Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) (England) - qualification overview

The Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) (England) is the current qualification approved by CQC and Skills for Care, as the recognised qualification for lead adult care workers, senior care assistants, live-in care workers, and others in similar job roles in England. 

The qualification fees paid will cover full qualification delivery, assessments, quality assurance, and certification including:

  • qualification assessment by a fully qualified, occupationally competent Assessor,
  • learning resources delivered through included online courses,
  • the learner's qualification registration fees with the Awarding Body 
  • portfolio-building and evidence matrices
  • ongoing learner support,
  • online communities and peer support,
  • internal quality assurance,
  • external quality assurance,
  • external certification on completion,
  • digital full Diploma Certificate from the Awarding Body
  • printed Hard-copy Diploma certificate from the Awarding Body.


Key facts of this recognised qualification

Qualification: Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) England

Awarding Body: Highfield Qualifications

Study Type: Part Time Study, Distance Learning

Entry Requirements: No formal requirements

Qualification number: 610/1372/9 (also known as QAN - Qualification Accreditation Number)

Learning aim reference: 61013729

Credit value: 58

Assessment method: Portfolio of Evidence

Guided learning hours (GLH): 389

Total qualification time (TQT): 580

The objective of this qualification is to support a role in the workplace, such as lead adult care workers, lead personal assistants, care supervisors or community support workers to name a few. This qualification forms the competence requirements for those learners working in adult care settings at level 3.

Learner/role profile 

Learners will have responsibility for providing person-centred, values-driven care and support for those accessing a service. The learner will work under the direction of a manager or supervisor but will have a degree of autonomy. As well as demonstrating best practice, they will be working towards promoting and modelling it. Learners may or may not have supervisory responsibilities for others.

Learners will most likely be working in the following settings:

  • residential or nursing homes
  • domiciliary care
  • day centres
  • healthcare 

Qualification Rules of Combination

The content of the qualification covers core content that applies to the adult social care sector with a variety of optional units covering additional knowledge and skills applicable to learners in level 3 roles.

To complete the Highfield Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) (England), learners must complete the following:
• all units contained within the mandatory group totaling 39 credits
• a minimum of 19 credits from the optional group

Mandatory Units

1 - Promoting Effective Communication in Care Settings
2 - Effective Handling of Information in Care Settings
3 - Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Care Settings
4 - Promoting Personal Wellbeing
5 - Promoting Person-Centred Practice in Care Settings
6 - Promoting Choice and Independence in Care Settings
7 - Promoting Individuals’ Health and Wellbeing in Care Settings
8 - Promoting Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Human Rights in Care Settings
9 - Promoting General Health and Safety in Care Settings
10 - Promoting Specialised Health and Safety in Care Settings
11 - Promoting Infection Prevention and Control in Care Settings
12 - Care Worker Responsibilities and Ways of Working
13 - The Principles of Duty of Care in Care Settings
14 - The Principles of Safeguarding and Protection in Care Settings
15 - The Principles of Mental Capacity and Restrictive Practice in Care Settings

Optional Units included with the qualification fees 

20 - Understand the process and experience of dementia

36 - Understand sensory loss

73 - Provide support to maintain and develop skills for everyday life

79 - Support individuals to access and use services and facilities 

94 - Support use of medication in social care settings 

There are many other optional units available, that the learner can choose from, after enrolment. 

Qualification Mandatory Units

Learning Outcomes every learner must achieve (39 credits)

Qualification Mandatory Units and Learning Outcomes the learner must achieve (39 credits) 


Unit Number, Unit Title, Ofqual Number, Credit Value, Guided Learning Hours (GLH)


Unit 1: Promoting Effective Communication in Care Settings (J/650/3395), 4 Credits, 31 GLH

  • Understand why effective communication is important in the work setting 
  • Understand the variety in peoples’ communication needs and preferences 
  • Be able to communicate effectively with others 
  • Be able to meet the communication and language needs, wishes and preferences of individuals 
  • Understand the role of independent advocacy services in supporting individuals to communicate their wishes, needs, preferences and outcomes 
  • Understand confidentiality in care settings 


Unit 2: Effective Handling of Information in Care Settings (K/650/3396), 2 Credits, 18 GLH

