Morning Sheila

Once the induction has been completed and the manager feels the new member of staff is competent, can staff lone work whilst completing their care certificate?

Answered by Sheila Scott

Dear E,

Thank you for your question.

As you will know there are 15 separate standards to the completion of the Care Certificate. The Care Certificate is expected to take about six months to complete.

Once the internal induction programme has been completed the care worker can work alone provided the Registered Manager is satisfied that the care worker has the competence for the tasks required.

It should be relatively straightforward for the Manager to decide whether or not the care worker has the competence required to carry out the tasks that need to be undertaken and the Manager must record how the competence has been assessed.

There is a great deal of useful information on the Skills for Care website:

http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Learning-development/Care-Certificate/Care-Certificate.aspx

You will find this advice on their website specifically relating to home care workers.

“The workplace assessment parts of the Care Certificate are equally important to those working in the community and homecare as any other health and adult social care service. 

Regulated providers are expected to assess the competence of the new care worker before they start delivering care out of line of sight of a more experienced colleague.  Sufficient time should be planned to enable the assessor to undertake this important part of the induction process.”

I think it is important for us to remember that the Registered Manager must be satisfied that any new recruit, whether experienced or new to care, has the competencies to deliver the care required.

Best wishes,

Sheila