Qualifications can play an important role in learning and development and there are a wide variety available within adult social care.
Qualifications range from diplomas to smaller awards and certificates which are more focused on specific topics.
Diplomas, certificates and awards
Qualifications are available for the adult social care workforce, from entry level into the sector and career progression. Find out more about the qualifications in social care.
Diplomas are longer qualifications with optional modules develop knowledge and skills in areas of interest or the organisations’ priorities.
Awards and certificates enable workers to continue their professional development through qualifications and are shorter in length.
During 24/25, Skills for Care were commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care to review the existing specifications for the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care and the Level 5 Diploma in Leading and Managing an Adult Care Service. Qualification specifications generally have a cycle of review on a 4/5 yearly basis, to ensure they remain current for the workforce.
This activity has now concluded, and awarding organisations are in the process of updating existing qualifications or developing from new.
To support readiness, if you are a learning provider, looking for the updated specifications, they can be found on our awarding organisations webpage. Learning providers should note that awarding organisation/s they are approved by, will also have their own available qualification specification available.
The awarding organisation’s updated or new version (as approved by Skills for Care) will be made available for learners from 1 April 2026 via Ofqual. The qualification will be allocated a new Ofqual Qualification Accreditation Number (QAN) and will retain the same title/s. Skills for Care will promote approval of these qualifications and QANs via the approved qualifications list.
Assessment principles
You can access information about assessment principles for qualifications in adult social care. Use of assessment principles create a consistent approach to the assessment of qualifications in the sector and support awarding organisations’ quality assurance processes.
Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS)
The Department of Health and Social Care is providing funding to support the learning and development of non-regulated care staff, including deputy managers, registered managers and agency staff. Find out further information.
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Approved qualifications have been developed in partnership with employers and awarding Organisations, in line with our specifications and checked by Skills for Care for consistency.
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For the Level 5 Award in Understanding Digital Leadership in Adult Social Care, we recommended these awarding organisations.