Lead Adult Care Workers are the frontline staff who help adults with care and support needs to achieve their personal goals and live as independently and safely as possible, enabling them to have control and choice in their lives. In addition, Lead Adult Care Workers have responsibility for providing supervision, frontline leadership, guidance and direction for others, or working autonomously, exercising judgement and accountability.

As a Lead Adult Care Worker you will make a positive difference to someone’s life when they are faced with physical, practical, social, emotional or intellectual challenges. You will be expected to exercise judgement and take appropriate action to support individuals to maintain their independence, dignity and control. By providing leadership, guidance and direction at the frontline of care delivery you will be instrumental in improving the health and wellbeing of those receiving care and support. Lead Adult Care Workers will in some circumstances have delegated responsibility for the standard of care provided and may supervise the work of other care workers. This exercising of autonomy and accountability means leading and supporting others to comply with expected standards and behaviours.

Lead Adult Care Workers may work in residential or nursing homes, domiciliary care, day centres or some clinical healthcare settings. As well as covering Lead Adult Care Workers this standard also covers Lead Personal Assistants who can work at this senior level but they may only work directly for one individual who needs support and/or care services, usually within their own home.

Duration:

Typically 18 months

Level: 3

The mandatory section of the units is comprised of 6 core units that will be based on the information below. A person working as an Adult Care Worker must know and understand:

A. The job they have to do, their main tasks and responsibilities

Their job roles and other worker roles relevant to the context of the service in which they are working. This could include supporting with social activities, monitoring health, assisting with eating, mobility and personal care

Both their own and other workers professional boundaries and limits training and expertise

Relevant statutory Standards and Codes of Practice for their role What the ‘Duty of Care’ is in practice

How to create and develop a care plan based on the person’s preferences in the way they want to be supported

How to monitor, plan, review a care plan in response to changing physical, social, and emotional needs of individuals

How to lead and support others to ensure compliance with regulations and organisational policies and procedures

B. The importance of having the right values and behaviours

How to ensure that dignity is at the centre of all work with individuals and their support circles

The importance of respecting diversity, the principles of inclusion and treating everyone fairly

C. The importance of communication

The barriers to communication and be able to both identify, and determine, the best solutions to achieve success when communicating with the individual they are supporting

How to communicate clearly both verbally and non-verbally and able to influence others to maximise the quality of interaction

12. The role of advocates and when they might be involved

Their own, and other workers’ responsibilities for ensuring confidential information is kept safe

D. How to support individuals to remain safe from harm (Safeguarding)

What abuse is and what to do when they have concerns someone is being abused

The national and local strategies for safeguarding and protection from abuse

What to do when receiving comments and complaints ensuring appropriate and timely actions takes place

How to recognise and prevent unsafe practices in the workplace

The importance and process of whistleblowing, being able to facilitate timely intervention

How to address and resolve any dilemmas they may face between a person’s rights and their safety

E. How to champion health and wellbeing for the individuals they support and work colleagues

The health and safety responsibilities of self, employer and workers

How to keep safe in the work environment

What to do when there is an accident or sudden illness and take appropriate action

What to do with hazardous substances

How to promote fire safety and how to support others to so

How to reduce the spread of infection and support others in infection prevention and control

How to use and promote with others where relevant, risk assessments to enable a person centred approach to delivering care

F. How to work professionally, including their own professional development of those they support and work colleagues

What a professional relationship is with the person being supported and colleagues

How to work with other people and organisations in the interest of the person being supported

How to be actively involved in their own personal development plan and, where appropriate, other worker’s personal development plans

How to demonstrate the importance of excellent core skills in writing, numbers and information technology

How to develop and sustain a positive attitude and address signs and symptoms of stress in self and other colleagues

How to carry out research relevant to individuals’ support needs and share with others

How to access and apply good practice relating to their role

How to access and apply specialist knowledge when needed to support performance in the job role

This qualification will primarily be delivered through 1-to-1 sessions with a member of our delivery team, using a mixture of face-to-face and remote learning sessions.

Upon enrolment, learners are also allocated an assessor. Throughout the qualification, the assessor will visit the learner either at their workplace or remotely (for example, via Microsoft Teams) on a monthly basis, to support progress, observe and set tasks

This apprenticeship provides further progression from the entry level knowledge base to a higher level of skills, knowledge and ability. Individuals who complete this course can progress onto the Level 4 Lead Practioner in Adult Care Worker qualification.

Some career opportunities that this course can provide are:

• Residential Care Support Professional
• Domiciliary Care Support Professional
• General Healthcare 
• Supported Living Care worker
• Team Leader
• Workplace Mentor

To enrol onto the Lead Adult Care Worker Level 3 in England, you need to be:

• Working in a care-based support role
• aged 16 or over (there is no upper age limit)
• living in Wales
• not in full-time education
• not accessing any other funding from the Welsh Government
• Completion of the Adult Caere Level 2 Qualification (or equivalent)