The Care Certificate – Nine Months On

The Care Certificate became mandatory on 1 April 2015. Its purpose is to ensure that all care professionals have achieved a certain level of training right from the start of their employment. Working towards the certificate can be carried out mainly on- the-job, within the first 12 weeks of employment, and a requirement of the certificate is that all training undertaken is accurately documented and that the provider can monitor and make sure that all employees that are required to take the certificate are indeed on track to do so.

The Care Certificate has a wider significance than simply ensuring that carers have the right skills at the onset of their careers. It represents a long term investment in staff and commitment to developing their skills to ensure that the quality of care they deliver is not only of the highest level but that it is maintained as such on an ongoing basis.

While ensuring compliance and guarding the safety of those in their care, the Care Certificate also facilitates an opportunity for staff to forge a more defined career path, potentially encouraging them to further develop their skills. Carers so often go above and beyond the call of duty, part of the role of the Care Certificate training is to develop their capabilities and talents further in order to demonstrate their value to the organisation they work for.

The Care Certificate has not just been good news for employees. Employers, who have embraced the changes, when it comes to inspections for example, are seen as exemplary in their care provision and can be given opportunity to further develop their business. It is also more likely that if career opportunities are nurtured from within the organisation that employers will keep their highly trained staff for longer – and that other, high quality candidates, will want to work for their organisation too.

The positive impact of the Care Certificate is set to permeate throughout care organisations. Focusing on a more people-centered approach and allowing care users more control over their own care provision will give organisations a better standing to be the care provider of choice.

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