  • Understand requirements for handling information in care settings 
  • Be able to implement good practice in handling information 


Unit 3: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Care Settings (L/650/3397), 3 Credits, 15 GLH 

  • Know what is required for competence in own work role 
  • Be able to demonstrate commitment to own development 
  • Understand the value of reflective practice 
  • Be able to use reflective practice to improve ways of working 
  • Be able to develop leadership behaviours


Unit 4: Promoting Personal Wellbeing (M/650/3398), 2 Credits, 8 GLH   

  • Understand own wellbeing, self-care and resilience 
  • Understand the importance of maintaining and improving own wellbeing 
  • Understand the relationship between resilience, health and wellbeing 
  • Know how to maintain and improve own wellbeing 
  • Know how to manage own stress and anxiety 


Unit 5: Promoting Person-Centred Practice in Care Settings (R/650/3399), 2 Credits, 18 GLH   

  • Understand the application of person-centred practices 
  • Understand the importance of individuals’ relationships 
  • Be able to work in a person-centred way 


Unit 6: Promoting Choice and Independence in Care Settings (F/650/3400), 2 Credits, 18 GLH 

  • Be able to promote individuals’ rights to make choices 
  • Be able to promote individuals’ independence 
  • Understand the role of risk assessments in promoting person-centred approaches, choice and independence


Unit 7: Promoting Individuals’ Health and Wellbeing in Care Settings (H/650/3401), 2 Credits, 17 GLH 

  • Understand the importance of individuals’ wellbeing 
  • Know how to monitor individuals’ health 
  • Be able to assess and respond to changes in an individual’s health and wellbeing 
  • Be able to promote individuals’ health and well-being 


Unit 8: Promoting Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Human Rights in Care Settings (J/650/3402), 3 Credits, 19 GLH 

  • Understand influencers on working practices to promote equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights 
  • Understand the importance of equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights in own work setting 
  • Know how to promote equality, diversity, inclusion and human rights 
  • Be able to work in an inclusive way 



Unit 9: Promoting General Health and Safety in Care Settings (K/650/3403), 2 Credits, 14 GLH 

  • Understand own responsibilities, and the responsibilities of others, relating to health and safety 
  • Understand procedures for responding to accidents and sudden illness  
  • Be able to carry out own responsibilities for health and safety 


Unit 10: Promoting Specialised Health and Safety in Care Settings (L/650/3404), 2 Credits, 17 GLH 

  • Be able to move and handle equipment and other objects safely 
  • Be able to handle hazardous substances and materials 
  • Be able to promote fire safety in the work setting 
  • Be able to implement security measures in the work setting 


Unit 11: Promoting Infection Prevention and Control in Care Settings (M/650/3405), 2 Credits, 17 GLH  

  • Understand how to prevent and control the spread of infection 
  • Be able to prevent and control the spread of infection 


Unit 12: Care Worker Responsibilities and Ways of Working (R/650/3406), 2 Credits, 12 GLH 

  • Understand agreed ways of working 
  • Understand working relationships in care settings 
  • Be able to work in ways that are agreed with the employer 
  • Be able to work in partnership with others 


Unit 13: The Principles of Duty of Care in Care Settings (T/650/3407), 2 Credits, 15 GLH 

  • Understand how duty of care contributes to safe practice 
  • Know how to address conflicts or dilemmas that may arise between an individual’s rights and the duty of care 
  • Know how to respond to concerns and complaints 
  • Know how to recognise, respond to and prevent adverse events, incidents, errors and near misses  


Unit 14: The Principles of Safeguarding and Protection in Care Settings (Y/650/3408), 5 Credits, 39 GLH 

  • Understand the national and local context of safeguarding and protection from abuse and neglect 
  • Know how to recognise signs of abuse and neglect 
  • Understand ways to reduce the likelihood of abuse and neglect occurring 
  • Know how to respond to suspected or disclosed abuse and neglect 
  • Know how to recognise and report unsafe practices 
  • Understand the principles of online safety 


Unit 15: The Principles of Mental Capacity and Restrictive Practice in Care Settings (A/650/3409), 4 Credits, 35 GLH 

  • Understand the principles of mental capacity 
  • Understand the application of the principles of mental capacity and consent 
  • Understand restrictive practices


