Leadership in Care

Aim of the Course

This course aims to develop the practical knowledge, behaviours and confidence required to lead effectively within health and adult social care services.

It helps learners to:

1. Understand the difference between leadership and management
2. Recognise their leadership responsibilities
3. Adapt their leadership approach to different situations
4. Promote person-centred care and positive workplace culture
5. Communicate expectations clearly
6. Delegate safely and appropriately
7. Support staff performance and development
8. Address concerns, conflict and unsafe practice
9. Contribute to quality assurance and continuous improvement
10. Lead with integrity, accountability and professional boundaries

Scope of the Course

This course is suitable for senior care assistants, team leaders, shift leaders, care coordinators, deputy managers, aspiring managers and experienced care workers undertaking leadership responsibilities in England.

It provides practical leadership awareness and development. It does not independently qualify learners to become registered managers, conduct formal disciplinary investigations, complete specialist clinical assessments or perform duties for which they have not been trained, assessed as competent and authorised.

Learners must work within:

1. Their job description and level of authority
2. Their professional competence
3. Organisational policies and procedures
4. Applicable legislation and regulatory requirements
5. Escalation and management arrangements

What This Course Covers

The course covers:

1. Leadership and management in care
2. Values, integrity and professional conduct
3. Leadership styles and situational leadership
4. Person-centred and inclusive leadership
5. Positive workplace culture
6. Communication and active listening
7. Teamwork and psychological safety
8. Delegation and accountability
9. Supervision, feedback and staff development
10. Managing performance and poor practice
11. Conflict and difficult conversations
12. Decision-making and problem-solving
13. Risk management and safeguarding
14. Quality assurance and governance
15. Leading change and continuous improvement
16. Resilience, reflection and personal development

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, learners should be able to:

1. Define leadership in a health and social care context.
2. Distinguish leadership from management.
3. Explain how leadership affects safety, culture and care quality.
4. Recognise that leadership can be demonstrated at every organisational level.
5. Identify the values and behaviours expected of an effective care leader.
6. Compare different leadership approaches.
7. Select an appropriate approach for different situations.
8. Promote person-centred, inclusive and rights-respecting care.
9. Model professional behaviour and appropriate boundaries.
10. Communicate instructions and expectations clearly.
11. Use active listening and check understanding.
12. Support teamwork, trust and psychological safety.
13. Delegate tasks according to competence, authority and risk.
14. Explain that delegation does not remove accountability.
15. Provide constructive and evidence-based feedback.
16. Use supervision to support development and safer practice.
17. Respond appropriately to performance concerns.
18. Challenge and escalate unsafe or unacceptable practice.
19. Approach conflict and difficult conversations professionally.
20. Make proportionate and defensible decisions.
21. Recognise when a decision exceeds personal authority.
22. Use incidents, complaints, feedback and audits to identify improvements.
23. Contribute to effective governance and action planning.
24. Support staff through workplace change.
25. Reflect on personal leadership strengths and development needs.
26. Create an achievable personal leadership-development plan.

Further Reading and References

1. Leadership framework: Skills for Care’s updated Leadership Qualities Framework describes effective leadership behaviours across adult social care and recognises that leadership is demonstrated at every level, not only by managers. Read the Leadership Qualities Framework
2. Good governance: Regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 requires effective governance systems that assess, monitor and improve service quality and safety. Read CQC Regulation 17 guidance
3. Staffing and development: Regulation 18 requires providers to deploy sufficient suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff and provide appropriate support, training, supervision and development. Read CQC Regulation 18 guidance
4. Everyday leadership: Skills for Care provides resources supporting leadership behaviours among frontline workers as well as formal leaders and managers. Explore Skills for Care leadership resources

Important practice point: Leadership authority does not permit someone to work beyond their competence, disregard policies or pressure staff into unsafe practice. Effective leaders remain accountable, invite professional challenge and escalate risks they cannot safely resolve.