Our Care Workers
All of our care workers are carefully selected and trained to provide quality home care and live in care. Every care worker is properly vetted and insured to work in clients’ homes.
Our care assurance
All care workers undergo comprehensive induction training resulting in the award of a Care Quality Commission (CQC) recognised ‘Achievement of Care’ certificate.
This ensures that the person looking after you (or your loved one) has the required values, behaviour, competence and skills to provide high quality, compassionate care.
Giving you peace of mind
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At Carers at Home we recognise the considerable responsibility of carers working in clients homes, usually in unsupervised settings and often alone.
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It is therefore paramount to us that the carers we recruit are suitable and competent to undertake the tasks required of them.
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The well-being and security of clients is protected by our policies and procedures on recruitment and selection of staff. You can find out more about these below.
Structured staff training
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Carers at Home has a structured Induction process which is completed by all new care staff prior to them taking responsibility for the provision of personal care service, and working alone in the homes of our clients.
Our 4 days Induction training programme before the start of employment combines classroom learning followed by ‘shadowing’ the manager or experienced colleagues. This leads to the achievement of the Care Certificate when the care worker has demonstrated the skills required.
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 was developed jointly by Skills for Care, Health Education England and Skills for Health.)
Carer induction programme
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Our comprehensive internal induction programme is delivered at our in-house training facility by qualified trainers and exceeds care certificate standards.
Our comprehensive induction programme includes the following modules:-
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Personal care and supporting client wellbeing
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Core values; e.g. privacy, independence, dignity and respect
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Code of Conduct and Duty of Care responsibilities
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Organisational policies and working procedures
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Health and Safety training including moving and handling and infection control
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Health conditions monitoring; Fluids, Nutrition and Food Safety.
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Prevention of any forms of abuse and ‘whistle-blowing’ procedure.
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Anti-discriminatory practice including cultural awareness
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Responsibilities: confidentiality, gifts and bequests
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Basic Life Support and First Aid measures
Qualifications
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To ensure that we provide a high quality workforce, the standards for our managers and staff are based on the National Occupational Standards for the Care Industry set by the National Training Organisation.
Our Induction programme leads to the Care Certificate which was developed jointly by Skills for Care, Health Education England and Skills for Health.
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Achievement of the Certificate through Induction training ensures that care workers have the required values, behaviour, competence and skills to provide high quality, compassionate care.
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We are fully committed to staff training and development. In order that standards of care are achieved and maintained, staff have to complete an Induction course and have to attend regular formal training sessions.
Development and Training
Staff undergo regular supervision and annual appraisals. They are fully trained on; moving and handling, health and safety, prevention of adult abuse, food hygiene and first aid.
Managers or supervisors providing specialist care services have the knowledge and understanding of those specific services for which they are responsible. We monitor the requirements for staff training and qualifications.
Staff undergo annual appraisals which identify any required refresher training or development needs. This is then incorporated into the staff training and development programme.
Specialist Care Services
Carers at Home ensures that the necessary arrangements are made for specialist advice, training and information to be available when working with people:
- from ethnic minority communities and/or religious groups
- with speific health needs
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with sensory loss with dual sensory impairment
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with terminal illness
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who have had a stroke
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with dementia and mental health problems
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with challenging behaviour
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with infectious disease
Background checks
Before selection and confirmation of the post, the manager carries out the following procedures and checks:
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1. Two references are obtained from current or previous employers.
2. References from friends or relatives are not acceptable.
3. A full employment history is required and any gaps are explored.
4. Verbal contact is made with one of the referees where possible.
5. Verification of identity is required, i.e. passport or birth certificate.
6. An enhanced Data & Barring Service check.
7. Sex offenders register is checked.
8.SOVA check (Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adult).
9. Work permit (if appropriate).
10. Driving licence and insurance (where appropriate).
11. Certificates of training and qualifications.