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Care Certificate Standard 3: Duty of care

This standard covers the obligation to act in the best interests of the people you support, including how to respond to concerns, incidents, complaints and situations where there is tension between safety and choice.

What This Standard Covers

Understanding duty of care and the duty of candour.
Responding appropriately to concerns, comments, complaints and incidents.
Recognising and managing dilemmas, conflicts and difficult situations.

Why It Matters

Standard 3 helps staff balance compassion, professionalism and accountability. It reinforces the need to be open and honest, raise concerns promptly and work through challenges in a way that protects people and upholds trust.

Official Source

This page is a plain-English summary based on the March 2025 Skills for Care Care Certificate standards. For the full learning outcomes and assessment criteria, use the official PDF.

Read the official 2025 standard PDF