You have no items in your shopping basket.
Key facts and statistics
- Over 1.5 million people work in adult social care in England.
- The Care Quality Commission (CQC) uses the Care Certificate as a benchmark for inspecting care services.
- According to Skills for Care, there is a direct correlation between staff training and the quality of care provided.
- The care certificate comprises 15 essential standards for providing compassionate, safe, and high-quality care.
Key definitions
- Care certificate - A set of standards that define the knowledge, skills, and behaviours expected of specific job roles in the health and social care sectors.
- Assessor - A trained individual responsible for evaluating care workers' competence against the Care Certificate standards.
Relevant legislation and regulations
Several key pieces of legislation and regulation govern the training and assessment of care workers:
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 - Requires care providers to ensure staff are suitably trained.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) Regulations - CQC assesses compliance with the Care Certificate during inspections.
- Skills for Care Core and Mandatory Training Framework - Provides guidance on the essential training for care workers, including the Care Certificate.
Training course overview
Understanding the care certificate
The care certificate training course covers the 15 standards that every care worker must meet. These include:
- Understand your role
- Your personal development
- Duty of care
- Equality and diversity
- Work in a person-centred way
- Communication
- Privacy and dignity
- Fluids and nutrition
- Awareness of mental health, dementia, and learning disabilities
- Safeguarding adults
- Safeguarding children
- Basic life support
- Health and safety
- Handling information
- Infection prevention and control.
Role of the assessor
Assessors play a crucial role in ensuring care workers are competent. Their responsibilities include:
- Observing and evaluating care workers’ performance.
- Providing constructive feedback and support.
- Ensuring all evidence meets the required standards.
- Recording and reporting on the progress and competence of care workers.
Best practices for assessors
- Continuous Professional Development (CPD) - Regular training to stay updated with best practices.
- Effective communication - Clear and constructive feedback.
- Accurate documentation - Keeping detailed records to demonstrate compliance.
Recommendations
- Invest in quality training - Ensure that assessors receive comprehensive training to evaluate care workers effectively.
- Utilise technology - Implement software solutions like ComplyPlus™ to manage and streamline compliance processes.
- Regular audits - Conduct regular assessments to ensure continuous improvement and adherence to standards.
- Support and development - Provide ongoing support and opportunities for professional development to assessors.
Conclusion
The role of a care certificate assessor is indispensable in maintaining the standards of care within the health and social care sectors. By ensuring that care workers are competent and compliant with the Care Certificate standards, assessors contribute significantly to the quality of care provided. Investing in high-quality training and utilising robust compliance management systems like ComplyPlus™ can help organisations meet regulatory requirements and improve service delivery.
Click here for more information on our care certificate assessor training courses and how ComplyPlus™ can support you to meet your compliance requirements.
About the author
Rose Mabiza
Rose has dedicated over 15 years to improving health and social care quality through practice, targeted education and training. Her extensive experience includes working with older adults, individuals with mental health conditions, and people with autism and learning disabilities.
