The Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) is for learners employed in the role of a lead practitioner in adult care, e.g. community care officer, physiotherapy assistant, re-ablement support worker, social care assistant or telecare assistant.

A lead practitioner will guide and inspire team members to make positive differences to someone’s life when they are faced with physical, practical, social, emotional or intellectual challenges. 

The lead practitioner will have achieved a level of self-development to be recognised as a lead practitioner within the care team, contributing to, promoting and sustaining a values-based culture at an operational level. 

The lead practitioner will have specialist skills and knowledge in their area of responsibilities, which will allow them to lead in areas such as care needs assessment, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, rehabilitation and enablement, telecare and assistive technology. 

The lead practitioner will be a coach and mentor of others and will have a role in assessing performance and quality of care delivery. 

Lead practitioners in adult care may work in residential or nursing homes, domiciliary care, day centres, a person’s own home or some clinical healthcare settings. 

The qualification is also suitable for lead personal assistants who can work at this senior level but may only work directly for one individual who needs support and/or care services, usually within their own home. 

The Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) qualification gives learners the opportunity to:

● develop the fundamental technical skills and underpinning knowledge and understanding required to become competent in the job role. These cover the following areas: advanced communication skills; equality and diversity; professional practice, safeguarding and protection; leadership; and working in partnership. For details of the units included in this qualification, please see the Qualification structure

● develop appropriate professional attitudes and behaviours that will support personal success in their job role and the long-term success of their organisation

● develop a range of interpersonal and intrapersonal skills to support progression to, and success in, further study and career advancement

● achieve a nationally-recognised Level 4 qualification.

The Highfield Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) sits on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). The RQF is a qualification framework regulated by Ofqual.

This qualification is supported by Skills for Care, the sector skills council for the adult social care sector in England.

Key facts

Qualification number: 603/2829/0

Learning aim reference: 60328290

Credit value: 70

Assessment method: Portfolio of evidence 

Guided learning hours (GLH): 467

Total qualification time (TQT): 700

Qualification overview and objective

The objective of this qualification is to support a role in the workplace. The content is appropriate for learners in a variety of settings in adult social care including residential care, domiciliary care or day centres. 

The Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) is also suitable for lead personal assistants who work as part of a personal assistant team at a senior level. 

The qualification aims to develop further, specialist skills and knowledge in learners’ areas of responsibility which will enable them to lead in areas such as assessment or enablement, for example. 

Learners will have responsibility for assessing performance and quality of care delivery and they will provide coaching and mentoring to their colleagues. 

This qualification supports the Lead Practitioner in Adult Care job role national occupational standard (NOS) 

Qualification structure and Rules Of Combination (ROC) 

To complete the Highfield Level 4 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) learners must complete the following:

• all units contained within the mandatory group

• a minimum of 6 credits from optional group A

• a minimum of 30 credits from optional group B 

Mandatory group

Learners must achieve all units in this group

Unit reference Unit title Level GLH Credit

1 - T/616/8196 Lead communication in adult care settings 4 27 4

2 - A/616/8197 Develop, maintain and use records and reports 4 23 3

3 - F/616/8198 Personal development in adult social care settings 4 26 4

4 - J/616/8199 Lead inclusive practice in adult care settings 4 21 3

5 - M/616/8200 Lead health and Safety in adult care settings 4 21 3

6 - T/616/8201 Facilitate person centred assessment to support wellbeing 4 14 2

7 - A/616/8202 Facilitate support planning to ensure positive outcomes for Individuals and to support wellbeing 4 14 2

8 - F/616/8203 Professional practice in adult care settings 4 20 3

9 - J/616/8204 Working in partnership with others 4 26 4

10 - L/616/8205 Understand personalisation in adult care and 

support services 5 33 4

11 - R/616/8206 Understand safeguarding and protection in adult care settings 3 18 2 

And a variety of optional units.