How the Level 2 Care Certificate is supporting learning and development for social care
26 Jan 2026
3 min read
We take a closer look at the newly developed Level 2 Care Certificate and how it鈥檚 supporting professional development in social care.
The Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate was developed in 2021, as an accredited and portable qualification based on the existing Care Certificate standards. It offers a formal, transferable qualification that supports career progression and movement between employers within the care sector.
What is the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate?
The Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification is an Ofqual-regulated qualification. It’s designed to provide a baseline standard for care and reduces the need for repeated training. It also provides recognition for the professional career that social care is.
The Certificate covers 15 key topic areas, similar to the original Care Certificate standards, but with updated content and assessment guidance.
These topics include:
- Understanding one’s own role
- Personal development
- Duty of care
- Equality, diversity, inclusion, and human rights
- Working in a person-centred way
- Communication
- Privacy and dignity
- Nutrition and hydration
- Awareness of mental health and dementia
- Adult safeguarding
- Safeguarding children
- Health, safety, and basic life support
- Handling information
- Infection prevention and control
- Awareness of learning disability and autism
Who is the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate for?
The qualification provides the key knowledge and skills required for the ‘New to Care’ role in the Care Workforce Pathway, employers may therefore decide it's appropriate for a new care worker to complete the qualification alongside employer specific induction and mandatory training.
It is encouraged for care providers to prioritise enrolling staff who don’t hold a relevant qualification on to the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate qualification, to enable them to gain recognised skills and support progression in their role. The qualification is open to eligible non-regulated care staff.
It provides people in care roles with the most up-to-date knowledge and baseline skills required to support people well, and succeed in their roles, and provides the opportunity for care workers to gain a recognised qualification.
What’s the difference between the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate and the Care Certificate standards?
The Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate differs to the Care Certificate Standards in that it requires formal assessment as it is an accredited qualification. There is a greater depth of learning in the content.
When a new worker starts with your organisation, you must provide a robust induction programme which introduces them to your organisation which ensures they have the right skills and knowledge. This includes an induction programme, statutory and mandatory training and providing supervision and ensuring competency in the workplace. The Care Certificate standards is one resource an employer can use; however, use of the qualification aims to ensure better consistency in portability and standardisation in how the current standards are delivered, achieved, and assessed.
Find out more about Care Certificate recommended routes for adult social care.
How to get started with the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate
If you’re interested in the Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate, you can read the relevant factsheets on our Level 2 Adult Social Care Certificate Qualification webpage. Alternatively, you can speak to a learning provider directly to find out more.
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