Adult Care Worker

Adult Care Workers are the frontline staff who help adults with care and support needs to achieve their personal goals and live as independently and safely as possible, enabling them to have control and choice in their lives.

Job titles might include: Care Assistant, Care Worker, Support Worker, Personal Assistant, Relief Team Worker, Support Worker - Supported Living, Key Worker in Residential Settings, Key Worker in Domiciliary Services, Key Worker in Day Services, Home Care Support Worker, Substance Misuse Worker, Learning Disability Support Worker, Mental Health Support Worker, Mental Health Outreach Worker and Re-enablement Worker.

To work in care is to make a positive difference to someone’s life when they are faced with physical, practical, social, emotional or intellectual challenges. Adult Care Workers need to have the right values and behaviours developing competences and skills to provide high quality compassionate care and support. They are the frontline staff who help adults with care and support needs to achieve their personal goals and live as independently and safely as possible, enabling them to have control and choice in their lives which is at the heart of person centred care. Job roles are varied and determined by and relevant to the type of the service being provided and the person supported. Adult Care Workers may work in residential or nursing homes, domiciliary care, day centres, a person’s own home or some clinical healthcare settings.

Personal assistants do the same job as an Adult Care Worker and work directly for one individual usually within their own home. Working with people, feeling passionate about supporting and enabling them to live a more independent and fulfilling life is a rewarding and worthwhile job that provides excellent career opportunities.

These are the personal attributes and behaviours expected of all Adult Care Workers carrying out their roles

• Care – is caring consistently and enough about individuals to make a positive difference to their lives
• Compassion – is delivering care and support with kindness, consideration, dignity and respect
• Courage – is doing the right thing for people and speaking up if the individual they support is at risk
• Communication – good communication is central to successful caring relationships and effective team working
• Competence – is applying knowledge and skills to provide high quality care and support
• Commitment – to improving the experience of people who need care and support ensuring it is person centred

Course Content

• What ‘Duty of Care’ is in Practice
• How to Contribute Towards a Care Plan
• Identify, Respond & Escalate Changes
• Support & Enable Individuals
• Dignity & How to Work with Others
• The Importance of Respecting Diversity
• Barriers to Communication
• Impact of Non-Verbal Communication
• Importance of Active Listening
• Different Forms of Communication
• What is Abuse & What to Do
• How to Stay Safe in Work
• End Point Assessment
• Review & Evaluate

Qualification

• Level 2 Diploma in Care

Requirements

Undertake the Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service process and provide the result prior to starting.

The individual must meet the 15 standards as set out in the Care Certificate. The Care Quality Commission expect that providers that employ healthcare assistants and social care support workers follow these standards to make sure new staff are supported, skilled and assessed as competent to carry out their roles.

Progression

This apprenticeship provides an ideal entry into the occupation and supports progression within the sector. 

Individuals without level 1 English and maths will need to achieve this level and take the test for level 2 English and maths prior to taking the end-point assessment.

For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement the apprenticeships English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3 and British Sign Language qualification are an alternative to English qualifications for whom this is their primary language.