Lead person centred practice
This element focuses on leading person-centred practice within health and social care settings, requiring leaders to embed theories such as Kitwood's personhood approach and the Roper-Logan-Tierney model into daily operations. It examines how to champion active participation, ensuring individuals are empowered to make informed choices and maintain control over their lives. Practical application involves modelling inclusive leadership, coaching teams to value individual uniqueness, and systematically evaluating service delivery against person-centred outcomes.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The iCQ Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People's Services (England) is a comprehensive qualification designed for managers and aspiring leaders in health, social care, and early years settings. It equips learners with the advanced knowledge and skills needed to lead teams, manage services, and drive improvements in care quality. The diploma covers key areas such as safeguarding, partnership working, resource management, and professional development, ensuring leaders can meet regulatory standards and deliver person-centred care.
This qualification is essential for those aiming to take on senior roles such as registered manager, service manager, or deputy manager in residential care homes, domiciliary care agencies, children's homes, or early years settings. It aligns with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Ofsted frameworks, making it highly relevant for ensuring compliance and excellence. By studying this diploma, learners develop the confidence to handle complex situations, lead multidisciplinary teams, and champion the rights of individuals, including children and young people.
The diploma is structured around core units and optional units, allowing learners to tailor their studies to their specific role and setting. Core units include leadership theories, managing quality, and safeguarding, while optional units cover areas like managing finance, leading infection control, or supporting individuals with specific needs. This flexibility ensures that the qualification is directly applicable to real-world practice, making it a valuable asset for career progression and service improvement.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Leadership vs. Management: Understanding the difference between inspiring a vision (leadership) and organising resources (management) is crucial. Effective leaders in health and social care balance both to motivate teams and achieve outcomes.
- →Person-Centred Care: This principle places the individual at the heart of decision-making. Leaders must ensure that care plans, risk assessments, and daily practices reflect the preferences, needs, and rights of each person, including children and young people.
- →Safeguarding and Duty of Care: Leaders are responsible for implementing robust safeguarding policies, recognising signs of abuse or neglect, and promoting a culture of safety. This includes understanding the legal framework like the Care Act 2014 and Children Act 1989.
- →Partnership Working: Effective collaboration with other professionals (e.g., social workers, GPs, therapists) and agencies (e.g., local authorities, schools) is essential for holistic care. Leaders must facilitate communication and shared decision-making.
- →Quality Assurance and Improvement: Leaders must monitor and evaluate service quality using tools like audits, feedback, and performance indicators. Continuous improvement cycles (e.g., Plan-Do-Study-Act) help meet regulatory standards and enhance outcomes.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Understand the theory and principles that underpin person centred practice, Be able to lead a person-centred practice, Be able to lead the implementation of active participation of individuals
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for demonstrating a critical analysis of at least two theoretical models underpinning person-centred practice (e.g., Kitwood's person-centred care, the VIPS framework) and their application to own leadership context.
- Evidence must show how the learner has led the implementation of active participation by providing concrete examples of enabling individuals to set their own goals, take informed risks, and contribute to service design.
- Look for reflective accounts that evaluate the impact of person-centred leadership on team culture, using feedback from individuals and colleagues to evidence sustained improvements in care delivery.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Use the assignment or evidence portfolio to clearly map each piece of evidence to the specific learning outcome, ensuring you have covered theory, personal leadership practice, and the facilitation of active participation.
- 💡Include anonymised case studies from your setting that illustrate how you enabled an individual to exercise choice and control, highlighting your role in removing barriers.
- 💡For reflective pieces, adopt a critical tone: don't just describe what you did; analyse why you did it, what went well, what didn't, and how you would improve your leadership of person-centred practice.
- 💡Use real-world examples from your own practice to illustrate theoretical concepts. For instance, when discussing leadership styles, describe a situation where you adapted your approach to motivate a team during a challenging period. This shows application and reflection.
- 💡Link your answers to specific legislation, regulations, or frameworks (e.g., CQC Key Lines of Enquiry, Ofsted inspection criteria). This demonstrates your understanding of the regulatory context and how leadership drives compliance.
- 💡When answering questions about quality improvement, always mention how you involve service users and staff in the process. Evidence of co-production and feedback loops is highly valued by assessors.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Confusing person-centred practice with simply being kind or polite, rather than understanding it as a structured approach that challenges traditional power imbalances and promotes autonomy.
- Failing to link theoretical models to actual leadership actions, often providing superficial examples without demonstrating how theory informed changes in practice.
- Neglecting to address challenges or barriers to active participation, such as risk aversion among staff, and not explaining how these were overcome through leadership interventions.
- Misconception: Leadership is only about giving orders. Correction: Effective leadership involves active listening, empowering staff, and fostering a collaborative culture. Leaders should model values and support professional growth.
- Misconception: Safeguarding is solely the responsibility of designated officers. Correction: Every staff member has a duty to report concerns. Leaders must ensure all team members are trained and confident to act, and that policies are accessible and understood.
- Misconception: Person-centred care means doing whatever the individual wants. Correction: It involves balancing preferences with safety, legal requirements, and professional judgment. Leaders must guide staff in making informed, ethical decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for ICAN QUALIFICATIONS LIMITED Lead person centred practice
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •A Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care or Children and Young People's Services (e.g., Diploma in Adult Care or Early Years Educator) is typically required before starting this Level 5 diploma.
- •Practical experience in a supervisory or management role within a relevant setting is highly beneficial. This ensures you can relate theoretical concepts to real-life scenarios and have a foundation in operational processes.
- •Basic knowledge of safeguarding, equality and diversity, and person-centred approaches is assumed. If you are unsure, review these topics before beginning the leadership units.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Understand the theory and principles that underpin person centred practice, Be able to lead a person-centred practice, Be able to lead the implementation of active participation of individuals
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