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The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care is an advanced occupational qualification for professionals who manage practice, lead staff and contribute to service improvement.
The full qualification title is the Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services (RQF). Qualification number 601/8590/9 carries 90 credits, 613 Guided Learning Hours and 900 Total Qualification Time.
This Level 5 Health and Social Care Leadership Diploma confirms occupational competence. Learners must demonstrate leadership and management skills through genuine workplace activity, supported by a portfolio of evidence and assessor judgement.
SJA offers a Children and Young People’s Residential Management pathway using a compliant 90-credit combination: 30 credits from Group A, 44 from B1, 12 from B2 and 4 from B3.
This Level 5 Care Leadership Course is for experienced professionals with responsibility for leading people, practice and service delivery in children and young people’s services.
The course combines strategic knowledge with evidence of real leadership practice in children and young people’s services.
Lead teams, set objectives, manage performance and strengthen team culture and accountability.
Lead safeguarding practice, support child development and promote wellbeing and resilience.
Develop communication systems and build effective relationships with colleagues, professionals and partner agencies.
Develop, implement and improve policies and practices that balance safety, rights and positive risk taking.
Promote professional development, lead supervision and use reflective practice to improve performance.
Undertake a research project, facilitate change and use evidence to improve service quality and practice.
SJA Global Academia uses a 90-credit Children and Young People’s Residential Management pathway that satisfies the Focus Awards rules of combination.
The combination contains 30 mandatory credits from Group A, 44 credits from Group B1, 12 credits from Group B2 and 4 credits from Group B3. Group B requires 44 credits from B1, at least 12 credits from B2, and between 1 and 6 credits from B3, so this selected combination meets the pathway requirements exactly.
| Unit Title | Unit Reference | Level | GLH | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work in Partnership in Health and Social Care or Children and Young People’s Settings | M/507/8955 | 4 | 26 | 4 |
| Use and Develop Systems that Promote Communication | D/507/8837 | 5 | 24 | 3 |
| Undertake a Research Project within Services for Health and Social Care or Children and Young People | T/507/8956 | 5 | 80 | 10 |
| Develop Health and Safety and Risk Management Policies, Procedures and Practices in Health and Social Care or Children and Young People’s Settings | K/507/8954 | 5 | 33 | 5 |
| Promote Professional Development | D/507/8952 | 4 | 33 | 4 |
| Champion Equality, Diversity and Inclusion | H/507/8953 | 5 | 34 | 4 |
| Understand Children and Young Person’s Development | J/507/8959 | 5 | 30 | 6 |
| Lead Practice that Supports Positive Outcomes for Child and Young Person Development | L/507/8963 | 5 | 36 | 6 |
| Develop and Implement Policies and Procedures to Support the Safeguarding of Children and Young People | Y/507/8965 | 5 | 26 | 6 |
| Lead and Manage Group Living for Children | D/507/8966 | 5 | 43 | 6 |
| Lead and Manage a Team within a Health and Social Care or Children and Young People’s Setting | H/507/8967 | 6 | 46 | 7 |
| Develop Professional Supervision Practice in Health and Social Care or Children and Young People’s Work Settings | M/507/8986 | 5 | 39 | 5 |
| Lead Practice in Promoting the Well-Being and Resilience of Children and Young People | T/507/8987 | 5 | 53 | 8 |
| Facilitate Change in Health and Social Care or Children and Young People’s Settings | L/507/8994 | 5 | 42 | 6 |
| Develop Procedures and Practice to Respond to Concerns and Complaints | A/507/8988 | 5 | 40 | 6 |
| Understand Partnership Working | D/507/9003 | 4 | 7 | 1 |
| Understand How to Manage a Team | H/507/9004 | 4 | 20 | 3 |
Minimum age: You must be aged 19 or over.
Work role: You must be employed in, or have reliable access to, a suitable children and young people’s service where you carry out leadership, management or advanced-practice responsibilities. Typical roles include manager, deputy manager, assistant manager, team leader, senior practitioner or equivalent.
Prior experience: Focus Awards does not prescribe an additional qualification as a universal entry requirement. However, because this is an occupational Level 5 diploma, SJA will assess your prior care-sector experience, responsibilities and suitability before enrolment. A relevant Level 3 or Level 4 care qualification is strongly preferred.
English language requirement: Learners should have English language skills equivalent to Functional Skills English Level 2, GCSE English Grade 4/C or above, or an equivalent standard. Applicants who do not hold a formal English qualification may demonstrate their English proficiency through an SJA initial assessment. Learners who have successfully completed a Level 3 or higher qualification taught and assessed in English may use this as evidence of their English language ability, subject to SJA verification.
Employer support: Your employer or workplace must support access to evidence, staff, policies, meetings, supervision, observations and other work activities needed to demonstrate competence.
This is a work-based occupational qualification. You cannot complete it solely through written assignments or simulated management scenarios.
You must have ongoing access to a real children and young people’s service where you can demonstrate leadership and management responsibilities relevant to the selected pathway.
Evidence may include direct assessor observation, professional discussion, witness testimony, workplace records, policies and procedures, supervision records, meeting evidence, risk-management documents, service-improvement activity, research evidence and other authentic work products.
Your role must give you sufficient responsibility to lead or influence practice, supervise or support staff, contribute to safeguarding and risk-management systems, manage communication and partnership working, and participate in service improvement. If your current role does not provide this access, SJA must confirm an appropriate workplace arrangement before enrolment.
The selected Children and Young People’s Services Level 5 Diploma pathway therefore requires reliable access to appropriate leadership and management activities throughout the programme.
Assessment is through a portfolio of evidence demonstrating achievement of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria across all selected units.
Assessment methods may include workplace observation, witness testimony, professional discussion, assignments and reports, research activity, oral and written questioning, reflective accounts and authentic workplace products.
The qualification contains significant competence-based assessment. Evidence must be current, authentic and generated from real practice. Simulation should not be relied upon where occupational competence is required.
All assessment decisions are subject to SJA Global Academia’s Internal Quality Assurance process and applicable Focus Awards quality assurance requirements.
SJA combines flexible online learning with workplace assessment. This makes the programme suitable for working professionals seeking a Level 5 Health and Social Care Management Course with evidence drawn from real leadership practice.
The Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care cannot be completed through online assignments alone. Your assessor will guide you in gathering authentic workplace evidence and arranging observations or professional discussions where required.
SJA supports learners from initial eligibility checking through portfolio completion, IQA and certification.
Receive structured assessment planning and guidance throughout the 90-credit diploma.
Get support identifying suitable authentic evidence from your leadership and management role.
Receive guidance on planning, conducting and presenting the Level 5 research project.
Receive clear feedback on submitted evidence and any further work needed to meet assessment criteria.
Successful learners receive the Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services (RQF), qualification number 601/8590/9.
Focus Awards is an Ofqual-regulated awarding organisation and the qualification can be checked on the Ofqual Register.
After assessor confirmation, the portfolio is subject to Internal Quality Assurance and any applicable awarding-organisation quality assurance before certification. SJA normally advises approximately 3–5 weeks for certification after formal completion and assessor confirmation, although this is an estimate rather than a guaranteed issue date.
An e-certificate is provided as standard. A printed certificate may be requested for the applicable administration and postage/courier charge.
Employers, regulators and registration bodies set their own current role-specific requirements. Learners should confirm that this qualification and pathway meet the requirements of their intended role before enrolment.
Complete a regulated Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma with flexible online support and assessment built around genuine professional practice.
Achieve a 90-credit Level 5 occupational diploma regulated on the RQF.
Complete the full 90-credit regulated Level 5 leadership qualification with flexible online support and workplace-based assessment.
Use genuine leadership and management evidence from your current professional role.
Follow a pre-selected Children and Young People’s Residential Management unit combination that meets the published rules of combination.
Receive guidance with leadership evidence, portfolio planning and the research project.
Complete knowledge and portfolio work around your professional responsibilities.
It is an advanced occupational leadership qualification for experienced professionals. SJA delivers the Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services (RQF) using a 90-credit Children and Young People’s Residential Management pathway.
Yes. This is an occupational competence qualification. You need access to a suitable real workplace where you can demonstrate leadership and management activities and provide authentic evidence.
Learners should have English language skills equivalent to Functional Skills English Level 2, GCSE English Grade 4/C or above, or an equivalent standard. Applicants without a formal English qualification may demonstrate proficiency through an SJA initial assessment. A successfully completed Level 3 or higher qualification taught and assessed in English may also be accepted as evidence of English language ability, subject to SJA verification.
Focus Awards does not impose a universal prior-qualification requirement beyond centre admission decisions. SJA strongly prefers a relevant Level 3 or Level 4 care qualification or substantial equivalent sector experience because this is an advanced occupational programme.
The qualification is 90 credits. SJA’s selected Children and Young People’s Residential Management combination contains 17 units and meets the published pathway rules.
Assessment is through a portfolio of evidence and may include direct workplace observation, professional discussion, witness testimony, assignments, research, questioning and authentic work products.
Most learners should plan for approximately 12–18 months, depending on workplace access, prior experience, evidence availability and the time they can commit to study.
No single course page should guarantee registration. The qualification supports leadership and management competence, but current employer and regulatory requirements vary by role and service. You should confirm the requirements for your intended post before enrolment.
The qualification is awarded by Focus Awards. The qualification number is 601/8590/9.
Yes. Knowledge learning and portfolio support are delivered online, while occupational competence is demonstrated through genuine workplace evidence, observation and other appropriate assessment methods.
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