Hi Sheila, I have worked in care for twenty seven years. Now my employer is making me do the Care Certificate. What is the point of completing this and what is the importance?
Dear J,
Thank you for your question.
The Care Certificate is intended to be delivered at the beginning of a first job in care.
This is what Skills for Care says on their website.
The Care Certificate is an agreed set of standards that sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of specific job roles in the health and social care sectors. It’s made up of the 15 minimum standards that should be covered if you are ‘new to care’ and should form part of a robust induction programme.
The Care Certificate:
- Is the beginning of the career journey for those new to care
- Is a foundation for health and adult social care integration
- Ensure those new to the sector are supported
- Is endorsed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- Is a CQC expectation – all employers should now be offering it.
Although the Care Certificate is designed for new staff, it also offers opportunities for existing staff to refresh or improve their knowledge and skills.
Having said that we should all be open to refreshing our knowledge. The Care Certificate is about 15 standards and I think it might well be advantageous to look at the 15 standards listed below to make sure that we have expertise in each one of them and to be sure that we are up to. date with the latest practice.
The standards:
1. Understand your role
2. Your personal development
3. Duty of care
4. Equality and diversity
5. Work in a person centred way
6. Communication
7. Privacy and dignity
8. Fluids and nutrition
9. Awareness of mental health, dementia and learning disabilities
10. Safeguarding adults
11. Safeguarding children
12. Basic life support
13. Health and safety
14. Handling information
15. Infection prevention and control
It is important to note though that employers will need to satisfy themselves that you have the competencies identified in the care certificate.
That shouldn’t be difficult as you have 27 years’ experience.
I hope this is helpful.
Sheila