5 Things to Consider Before Enrolling Your Staff on a Level 3 Adult Care Diploma

When it comes to investing in your team’s professional development, a level 3 diploma in adult care can be a fantastic step forward — but before signing your staff up, there are a few important factors to consider. It’s not just about whether they’ve already achieved a level 2 qualification; it’s about ensuring the right people are in the right place to succeed, with the right support around them.

As a training partner committed to an ethos of ‘right learner, right programme’, here are 5 things to consider before you go ahead and recommend a level 3 diploma.

• Is your staff member ready for the next step?

While completing a level 2 qualification is a good foundation, the jump to level 3 brings more responsibility and a deeper level of knowledge. Learners need to be ready to:

1.       Take ownership of their role and decisions.
2.       Demonstrate leadership and role-modelling behaviours.
3.       Apply new knowledge to their practice and be able to reflect on their work.
   
   

Ask yourself:

•       Are they already showing signs of leadership or mentoring others?
•       Do they have the confidence to manage challenging situations independently?

• Your role in supporting their learning

A successful learner isn’t just made by completing a qualification— they need a supportive workplace. As an employer, your commitment is just as important as the learner’s. This includes:

1.       Giving them time and space to practice new skills within the workplace.
2.       Encouraging reflection and discussion about their learning in 1-2-1 sessions.
3.       Offering constructive feedback and guidance.

Remember: the qualification requires the learner to evidence their new skills in a real work environment. Without your active involvement, this can be difficult to achieve.

• Understanding guided learning hours (GLH)

One of the biggest commitments for any diploma is achieving the required guided learning hours. This doesn’t mean your staff will be away from work entirely, but it does mean they will need dedicated time during paid working hours to focus on their learning.

What does Guided Learning look like in adult care?

GLH in adult care could look like: 

•       Shadowing experienced colleagues to see best practice in action.
•       Attending workshops, webinars, or training sessions.
•       Completing reflective journals, assignments, or research.
•       Practicing new skills in a different part of the service.
•       Any other learning of new knowledge from workplace activity

For a level 3 diploma, the GLH requirement is significant — typically around 407 hours over the course of the programme, so planning for this time is crucial.

• Balancing service needs with learning commitments

Staff development is an investment, but it can be challenging to release team members for training without impacting service delivery. Think about:

•       How you’ll support the learner in their duties to evidence the required Guided learning hours.
•       Scheduling learning around peak service periods.
•       Using quieter times of the year to focus on development.
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• The long-term benefits

When done right, enrolling staff on a level 3 diploma can:

1.       Boost staff confidence and retention.
2.       Improve quality of care and compliance with regulatory standards.
3.       Create strong future leaders in your organisation.
   
   

The key is ensuring the right learner is matched with the right programme at the right time — and that you, as the employer, are prepared to support them all the way.

Interested in developing your staff?
We can work with you to assess your staff member’s readiness, plan for guided learning hours and make the journey as smooth as possible for both you and your employee.