The Care Certificate

The Care Certificate is a key part of the induction an employer has to provide.

It is expected that it will be completed and assessed before new health or social care workers are allowed to work without direct supervision.

It sets out specific values, abilities and behaviour that ensure that the new health or social care worker is able to provide good quality care with compassion.

What is in the Care Certificate?

The Care Certificate comprises 15 different standards, ranging from your own role and development to values like equality, diversity and dignity, to health and safety and infection prevention.

You need to be overseen for each of the standards until your assessor is confident that you are meeting them all and can work without direct supervision.

What do the workbooks, e-Learning and activities cover?

The Care Certificate workbooks and activities cover the knowledge content, though your employer may choose to provide more detailed information about each part.

Whether you are using these training materials, or others your employer has arranged, it is important that you are given the time to learn during your induction.

Your employer will want to regularly check progress, review your learning and feedback.

What is the objective of the Care Certificate?

The combination of the knowledge content, practical training and workplace assessment should enable you to develop the essential skills to undertake your role.

Some workers undertaking the Care Certificate will require more support than others. Your manager should be able to identify this as part of supervision, but always let them know if you need more support

First steps

As a first step, you will agree with your employer how you are going to complete the Care Certificate, including how long it (and any other induction training) will take. Then, as you continue to work in health and social care, it will be important that you develop your skills and abilities. This may involve further training, specialist courses and qualifications.

Your employer will know what they expect from you and will help you set targets and find the learning you need, and so will create your Personal Development Plan (PDP) with you.

The majority of PDPs cover a 12-month period, and should therefore be updated and renewed each year.

The most important person involved in your PDP is you; however, your manager, other workers and the people you provide care and support for will all play a part.

What questions would you ask yourself in order to help you agree your PDP?

What are your thoughts? What do you think your PDP will look like?

Select the pencil to see what is expected.

In order to agree your PDP you need to ask yourself questions such as:

What do I want to achieve?
What are the standards, skills and knowledge needed by my current role and do I have any gaps?
What are the learning and development opportunities in my current role?
What are my ambitions and goals?
Am I making the right choices to get me there?

Supervision and appraisal

When you are carrying out your work activities regular supervision sessions and appraisals by a more senior member of staff are important so concerns can be addressed, progress checked and additional support arranged.

Select each image for more information.

Appraisal

An appraisal is a one-to-one meeting, usually once a year, between you and your manager which reviews how well you are working and making progress.

At this meeting your manager will support you to plan your next steps and update your PDP.

Supervision sessions

Supervision sessions are pre-arranged meetings between you and your manager, supervisor or team in order to discuss and record your performance and development.

Whether your work is in one location or within the community, your employer should ensure that you have regular supervision opportunities to talk through any part of your work, your role or about the individuals you provide care and support for.

Agreeing Your objectives

Your objectives are the things that you want to achieve. Objectives are easiest to agree if you keep them ‘SMART’, which stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based.

Once you have set clear SMART objectives, it is time to break them down into manageable action points and record this information in your PDP.

You should follow the steps illustrated below.

Step 1

Agree objectives

For example:

Be able to write and review care plans with the individuals who receive care and support in my workplace

Step 2

Plan activities and timescales to meet the objectives

Plan activities e.g.:

Read the instructions and look at the process for care planning in my workplace
Discuss these and ask questions of an identified more experienced worker
Work with my manager to choose three people with care plans and get their permission to discuss those care plans with them
Arrange with my manager how and when I am going to report back and discuss any questions or learning points

Plan the timescale e.g.:

One of the four activities listed will be achieved each week, so this will take four weeks (say which four weeks this will be)

Step 3

Action

I do the agreed activities within the planned timescale.

Step 4

Outcome

For example:

Discuss with my manager the three care plans examined and the comments of the people who are supported by them
Possibly update those plans (with my manager), and review what I have learned from the process

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse