Facilitate change in health and social care or children and young people’s settings — City and Guilds of London Institute National Vocational Qualification Health & Social Care Revision

    This element focuses on the leader's role in driving and embedding change within residential childcare settings, ensuring it is underpinned by sound princi

    Topic Synopsis

    This element focuses on the leader's role in driving and embedding change within residential childcare settings, ensuring it is underpinned by sound principles, shared vision, and collaborative planning. It requires the integration of regulatory frameworks, such as the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act, with practical strategies to engage staff, young people, and families. Mastery involves not only systematic implementation but also critical evaluation to sustain improvements and outcomes for children and young people.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    Facilitate change in health and social care or children and young people’s settings

    CITY AND GUILDS OF LONDON INSTITUTE
    vocational

    This element focuses on the leader's role in driving and embedding change within residential childcare settings, ensuring it is underpinned by sound principles, shared vision, and collaborative planning. It requires the integration of regulatory frameworks, such as the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act, with practical strategies to engage staff, young people, and families. Mastery involves not only systematic implementation but also critical evaluation to sustain improvements and outcomes for children and young people.

    1
    Learning Outcomes
    5
    Assessment Guidance
    5
    Key Skills
    1
    Key Terms
    6
    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    City & Guilds Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care Services (Children and Young People's Residential Management) Wales

    Topic Overview

    This unit focuses on the leadership and management of residential services for children and young people in Wales, aligned with the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. It covers the regulatory framework, including the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) standards, and the specific responsibilities of a registered manager under the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016. Students will explore how to create a safe, nurturing environment that promotes the rights, well-being, and development of children and young people, while also managing staff, budgets, and resources effectively.

    The module is critical for those aspiring to lead residential childcare settings, as it equips them with the skills to implement person-centred approaches, safeguard vulnerable individuals, and ensure compliance with Welsh legislation. It also addresses the unique challenges of managing services in Wales, such as the emphasis on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Active Offer of Welsh language services. By the end, students should be able to develop policies, lead teams, and drive continuous improvement in line with national outcomes for children and young people.

    This topic sits within the broader context of health and social care leadership, linking to themes of ethical decision-making, multi-agency working, and outcome-focused practice. It prepares students for the registered manager role, where they must balance regulatory demands with the day-to-day realities of running a home that feels like a family environment. Understanding this unit is essential for achieving the City & Guilds Level 5 Diploma and for career progression in children's residential management in Wales.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: Understand its principles, including well-being outcomes, prevention, and the voice of the child. This Act underpins all practice in Wales.
    • →Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016: Know the registration requirements for managers, CIW inspection frameworks, and the duty to report concerns (e.g., safeguarding, whistleblowing).
    • →Rights-based practice: Apply the UNCRC in daily operations, ensuring children's rights to participation, protection, and provision are upheld in all decisions.
    • →Active Offer of Welsh language: Ensure services are available in Welsh as a first language, not just translation, in line with the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.
    • →Outcome-focused leadership: Use the National Outcomes Framework (e.g., 'I am healthy', 'I am safe') to plan, monitor, and evaluate care, involving children and families in reviews.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • Understand the principles of change management in health and social care or children and young people’s settings, Be able to facilitate a shared understanding of the need for change in health and social care or children and young people’s settings, Be able to develop an approved change management plan in health and social care or children and young people’s settings, Be able to gain support for a proposed change in health and social care or children and young people’s settings, Be able to implement approved change management plans in health and social care or children and young people’s settings, Be able to evaluate the change management process in health and social care or children and young people’s settings

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for demonstrating application of a recognised change management model (e.g., Kotter’s 8 steps) to the specific context of children’s residential care.
    • Look for evidence that the need for change was communicated using data and personal stories, with active engagement of all stakeholders, including young people and their families.
    • The change plan should include clear objectives aligned with the well-being outcomes of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act, with identified risks and mitigation strategies.
    • Credit where the candidate shows they gained support through tailored communication, addressing resistance, and building coalitions of support among staff and external agencies.
    • Implementation evidence must include monitoring tools and adaptive responses to challenges, ensuring minimal disruption to the care of children and young people.
    • Evaluation must critically analyse the impact of the change against baseline measures, with reflective learning for future practice.

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡Select a change initiative you have led or contributed to significantly, and map it against a recognised change model (e.g., Lewin’s unfreeze-change-refreeze) to structure your reflective account.
    • 💡Ensure your portfolio includes direct evidence of communication with stakeholders, such as minutes from meetings, feedback forms, or witness testimonies confirming your role in facilitating shared understanding.
    • 💡When developing the plan, explicitly cross-reference to the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act outcomes, the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act, and any relevant CQC-equivalent standards to demonstrate regulatory alignment.
    • 💡To show evaluation, present comparative data (e.g., staff surveys, incident reports, outcomes for children) before and after the change, linking improvements to your interventions.
    • 💡Use professional supervision records and reflective logs to evidence your thought processes, adjustments made, and leadership style, as these are highly valued by assessors.
    • 💡When answering questions on legislation, always reference the specific Act and section (e.g., Section 5 of the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 on registration). This shows depth of knowledge and earns higher marks.
    • 💡Use real examples from practice or case studies to illustrate how you would apply the principles of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, such as involving a young person in their care plan review. This demonstrates application, not just recall.
    • 💡For leadership questions, emphasise your role in creating a culture of continuous improvement, using tools like the CIW's 'How we inspect' framework to self-assess and address gaps before inspections.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Failing to explicitly link the change initiative to the well-being principles and outcomes of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act, leading to plans that lack statutory grounding.
    • Overlooking the importance of gaining genuine input from children and young people, resulting in changes that do not meet their actual needs or wishes.
    • Treating resistance to change as a barrier to be overcome rather than a source of valuable feedback that can improve the change process.
    • Implementing change without adequate piloting or contingency planning, causing unnecessary disruption to the residential setting.
    • Evaluating change solely based on process completion rather than measuring tangible improvements in outcomes for children and young people.
    • Misconception: The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 is the same as the Care Act 2014 in England. Correction: While similar, the Welsh Act has distinct principles, such as the well-being duty and the requirement for a 'citizen-centred' approach, and it applies specifically to Wales with different statutory guidance.
    • Misconception: The registered manager is solely responsible for all incidents. Correction: While accountable, leadership involves shared responsibility through delegation, supervision, and a robust governance framework. Managers must demonstrate how they empower staff and learn from incidents.
    • Misconception: The Active Offer means providing Welsh if requested. Correction: The Active Offer requires services to proactively offer Welsh without being asked, meaning all communications, signage, and activities should be available bilingually as a default.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •Understanding of the principles of safeguarding children and young people (e.g., from a Level 3 qualification in health and social care).
    • •Basic knowledge of the structure of social care in the UK, particularly the differences between England and Wales.
    • •Familiarity with person-centred care planning and the importance of involving service users in decisions.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • Understand the principles of change management in health and social care or children and young people’s settings, Be able to facilitate a shared understanding of the need for change in health and social care or children and young people’s settings, Be able to develop an approved change management plan in health and social care or children and young people’s settings, Be able to gain support for a proposed change in health and social care or children and young people’s settings, Be able to implement approved change management plans in health and social care or children and young people’s settings, Be able to evaluate the change management process in health and social care or children and young people’s settings

    Ready to learn?

    AI-powered learning tailored to this unit

    Related Topics in CITY AND GUILDS OF LONDON INSTITUTE vocational Health & Social Care

    Appraise staff performance

    View Topic

    Champion equality, diversity and inclusion

    View Topic

    Develop and evaluate operational plans for own area of responsibility

    View Topic

    Develop and implement policies and procedures to support the safeguarding of children and young people

    View Topic