Oonagh Smyth, Chief Executive Officer at Skills for Care, previews the newly launched Level 2 Care Certificate qualification.
In 2021, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) commissioned a new, accredited and portable qualification based on the existing Care Certificate standards. This qualification, the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification, is now being made available to the workforce.
Why has a new qualification been created?
This qualification complements and builds upon the existing Care Certificate standards, which outline the skills, knowledge and behaviours expected from health and social care workers during induction and early employment.
However, the Care Certificate lacks formal accreditation, meaning care workers who have completed it are often required to undergo repeat training when they change employers. This leads to unnecessary duplication, increasing the sector’s training burden and creating inefficiencies.
Recognising these challenges, the new qualification offers care professionals a transferable qualification, enabling smoother transitions between employers and fostering long-term career development. With 54% of direct care workers currently without a Level 2 or higher qualification, this initiative is also expected to help bridge the sector’s skills gap.
Key differences from the Care Certificate standards
The Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification is fundamentally different from the Care Certificate standards. Firstly, it is a formally accredited qualification, requiring learners to undergo assessment, whereas the Care Certificate is more focused on providing a structured induction without formal accreditation.
The qualification covers similar topics to the Care Certificate standards, but with more in-depth learning and updated content that reflects current sector developments. Additionally, the qualification incorporates the knowledge gained through existing induction processes, offering a recognition of prior learning pathways for those who have already completed the Care Certificate standards.
The new qualification has also been developed in consultation with over 1,700 sector stakeholders, ensuring that it meets the needs of the workforce and employers.
Qualification structure and funding
The Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification consists of 15 core topics. Each topic is broken down into sub-topics to ensure that learners develop a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. It is expected to take six to eight months to complete.
Importantly, employers can access up to £1,500 of funding per learner for this qualification through the Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS), provided they are registered with the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS).
A positive step for workforce development
The introduction of this new qualification is a positive step towards standardising sector skills, making the induction process more streamlined and efficient for employers.
The Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification is now integrated into the Care Workforce Pathway, a career structure designed to support long-term sector development. This qualification falls under the ‘New to Care’ category, providing a clear pathway for individuals entering the sector and seeking to progress.
While the Care Certificate standards remain in place to support induction, an update to these standards has been commissioned, aligning them with the introduction of the Level 2 Qualification. The updated standards are expected to be available by spring 2025, ensuring that they continue to serve as a robust tool for onboarding new staff.
For more information about the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification, click here or speak directly to a learning provider.
Oonagh Smyth is Chief Executive Officer at Skills for Care. Email: [email protected] X: @skillsforcare