 4 |
| Contribute to the support of positive risk-taking for individuals with disabilities | 3 |
| Support individuals to access and use services and facilities | 3 |
| Enable rights and choices of individuals with dementia whilst minimising risks | 4 |
Elective units for learners in residential care settings.
| Unit Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Understand the administration of medication to individuals with dementia | 3 |
| Support individuals experiencing dementia to eat and drink | 2 |
| Understand end of life care in a residential setting | 3 |
| Support the spiritual wellbeing of individuals | 3 |
| Contribute to the support of infection prevention and control in social care settings | 3 |
| Maintain the quality of own care practice | 4 |
Elective units for learners delivering domiciliary (home) care.
| Unit Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Understand the context of domiciliary care | 3 |
| Understand health and safety in domiciliary care | 3 |
| Support individuals in the use of assistive technology in a domiciliary care setting | 2 |
| Support individuals with accessing and using community facilities and resources | 3 |
| Work in partnership with individuals, families, carers and others in a domiciliary care setting | 3 |
| Contribute to the monitoring and review of care plans for individuals in a domiciliary care setting | 4 |
How You Are Assessed
Assessment Methods
All assessment is competence-based and rooted in real workplace practice. There are no written exams. Evidence is gathered through a combination of direct observation and supporting documentation, reviewed and verified by a qualified assessor.
Workplace Observations
A qualified assessor visits your place of work and directly observes you carrying out your role. This is the primary method of demonstrating competence.
Witness Testimonies
Supervisors, managers, and colleagues can provide written testimony confirming your competence in areas observed during normal work duties.
Work Products
Naturally occurring evidence from your day-to-day work — such as care plans, risk assessments, or incident reports — can be included as portfolio evidence.
Portfolio of Evidence
All evidence types are compiled into a structured portfolio, maintained by the learner and reviewed at each assessor visit against the qualification standards.
What to expect from assessor visits
- Visits are scheduled in advance and planned around your normal work duties
- Your assessor will observe practice across multiple units during each visit
- Professional discussion may be used to explore underpinning knowledge
- Your employer/supervisor will be kept informed and may contribute witness statements
- Feedback is provided after each visit with a clear plan for next evidence requirements