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Hub
Care Skills
Care Certificate Hub
Welcome to the Care Certificate Hub.
Topic outline
About the Care Certificate Hub
The Care Certificate is an agreed set of standards that define the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of workers in care giving health and social care roles. It is made up of 15 Standards that will be covered as part of a structured learning and induction programme.
Care Workers need to demonstrate they have the required knowledge, skills and behaviours that meet the Standards, which can be achieved in a number of ways. However, as a minimum it will include one or more observations of the Care Worker working with Service Users.
The Care Certificate was introduced in April 2015 and applies to all new Care Workers. Those that were already working in the care sector did not have to complete the Certificate whilst working in the same job role with the same employer unless it is felt it would benefit completing it.
New Care Workers, and those without one in a new role, will complete the Care Certificate. However, those that have previously worked in the Health and Social Care Sector, or have an Apprenticeship or Diploma in Health and / or Social Care, may be able to have a flexible approach to the completion of the Care Certificate applied. The flexible assessment approach will consider the Care Worker's previous experience and / or qualifications.
The requirement to complete the Care Certificate still applies during the COVID-19 Pandemic, as advised by Skills for Care and the CQC.
Skills for Care provide a number of resources to help Care Workers develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours and support the completion of the Care Certificate. The Social Care Academy offer a range of learning resources and eLearning that helps Care Workers develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours. These have been developed to meet the requirements of the Care Certificate along with meeting statutory and mandatory learning / training requirements.
Care Workers can access the learning resources and eLearning on the Induction Hub for New Care Workers by clicking here. These learning resources and learning are available for those working for the Council and the Independent Adult Social Care Sector.
New Care Workers need to demonstrate that they have the required levels of knowledge, skills and behaviours required by the Standards. Joint learning and evidence collection Workbooks are available from Skills for Care. However, the Social Care Academy is able to provide learning resources and eLearning in the Induction Hub for new Care Workers, which supports the Worker developing their knowledge, skills and behaviours. In addition, we have introduced the Care Certificate - Question Workbooks for each Standard. This enables Care Workers to complete the learning and then use the Workbook to demonstrate they meet the Standard.
Those that have previously worked in the Health and / or Social Care Sector, or have an Apprenticeship or Diploma in Health and / or Social Care, may be able to use a flexibly approach to completing the Care Certificate. The Care Worker's Assessor, the person that will help them work through the Care Certificate, will advise if a flexible assessment approach can be applied.
The Care Certificate will be assessed by an Assessor. This is a nominated person within the organisation that has experience and competence of working in the Adult Social Care Sector.
- Within the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, this will be carried out by a colleague from the Social Care Academy.
- In the Independent Care Sector this may be a Trainer, Champion or Manager appointed by the provider.
The Assessor will support the Care Worker and provide advice, guidance and direction on addition learning if this is needed. The Assessor will also advise if the Care Worker is able to complete a flexible approach to completing the Care Certificate.
Care Workers:
- Will be asked to complete an initial Care Certificate Self-Assessment, which will help the Assessor and the Care Work plan the completion of the Care Certificate.
- Will complete the Care Certificate Question Workbooks for each Standard, unless advised otherwise by their Assessor if a flexible approach can be used.
- May be asked additional questions by their Assessor to check or clarify their knowledge and skills. This may be done through a written question, but in most cases will be through a short discussion.
- Will be observed at least once working with Service Users, but more observation may be completed. The observation may be completed by the Assessor, Trainer, Champion or Manager.
The Assessor will consider all evidence gathered to decide if the Care Worker meets the Standards.
Care Workers must always work under supervision of an appropriate person until they have achieved their Care Certificate.
Step 1 - Self-Assessment (and Referral for Council Care Workers)
The Care Certificate Self-Assessment is a useful Tool to help the Care Work review the expectations within the Standard and rate their current ability. This will help the Assessor identify the best way to complete the Care Certificate.
Care Workers working for the East Riding of Yorkshire Council will be assigned an Assessor from the Social Care Academy. The Care Worker's Supervisor or Manager need to complete an email the Care Certificate Referral form below and the Care Certificate Self-Assessment Tool to ascleader@eastriding.gov.uk. This should be completed for all new Care Workers, even if they already hold a Care Certificate from another organisation.
Step 2 - Self-Assessment Review
The Assessor will review the Care Certificate Self-Assessment Tool and consider any other information, such as; Previous completion of a Care Certificate, Holding a Diploma in Health and / or Social Care, Holding an Apprenticeship in health and / or Social Care.
Step 3 - The Approach to Completing the Care Certificate
The Care Worker and Assessor will agree the approach to completing the Care Certificate. This will include all or some of the learning in the Induction Hub for new Care Workers and all or some of the Care Certificate Question Workbooks.
Step 4 - Assessment
The Assessor will work with the Care Worker and carry assess if they meet the requirements set out in each Standard.
Step 5 - Achievement
Once all Standards are met, the Care Worker will be issued with a Care Certificate Completion Certificate. This confirms that they have achieved the required Standards.
The Care Worker's employer should take a copy of the Certificate for their records and give them the Certificate. The Certificate belongs to the Care Workers and demonstrates their achievement.