Care services
Adult care worker
Providing frontline care for vulnerable adults.
Summary
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.
Typical job titles include
- Adult Care Worker | adult carer | care assistant | care worker | carer | Personal Assistant
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
The tasks and responsibilities of the job role relevant to the context of the service in which they are working. This could include supporting with social activities, monitoring health, assisting with eating, mobility and personal care
K2:
Professional boundaries and limits of their training and expertise
K3:
Relevant statutory standards and codes of practice for their role
K4:
What the ‘duty of care’ is in practice
K5:
How to contribute towards the development and creation of a care plan underpinned by the individuals preferences in regard to the way they want to be supported
K6:
How to identify, respond to and escalate changes to physical, social, and emotional needs of individuals
K7:
How to access, follow and be compliant with regulations and organisational policies and procedures
K8:
How to support and enable individuals to achieve their personal aims and goals
K9:
What dignity means in how to work with individuals and others
K10:
The importance of respecting diversity and treating everyone equally
K11:
The barriers to communication
K12:
The impact of non-verbal communication
K13:
The importance of active listening
K14:
How the way they communicate can affect others
K15:
About different forms of communication e.g. signing, communication boards
K16:
How to find out the best way to communicate with the individual they are supporting
K17:
How to make sure confidential information is kept safe
K18:
What abuse is and what to do when they have concerns someone is being abused
K19:
The national and local strategies for safeguarding and protection from abuse
K20:
What to do when receiving comments and complaints
K21:
How to recognise unsafe practices in the workplace
K22:
The importance and process of whistleblowing
K23:
How to address any dilemmas they may face between a person’s rights and their safety
K24:
The health and safety responsibilities of self, employer and workers
K25:
How to keep safe in the work environment
K26:
What to do when there is an accident or sudden illness
K27:
What to do with hazardous substances
K28:
How to promote fire safety
K29:
How to reduce the spread of infection
K30:
What a risk assessment is and how it can be used to promote person-centred care safely
K31:
What a professional relationship is with the person being supported and colleagues
K32:
How to work together with other people and organisations in the interest of the person being supported
K33:
How to be actively involved in their personal development plan
K34:
The importance of excellent core skills in writing, numbers and information technology
K35:
What to do to develop, sustain and exhibit a positive attitude and personal resilience
K36:
Where and how to access specialist knowledge when needed to support performance of the job role
Technical Educational Products
- ST0005: Adult care worker (Level 2) Approved for delivery
Technical education progression
- Reference:
- OCC0005
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £23,398 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6135 Care workers and home carers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6135/03 Residential care workers
- 6135/02 Home care workers
S1:
Support individuals they are working with according to their personal care/support plan
S2:
Ask for help from an appropriate person when not confident or skilled in any aspect of their role
S3:
Provide individuals with information to enable them to have a choice about the way they are supported
S4:
Encourage individuals to participate in the way their care and support is delivered
S5:
Ensure the individual knows what they are agreeing to regarding the way in which they are supported
S6:
Contribute to the on-going development of care/support plans for the individual they support
S7:
Support individuals with cognitive, physical or sensory impairments
S8:
Ensure dignity is at the centre of all work with the individuals they support, their families, carers and advocates
S9:
Demonstrate all work is person centred, accommodating the individual’s needs, wishes and preferences
S10:
Demonstrate empathy (understanding and compassion) for individuals they support
S11:
Demonstrate courage in supporting people in ways that may challenge their personal/cultural beliefs
S12:
Speak clearly and exhibit positive non-verbal communication to individuals, families, carers and advocates
S13:
Use the preferred methods of communication of the individual they support according to their language, culture, sensory needs and their wishes
S14:
Identify and take steps to reduce environmental barriers to communication
S15:
Demonstrate they can check for understanding
S16:
Write clearly and concisely in records and reports
S17:
Keep information safe and confidential according to agreed ways of working
S18:
Recognise potential signs of different forms of abuse
S19:
Respond to concerns of abuse according to agreed ways of working
S20:
Recognise, report and challenge unsafe practices
S21:
Promote the health and wellbeing of the individual they support
S22:
Move people and objects safely
S23:
Demonstrate how to reduce the spread of infection, including use of best practice in hand hygiene
S24:
Demonstrate the promotion of healthy eating and wellbeing by ensuring individuals have access to fluids, food and nutrition
S25:
Demonstrate how to keep people, buildings and themselves safe and secure
S26:
Carry out fire safety procedures when required
S27:
Use risk assessments to support individuals safely
S28:
Recognise symptoms of cognitive impairment, e.g. Dementia, learning disabilities and mental health
S29:
Monitor and report changes in health and wellbeing for individuals they support
S30:
Reflect on your own work practices
S31:
Demonstrate the development of their own skills and knowledge, including core skills in writing, numbers and information technology
S32:
Demonstrate their contribution to their development plan
S33:
Demonstrate ability to work in partnership with others to support the individual
S34:
Identify sources of support when conflicts arise with other people or organisations
S35:
Demonstrate they can work within safe, clear professional boundaries
S36:
Show they can access and apply additional skills required to perform the specific job role competently
Technical Educational Products
- ST0005: Adult care worker (Level 2) Approved for delivery Technical education progression
- Reference:
- OCC0005
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £23,398 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6135 Care workers and home carers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6135/03 Residential care workers
- 6135/02 Home care workers
B1:
Care – is caring consistently and enough about individuals to make a positive difference to their lives
B2:
Compassion – is delivering care and support with kindness, consideration, dignity and respect
B3:
Courage – is doing the right thing for people and speaking up if the individual they support is at risk
B4:
Communication – good communication is central to successful caring relationships and effective team working
B5:
Competence – is applying knowledge and skills to provide high quality care and support
B6:
Commitment – to improving the experience of people who need care and support ensuring it is person centred
Technical Educational Products
- ST0005: Adult care worker (Level 2) Approved for delivery Technical education progression
- Reference:
- OCC0005
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £23,398 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6135 Care workers and home carers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6135/03 Residential care workers
- 6135/02 Home care workers
