RCD5 – VTCT (Skillsfirst) Level 5 Diploma In Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) (RQF)
Qualification summary
This qualification forms part of the children’s homes regulations which will came into force in April 2015, and is the recommended qualification for those working in children’s homes from January 2015.
It replaced the Skillsfirst Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services (Children and Young People’s Residential Management Pathway 1) as the required qualification for those working in children’s homes from April 2015
This qualification provides the skills and knowledge needed to manage practice and lead others in residential childcare settings for children and young people. The qualification enables the learner to gain essential skills and knowledge for leading in a residential childcare setting, including:
- leading and managing a team
- leading and managing group living
- leading practice to support children and young people
- implementing policies and procedures
It also offers the learner the opportunity to cover optional topics which are particularly suited to specific residential childcare and respite care settings.
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Qualification structure
To achieve this qualification, learners must achieve a minimum of 65 credits.
All 57 credits must be achieved from Group M. Learners must complete a minimum of 3 units in order to achieve the remaining 8 credits required from Group O.
Minimum Guided Learning Hours (GLH) are 498
Total Qualification Time (TQT) is 650
| Qualification number | Qualification reference |
| RCD5 | 601/4841/X |
Group M – mandatory units
| RQF unit no. | Skillsfirst unit no. | Unit title | Unit Level | Credit Value |
| M/506/7650 | RCD23 | Understand children and young people’s development in residential childcare | 5 | 3 |
| A/506/7652 | RCD24 | Understand support for children and young people who are vulnerable and disadvantaged | 4 | 2 |
| L/506/7607 | RCD25 | Lead and manage a team within a residential childcare setting | 5 | 5 |
| A/506/7585 | RCD26 | Lead practice for communication and information management in residential childcare settings | 5 | 4 |
| J/506/7590 | RCD27 | Manage risk in residential childcare | 5 | 3 |
| L/506/7591 | RCD28 | Lead and manage group living in residential childcare | 5 | 4 |
| F/506/7619 | RCD29 | Lead practice to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people in residential childcare | 5 | 5 |
| T/506/7620 | RCD30 | Lead practice to support the well-being and resilience of children and young people in residential childcare | 5 | 3 |
| T/506/7584 | RCD31 | Lead practice to promote the rights, diversity and equality of children and young people in residential childcare | 5 | 3 |
| R/506/7608 | RCD32 | Lead networks and multi-agency work to benefit children and young people in residential childcare | 5 | 4 |
| H/506/7791 | RCD33 | Undertake professional development in residential childcare settings | 4 | 2 |
| M/506/8362 | RCD34 | Lead practice to support the safeguarding and protection of children and young people in residential childcare | 5 | 8 |
| F/506/8365 | RCD35 | Lead a service that can support children or young people who have experienced harm or abuse | 5 | 3 |
| R/506/8192 | RCD36 | Implement a Positive Relationship Policy in residential childcare | 5 | 6 |
| L/506/8367 | RCD37 | Lead practice in safe use of digital, internet and mobile technology with children and young people | 4 | 2 |
Group O – optional units
| RQF unit no. | Skillsfirst unit no. | Unit title | Unit Level | Credit Value |
| J/602/3499 | LHS29 | Undertake a research project within services for health and social care or children and young people | 5 | 10 |
| H/506/7595 | RCD17 | Understand the care system and its impact on children and young people | 4 | 3 |
| J/506/7606 | RCD18 | Understand the youth justice system as it relates to residential childcare | 4 | 3 |
| Y/506/7609 | RCD38 | Lead a residential childcare service that can engage with the youth justice system | 5 | 5 |
| A/506/7568 | RCD39 | Principles for leading the transition of young people with complex disabilities or conditions to adult services | 4 | 3 |
| Y/506/8114 | RCD40 | Lead practice to support young people leaving care | 5 | 4 |
| J/506/8318 | RCD41 | Understand the context of residential childcare for children and young people with complex disabilities or conditions | 4 | 3 |
| R/506/8158 | RCD42 | Support others to understand models of disability and their effects on working practice with children and young people | 4 | 2 |
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