What is Level 3 in adult care?
The Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care is an Ofqual-regulated Level 3 qualification on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). It is the recognised qualification for the Lead Adult Care Worker role – a senior care role with responsibility for daily care standards, the wellbeing of the people being supported, and the supervision and development of less-experienced colleagues.
The Diploma is competency-based: learners build a portfolio of evidence in a real care setting (paid or voluntary) alongside the taught content. It covers safeguarding, person-centred practice, duty of care, communication, health and safety, equality and diversity, and the underpinning legislation that governs adult social care in England.
For learners in Scotland, the equivalent qualification is the SVQ Level 3 Social Services and Healthcare, awarded through SQA. Both are competency-based and require workplace evidence.
What is a CACHE Teaching Assistant Level 3?
CACHE – now part of NCFE – is the awarding body that has historically dominated the UK Teaching Assistant and Early Years qualifications space. The Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualifications are offered in three sizes:
- Level 3 Award in Supporting Teaching and Learning – the smallest knowledge-only qualification, useful as an introduction or top-up.
- Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning – the standard knowledge-only qualification covering child development, safeguarding, classroom support and inclusive practice.
- Level 3 Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning (combined knowledge and competence) – the largest of the three; includes workplace evidence and is the standard full Teaching Assistant qualification.
All three sit at Level 3 on the RQF – broadly A-Level standard. The Diploma is the version most schools ask for; the Certificate is the most common knowledge-only enrolment for adults studying flexibly.
How do the two routes differ?
Both are Level 3 qualifications. Both are Ofqual-regulated. Both are studied online with learndirect. The difference is which workforce they qualify you for:
- Level 3 Adult Care – qualifies you to work in adult social care: residential and nursing homes, supported living, domiciliary care, learning-disability and mental-health services. The senior care role it maps to is the Lead Adult Care Worker.
- CACHE Level 3 Teaching Assistant – qualifies you to work in schools and colleges supporting teachers and pupils. It is the standard entry qualification for paid Teaching Assistant roles, and the foundation for Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) progression.
If you are unsure which workforce to enter, the practical decision usually comes down to who you want to support – vulnerable adults or children and young people. The qualifications do not interchange directly.
How long do these qualifications take?
Both qualifications are designed to be studied flexibly around paid work or a placement. Typical online-learning completion windows are:
- Level 3 Adult Care Diploma – generally completed within around a year of part-time study, including the workplace-evidence portfolio.
- CACHE Level 3 Award / Certificate – the shortest knowledge-only routes; many learners complete in a matter of months.
- CACHE Level 3 Diploma (combined) – the full workplace-evidenced qualification; comparable in length to the Adult Care Diploma.
Distance learning at learndirect is paced by the learner – there are no fixed term dates – so timelines vary with prior experience, study hours per week, and (for the competency-based qualifications) the speed at which workplace evidence is collected and signed off.
How much do Level 3 TA and Adult Care roles pay?
Pay varies by region, employer (school vs local authority vs private), term-time vs full-year contracts, and the specific specialism. As a general orientation only:
- Teaching Assistant (Level 3) – typically sits in the lower mid-range of school support-staff pay scales. SEN and specialist-classroom roles tend to pay at the upper end of the band.
- Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) – a meaningful step up in both responsibility and pay, requiring HLTA status above the Level 3 qualification.
- Lead Adult Care Worker (Level 3) – sits above the Care Worker pay band; NHS-aligned care employers often map the role to NHS Band 3 or equivalent local-authority scales.
For up-to-date pay benchmarks, check ONS earnings data and the relevant national pay-band publications (NHS Agenda for Change for NHS-aligned roles; local-authority support-staff scales for schools).
What is CACHE Level 3 equivalent to?
CACHE Level 3 qualifications sit at Level 3 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework – the same level as A-Levels, Access to HE Diplomas, T Levels and BTEC Nationals.
For UCAS purposes, CACHE Level 3 Diplomas can carry UCAS Tariff points where the qualification appears in the current UCAS Tariff Tables. The points value depends on the grade profile. See our UCAS points explained guide for the full conversion picture.
For adults targeting a degree (e.g. BA Education, BSc Nursing, BA Social Work) the most direct route is usually the Access to Higher Education Diploma rather than a CACHE Level 3, but the qualifications complement each other where the learner already works in education or care.
What if you have no formal qualifications?
Neither route demands prior A-Levels. The Level 3 Adult Care Diploma requires you to be in a relevant care role (paid or voluntary) so that workplace evidence can be collected, and the CACHE Level 3 Diploma requires a school placement for the same reason. The knowledge-only CACHE Award and Certificate do not require a placement.
If you lack the underlying English and maths at GCSE grade 4 / C, we strongly recommend completing Functional Skills Maths Level 2 and the equivalent Functional Skills English Level 2 alongside or before the Level 3. Both are recognised in place of GCSE 4/C by employers, apprenticeship providers and the NHS.