Occupational Summary
As a Lead Adult Care Worker on a Level 3 apprenticeship, the apprentice supports adults with care and support needs to achieve personal goals, maintain independence, dignity and choice, and live as safely as possible. Job titles covered include Lead Adult Care Worker, Lead Personal Assistant, lead carer and lead adult carers; duties include providing frontline leadership, supervision, guidance and direction to others or working autonomously while exercising judgement and accountability, and taking appropriate action to support individuals facing physical, practical, social, emotional or intellectual challenges. Apprentices may have delegated responsibility for the standard of care provided and may supervise other care workers, working in settings such as residential or nursing homes, domiciliary care, day centres or some clinical healthcare environments; Lead Personal Assistants may work directly for a single individual in their own home.
This Level 3 apprenticeship comprises 77 knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs), typically lasts 18 months and has a maximum funding allocation of £4,000. End-point assessment is carried out via professional discussion and assignment, which together evaluate the required KSBs and competency in frontline leadership, accountability and person-centred care.
View official Skills England source text
Lead Adult Care Workers are the frontline staff who help adults with care and support needs to achieve their personal goals and live as independently and safely as possible, enabling them to have control and choice in their lives. In addition, Lead Adult Care Workers have responsibility for providing supervision, frontline leadership, guidance and direction for others, or working autonomously, exercising judgement and accountability. As a Lead Adult Care Worker you will make a positive difference to someone’s life when they are faced with physical, practical, social, emotional or intellectual challenges. You will be expected to exercise judgement and take appropriate action to support individuals to maintain their independence, dignity and control. By providing leadership, guidance and direction at the frontline of care delivery you will be instrumental in improving the health and wellbeing of those receiving care and support. Lead Adult Care Workers will in some circumstances have delegated responsibility for the standard of care provided and may supervise the work of other care workers. This exercising of autonomy and accountability means leading and supporting others to comply with expected standards and behaviours. Lead Adult Care Workers may work in residential or nursing homes, domiciliary care, day centres or some clinical healthcare settings. As well as covering Lead Adult Care Workers this standard also covers Lead Personal Assistants who can work at this senior level but they may only work directly for one individual who needs support and/or care services, usually within their own home.
Important Notice
This apprenticeship standard is in the process of being revised. In the meantime, the version below remains approved for delivery. Further details of this and other occupational standards in revision are available in the revisions status report.
What's in the Delivery Pack?
Every section is tailored specifically to the ST0006 standard, using official KSB data, the published assessment plan, and sector-specific context.
KSB Interpretations
Plain-English interpretation of every Knowledge, Skill and Behaviour
EPA Preparation
End-point assessment readiness, gateway checklist and method guidance
Delivery Risks
Occupation-specific risks, mitigations and early warning signs
Delivery Model Options
Model-selection guide comparing day release, block release and front-loaded approaches
On/Off-the-Job Mapping
Which KSBs are best taught by the provider vs developed in the workplace
Initial Assessment & RPL
Starting points, prior learning recognition and programme adaptation
English, Maths & Digital
Where functional skills embed naturally and standalone qualification guidance
Employer Engagement Guide
Employer commitments, progress reviews and workplace engagement guidance
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Typical Job Titles
Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours
Knowledge
34- K1: Their job roles and other worker roles relevant to the context of the service in which they are working. This could incl...
- K2: Both their own and other workers professional boundaries and limits training and expertise
- K3: Relevant statutory Standards and Codes of Practice for their role
- K4: What the ‘Duty of Care’ is in practice
- K5: How to create and develop a care plan based on the person’s preferences in the way they want to be supported
- + 29 more items
Skills
37- S1: Support individuals they are working with according to their personal care/support plan
- S2: Take the initiative when working outside normal duties and responsibilities
- S3: Recognise and access help when not confident or skilled in any aspect of the role that they are undertaking
- S4: Implement/facilitate the specialist assessment of social, physical, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals with co...
- S5: Contribute to the development and ongoing review of care/support plans for the individuals they support
- + 32 more items
Behaviours
6- B1: Care – is caring consistently and enough about individuals to make a positive difference to their lives
- B2: Compassion – is delivering care and support with kindness, consideration, dignity, empathy and respect
- B3: Courage – is doing the right thing for people and speaking up if the individual they support is at risk
- B4: Communication – good communication is central to successful caring relationships and effective team working
- B5: Competence – is applying knowledge and skills to provide high quality care and support
- + 1 more items
End-Point Assessment
Assessment Plan
Type: PDF
Version & Source
- Version
- 1.2
- Funding band revised.
- Last changed
- 25 Jun 2023
- Earliest start
- 25 Jun 2023
- Approved for delivery
- 21 Jul 2016
- EQA Provider
- Ofqual
- Sector Subject Area
- 1.3 Health and social care
- Trailblazer
- TB0067
- Last checked
- 11 Mar 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What knowledge, skills and behaviours are in the ST0006 standard?▼
The Lead adult care worker apprenticeship has 34 knowledge items, 37 skills, and 6 behaviours that apprentices must demonstrate.
How long is the Lead adult care worker apprenticeship?▼
The typical duration is 18 months, with a maximum funding band of £4,000.
What does a delivery guide for ST0006 include?▼
The KSB Planner delivery guide includes plain-English KSB interpretations, EPA preparation guidance, delivery risk analysis, on/off-the-job mapping, employer engagement strategies, and more — all tailored to ST0006.
Data sourced from Skills England. KSB Planner delivery guides are an interpretation and planning aid based on official published source material — not an official regulator-issued document.