Occupational Profile

Leading frontline care for vulnerable adults within their own homes, day care centres, residential and nursing homes and other healthcare settings

As a senior 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.

You will learn the skills and knowledge required in a range of topics, including:

  • The importance of communication
  • The importance of having the right values and behaviours
  • Support individuals to remain safe from harm (Safeguarding)
  • Championing health and wellbeing for the individuals they support and for work colleagues
  • How to work professionally, including their own professional development of those they support and work colleagues

This qualification is perfect if you are working in a relevant senior job role, within a variety of settings, such as a; residential home, nursing home, domiciliary care, day centre, a person’s own home or a clinical healthcare setting. As well as covering Lead Adult Care Workers this standard also covers Lead Personal Assistants who work directly for one individual who needs support and/or care services, usually within their own home. All employees working in the Health and Social Care sector will have to undergo basic security checks, including a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service). It is advised that an advanced apprentice will already have some experience working at a senior level and previously achieved a relevant level 2 qualification.

Duration

18 months (this does not include EPA period)

Options

Care Officer, Care Supervisor, Senior Care Worker, Supervising Care Worker, Senior Support Worker, Relief Team Leader, Social Work Assistant, Social Services Officer, Outreach Development Worker, Community Support Worker, Community Outreach Worker, Community Development Worker, Family Support Worker or Personal Assistant. These could all specialise in a variety of areas such as learning disability, mental health, drug and alcohol misuse, homecare, dementia and end-of-life care.

Delivery

The delivery will be done mainly at the workplace, with the off-the-job training accounting for at least 6 hours a week. The assessor will regularly visit you at work to observe you performing relevant tasks and to carry out professional discussions. You will receive a login to an online portfolio. The apprentice must complete an induction which meets the 15 standards as set out in the Care Certificate.

You will complete a Level 3 Lead Adult Care Worker prior to taking the end-point assessment.

Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the end-point assessment.

Upon completion you can progress onto an advanced or higher apprenticeship at level 3, 4 or 5.

End Point Assessment

The end-point assessment (EPA) for Lead Adult Care Worker contains 3 methods of assessment which will be graded as Fail, Pass or Distinction:

  • Situtational Judgement Test
  • Professional Discussion

The Sector Skills Council for Health and Social Care is https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/

Candidates for this course should be working in a related sector.

All applications will be reviewed on an individual basis. If you have experience or previous knowledge that will support your application please remember to include it. Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment.

Maximum funding: £3000

As an employer that doesn’t pay the apprenticeship levy, you pay just 5% towards the cost of training and assessing an apprentice.

The government will pay the rest up to the funding band maximum.

You’ll pay the training provider directly and agree on a payment schedule.

If you employ fewer than 50 employees, the government will pay 100% of the apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for apprentices aged:

  • 16 to 21
  • 19 to 24 with an education, health and care plan provided by their local authority or has been in the care of their local authority

Paying employer National Insurance contributions
Employers may not need to pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions for an apprentice, if the apprentice is:

  • under 25 years old
  • on an approved UK government apprenticeship standard or framework (these can differ depending on country)
  • earns less than £967 a week (£50,270 a year)

The apprentice, as an employee, will continue to pay Class 1 insurance contributions through their salary, this will only benefit the employer.

Read HMRC’s guidance on paying National Insurance contributions.