Qualification Optional Units

Learning Outcomes the learner must achieve (19 credits)

Qualification Optional Units and Learning Outcomes the learner must achieve (19 credits) 

These 19 credits from the Optional Units plus the 39 credits from the Mandatory Units make up the total of 58 Credits that are required for achieving the full Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) (England) 

Unit Number, Unit Title, Ofqual Number, Credit Value, Guided Learning Hours (GLH) 


Unit 20: Understand the process and experience of dementia (J/601/3538), 3 Credits, 22 GLH 

  • Understand the neurology of dementia 
  • Understand the impact of recognition and diagnosis of dementia 
  • Understand how dementia care must be underpinned by a person-centred approach 


Unit 36: Understand Sensory Loss (L/616/7443), 3 Credits, 21 GLH 

  • Understand the factors that impact on an individual with sensory loss 
  • Understand the importance of effective communication for individuals with sensory loss 
  • Understand the main causes and conditions of sensory loss 
  • Know how to recognise when an individual may be experiencing sight and / or hearing loss and actions that may be taken 


Unit 73: Provide support to maintain and develop skills for everyday life (H/616/6492), 4 Credits, 28 GLH 

  • Understand the context of supporting skills for everyday life 
  • Be able to support individuals to plan for maintaining and developing skills for everyday life 
  • Be able to support individuals to retain, regain or develop skills for everyday life 
  • Be able to evaluate support for developing or maintaining skills for everyday life 


Unit 79: Support individuals to access and use services and facilities (T/616/6433), 4 Credits, 25 GLH  

  • Understand factors that influence individuals’ access to services and facilities 
  • Be able to support individuals to select services and facilities 
  • Be able to support individuals to access and use services and facilities 
  • Be able to support individuals to review their access to and use of services and facilities


Unit 94: Support use of medication in social care settings (F/601/4056), 5 Credits, 40 GLH 

  • Understand the legislative framework for the use of medication in social care settings 
  • Know about common types of medication and their use 
  • Understand roles and responsibilities in the use of medication in social care settings 
  • Understand techniques for administering medication 
  • Be able to receive, store and dispose of medication supplies safely 
  • Know how to promote the rights of the individual when managing medication 
  • Be able to support use of medication 
  • Be able to record and report on use of medication

Enrolment Requirements for Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) (England)

Internet access.

Location requirements - must be in England, UK 

Anyone currently outside England, who is interested in the qualification, can start if they are sure they will be in England within the next two years, to finish the work-based assessments as required. 

Work requirements 

The Learner must be working in a real job within a real care setting in England. The job may be full time, part-time, or agency; the type of employment contract does not matter.

Qualification pre-requisites: 

There are no formal prerequisites for this Level 3 qualification and no formal previous qualification required. 

It is expected that learners will already possess the Level 2 Diploma in Care (RQF), as the learner's role as Lead Adult Care Worker will require them to supervise adult care workers who are already possess the Level 2 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) or the Level 2 Certificate in Preparing to Work in Adult Social Care (RQF).  

Those learners who don't already possess a Level 2 qualification can gain the required knowledge and skills of Level 2 Adult Care Worker in England, by studying the remedial equivalent learning bundles that will be provided to them after enrolment, subject to terms and conditions. 

it is recommended that learners have a minimum of Level 2 in literacy and numeracy or equivalent.

Learning and Assessment

Learning and Assessment 

How Learning is delivered 

The Highfield Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) (England) is delivered via this LMS through a digital textbook, workbooks, online learning materials, online course discussions, and support by a tutor.

How Learning is Assessed 
Learners are assessed through a series of questions and workbooks to assess their knowledge and understanding.

To assess the learner's practical skills and competence, the Assessor will use a variety of assessment methods to gather work-based evidence including:

  • Work-products evidence 
  • Personal Statements 
  • Reflective Accounts 
  • Case Studies 
  • Professional Discussions

Bite-sized delivery of the qualification

The qualification is delivered in a bite-sized manner via at least 20 different separate private courses that make it easy for busy learners to manage their learning and assessments. 

These delivery courses are only available to those who enrol into the full qualification. 

Either Pay in Monthly Instalments or Pay One-time fee.

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