Clear Qualification Details
Check the awarding organisation, unit requirements and exact Ofqual qualification number.
LEAD AN ADULT CARE SERVICE
Level 5 Adult Care Management Diploma: Course Overview
The Level 5 Diploma in Leading and Managing an Adult Care Service (RQF) develops and assesses the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to lead and manage adult care services in England.
This page follows the Highfield specification, Version 1.0, April 2026. It is designed for managers who can demonstrate leadership in a real adult care service, including person-centred practice, safeguarding, governance and continuous improvement.
Learn flexibly online and connect your study to the decisions, records and responsibilities of your management role. Your assessor will agree an evidence plan and suitable optional units with you.
Explore HHF Health and Social Care courses or discuss your role with a course adviser.
Who Is This Course For?
This diploma is suitable for registered managers, deputy managers and assistant managers working in adult care services in England.
Your role must give you the responsibilities and workplace access needed to evidence leadership and management across the qualification. It is particularly relevant to people leading staff, maintaining service standards, managing resources and improving outcomes for adults receiving care.
Before enrolling, ask HHF to review your role and practical access. A job title alone does not confirm that you can generate all the required evidence.
What You Will Learn in Adult Care Management
Develop leadership practice across the central responsibilities of an adult care manager:
- Lead teams, supervise colleagues and support learning and development.
- Apply governance, regulatory processes and sound decision making.
- Manage business resources, partnerships, comments and complaints.
- Lead safeguarding, mental capacity practice and person-centred care.
- Promote equality, inclusion, human rights, health and wellbeing.
- Improve communication, information handling and health and safety.
- Develop the service vision, continuous improvement and your own professional wellbeing.
Learning is mapped to unit criteria and supported by evidence from your own service.
Entry and Practical Access Requirements
Learners must be 19 or over and have access to an appropriate adult care workplace and a role that enables them to demonstrate the required management competence.
Highfield recommends literacy and numeracy skills at Level 2. HHF will review your experience, learning needs, role and evidence opportunities before confirming suitability.
You will need a suitable device, internet access and the identification requested for registration. Tell HHF about support needs so reasonable adjustments can be considered. Check eligibility and workplace access before enrolment.
Assessment and Evidence Requirements
Assessment is through a portfolio of evidence demonstrating knowledge, skills and behaviours against the unit criteria. Your assessor will plan appropriate methods, which may include workplace observation, professional discussion, written evidence, work products and suitable witness testimony.
Practical competence must be demonstrated in a real adult care workplace. Written assignments alone do not replace the required evidence of management practice.
At induction, agree a unit-by-unit evidence plan and review progress with your assessor. Use anonymised records and approved evidence channels to protect the people receiving care, colleagues and service information.
Certification follows successful assessment, internal quality assurance and Highfield external quality assurance requirements.
Online Learning, Duration and Tutor Support
HHF provides online study resources, assessment guidance and tutor support. Complete the knowledge learning flexibly while gathering workplace evidence in your management role.
The qualification has 900 hours of Total Qualification Time and a minimum of 599 Guided Learning Hours. Your actual completion schedule depends on your starting point, study time, workplace opportunities, assessment and quality assurance. Agree your course access period and timetable with HHF before enrolling.
Your tutor supports learning and evidence preparation; your assessor reviews evidence and provides feedback where further work is needed.
Read HHF learner FAQs and learn more about HHF Training.
Level 5 Adult Care Management Fees and Enrolment
The current course fee is displayed in the live fee card. Check the live fee card before enrolling. Contact HHF to discuss instalments and confirm registration, certification, workplace assessment arrangements and any additional costs relevant to your circumstances.
Before payment, confirm that your role and workplace provide the evidence needed for this diploma. After enrolment, complete induction, agree your optional units and assessment plan, study the resources and submit your evidence.
Read the applicable enrolment and refund terms before accessing materials or starting learning activities.
VERIFY YOUR QUALIFICATION
Certification and Recognition
Successful learners achieve the Highfield Level 5 Diploma in Leading and Managing an Adult Care Service (RQF), qualification number 610/7047/6.
The diploma is regulated on the RQF and approved by Skills for Care. Certification follows successful assessment and the required quality assurance.
The qualification supports professional development in adult care management. Employers and regulators assess their own role and registration requirements; achieving the diploma does not automatically confer CQC registered manager status.
Highfield Qualifications
Qualification Number 610/7047/6
Verify this regulated qualification on the official Ofqual Register.
SUPPORT YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Why Study with HHF Training?
Study with clear course requirements, flexible online resources and tutor guidance as you prepare your evidence. HHF supports learners in connecting their study to the responsibilities of their intended role.
Learn more about HHF Training and read our learner FAQs before enrolling.
Tutor Guidance
Receive guidance with learning, evidence preparation and assessor feedback.
Flexible Online Study
Organise study around your work and commitments within the stated course period.
Progression After the Level 5 Adult Care Management Diploma
Use the qualification to support development in registered manager, deputy manager and other leadership roles in adult care, subject to the experience and requirements of the employer and regulator.
Further learning may include specialist leadership, commissioning, service improvement or other higher-level study. Confirm entry requirements and recognition of prior learning with the receiving provider.
Compare Health and Social Care courses or discuss your progression with HHF.
GET ANSWERS
Level 5 Adult Care Management Diploma FAQs
Answers about entry requirements, Highfield units, workplace assessment, course fees and progression.
Highfield Qualifications awards this diploma. The qualification number is 610/7047/6. This page follows Version 1.0 of the Highfield specification, April 2026.
Yes. You need a suitable adult care workplace and management responsibilities that enable you to demonstrate occupational competence. HHF will review your role and evidence access before enrolment.
Complete all 21 mandatory units worth 80 credits and at least 10 credits from Optional Group B, for a minimum of 90 credits. Your assessor agrees appropriate optional units with you.
The knowledge learning can be studied online, but the diploma also requires evidence of competence from a real adult care workplace. Agree workplace assessment arrangements with HHF before enrolling.
Total Qualification Time is 900 hours and minimum Guided Learning Hours are 599. These figures are not a fixed duration. Agree your completion timetable and access period with HHF, taking account of study time, workplace evidence and quality assurance.
Check the live fee card and contact HHF to discuss instalments and confirm any additional costs before enrolling.
No. The diploma supports adult care management competence, but CQC registration and employer requirements are separate processes. Check the current requirements for your intended service and role.