Occupational Profile

Leader in Adult Care has responsibility for managing community or residential based services. This role has a large element of leadership, whether with other care workers and networks or in leading the service itself. A successful apprentice will have met all the requirements. They have a responsibility to ensure the service is safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs and well-led. They may be a registered manager of a service, unit, deputy or assistant manager. They will be responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance of the care given and the values and training of staff with established standards and regulations.

These are the personal attributes and behaviours expected of all Leaders in Adult Care carrying out their roles:

  • Care – is caring consistently and enough about individuals to make a positive difference to their lives
  • Compassion – is delivering care and support with kindness, consideration, dignity, empathy and respect
  • Courage – is doing the right thing for people and speaking up if the individual they support is at risk
  • Communication – good communication is central to successful caring relationships and effective team working
  • Competence – is applying knowledge and skills to provide high quality care and support
  • Commitment – to improving the experience of people who need care and support ensuring it is person centred

Leaders in Adult Care may work in residential or nursing homes, domiciliary care, community day centres, a person’s own home or some clinical healthcare settings. The role of Leader in Adult Care in this standard also covers Personal Assistants who operate in a management role but they may only work directly for one individual who needs support and/or care services.

Duration

18 months (this does not include EPA period)

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 complete Level 5 Leader in Adult Care 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.

You will receive a login to an on-line portfolio account which can be accessed from any Wifi point or through 3/4G either at work, at home or in our centre. You will be provided with a detailed course programme. At the centre you will have the opportunity to network with other learners, share practice and access different resources to support your learning including laptops, desktops, tablets and textbooks.

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 the Leader in Adult Care Apprenticeship contains 2 methods of assessment which will be graded as Fail, Pass or Distinction:

  • Observation
  • Professional discussion

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

All applications will be reviewed on an individual basis. You will need previous experience and be qualified at Level 4 or above. 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.

Industry-specific requirement: Undertake the Disclosure and Barring Service process and provide the result.

Maximum funding: £7000

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.