What training do I need to become a carer?

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Have you ever wondered what training you need to become a carer? You’re not alone. Caregiving is a rewarding but demanding profession, and having the right care training is essential to excel.

Whether you’re considering a career change or looking to start a career in care, understanding the training requirements is the first step.

This guide will explore the essential carer training and qualifications you need to become a proficient and compassionate carer.

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Summary Note

Important Things to Know About Training as a Carer in the UK

📌1. Must-Have Training:

• Care Certificate (15 basic standards you need to learn)
• Moving and handling people safely
• Basic first aid
• Food hygiene
• Health and safety
• Fire safety
• Infection control
• Safeguarding adults

📌2. Getting Started:

• No formal qualifications needed to begin
• Many places train you while you work
• Can start as a care assistant
• Need to pass a background check (DBS)
• Must be willing to learn new skills

📌3. Qualifications You Can Get:

• Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care
• Level 3 Diploma for more senior roles
• Other certificates for special skills
• Can work towards nursing qualifications

📌4. Skills You’ll Learn:

• How to help people wash and dress
• Giving medicine safely
• Writing care notes
• Supporting people to eat and drink
• Helping people move around
• Keeping people safe
• Working with families

🟢 Important Things to Remember:

• Training never really stops
• Laws and rules change often
• Need refresher courses every year
• Can specialise in different areas (like dementia care)
• Must keep records of all training

🕰️Working Hours:

• Usually includes nights and weekends
• Might need to do sleep-in shifts
• Can be full-time or part-time
• Need to be flexible

💷 Pay and Costs:

• Many places pay for your training
• Starting pay usually near minimum wage
• Can earn more with qualifications
• Some places ask you to pay for DBS check

📌 Remember:

• Be patient – learning takes time
• Ask lots of questions
• Keep all your certificates
• Take notes during training
• Practice what you learn

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Check bonus points: How to apply to a UK Care homes that has sponsorship

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Who is a carer and what do they do?

A carer is someone who provides unpaid or paid care and support to a family member, partner, friend, or child who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, or needs extra help as they grow older.

A carer’s role can involve:

• Providing personal and medical care – such as dressing, bathing, feeding, giving medication, changing bandages, etc. This often includes emotional care and reassurance too.
• Helping with day-to-day tasks – such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, paying bills, etc.
• Helping the person get around, communicate, engage in hobbies, and stay mentally and physically active. This may involve adapting activities or coordinating accessibility needs.
• Monitoring health needs – keeping track of symptoms, coordinating medical appointments and care services, administering treatments.
• Providing transport and helping run errands.
• Managing household affairs – finances, legal matters, housing issues.

The level of care provided depends on the individual’s needs. It can range from a few hours per week to intensive round-the-clock care.

But in all cases, a carer takes on important responsibilities that help maintain health, safety and quality of life. Their compassionate support is invaluable but often unseen.

Common Job Titles for Paid Carers in the UK

Some common names used for paid carer roles in the UK include:

• Care Assistant / Support Worker
• Caregiver
• Home Care Assistant
• Personal Assistant
• Community Support Worker
• Support Care Assistant
• Healthcare Assistant (HCA)
• Nursing Auxiliary
• Care Practitioner
• Home Help
• Domiciliary Care Worker
• Care Provider
• Enabler
• Outreach Worker

The terms can vary a bit depending on whether the carer works for the government/NHS, private agencies, or directly for the person needing care.

But in general, names like Care Assistant, Support Worker, Home Care Assistant refer to paid staff who provide personal/medical assistance to clients living independently or in residential facilities.

The core responsibilities of these roles are quite similar – providing hands-on care based on an individual’s needs.

But different labels are used frequently in job listings and by organisations. So you trying to become a carer or becoming a support worker, put this in mind.

Knowing other names for carer roles can be helpful when searching or applying for these vital NHS support positions.

What training do I need to be a carer?

With so many vulnerable people in society, from young children to disabled adults, carers play such an important role in many families around the UK.

Although being a carer is a lot of hard work and dedication it is immensely rewarding.

So, if you’re looking to become a carer, whether you’re leaving school or looking for a change, you’ll need training and hopefully, the article will help you make the right decisions before you set off on your exciting new journey.

Is a career in caring right for me?

With many different sectors within social care to choose from and the prospect of helping people of all ages and abilities, caring can sound very appealing.

However, the truth is that caring is not for everyone and before even considering training you need to ask yourself if caring is the right job for you.

If you’re not sure, the best option is to try voluntary work. There are plenty of websites to help you with this, such as the NCVO and Do-It websites.

Your local library could be worth visiting too. Aside from that, it gives you plenty of experience and a taste of what it’s like. Of course, you’ll have to be CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checked first.

Training Opportunities for Social Care Work

Perhaps you’re absolutely certain that a career in caring is for you. Let’s take a look at the training you’ll need to become a carer.

Having a working knowledge of the social welfare system is key but many social care jobs don’t require you to have a formal qualification in this subject.

Reading up on the topic is a good idea but in most cases, you’ll pick it up on the job.

Jobs will often give you the opportunity to undergo courses whilst you work allowing you to attend college or university on day release.

There are part-time foundation and induction courses available as well as none-exam-based National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) that cover subjects like Care and Management or Health and Social Care. Degrees are available for high-level qualifications too.

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Group Training – 3 Days CARE CERTIFICATE COURSE – Book Now

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Skills needed to become a carer

Aside from having training for the carer role, it is important you also develop your soft skills:

• Caring – Wanting the best for people
• Communication – Clear speaking and listening
• Patience – Staying calm and unrushed
• Organisation – Keeping good records
• Fitness – Ability to safely move people
• Attentiveness – Noticing subtle health changes
• Calm – Able to properly act in crises
• Responsibility – Ensuring care excellence
• Flexibility – Tailoring care individually
• Enthusiasm – Dedication to keep learning
• Integrity – Always doing right thing ethically
• Teamwork – Cooperating closely with colleagues
• Problem Solving – Working out solutions
• Respect – Honouring dignity in all actions

The best carers balance being kind with strength, focus and responsibility. This makes them truly needed and important part of health, safety and wellbeing for those relying on at home care.

The Care Certificate

Whilst formal qualifications are not essential, one thing that you are required to undertake is the Care Certificate. This is a set of standards that you must adhere to if you are to be a social care worker.

These requirements are set out by Skills for Care and Health Education England.

We offer an online Care Certificate training course which covers all 15 standards of the care certificate.

Here is a list of only the standards covered in the Care Certificate:

1. Understand your role
2. Your personal development
3. Duty of care
4. Equality and diversity
5. Work in a person-centered way
6. Communication
7. Privacy and dignity
8. Fluids and nutrition
9. Awareness of mental health, dementia, and learning disabilities
10. Safeguarding adults
11. Safeguarding children
12. Basic life support
13. Health and safety
14. Handling information
15. Infection prevention and control.

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Click to Buy – The Care Certificate – Full Package

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Certification

As mentioned before, formal qualifications are not essential in becoming a carer, however, they do help with job prospects and future progression.

They also help you to carry out your role more efficiently and provide higher quality care. Here at Caring for Care, we offer a wide range of care courses that help you meet CQC standards.

These include:

• Anaemia Awareness
• Autism Awareness Course
• Basic Life Support Course
• Breakaway Training
• Catheter Care Training
• Dementia Awareness
• Diabetes Awareness
• Dignity In Care
• Effective Communication
• Effective Record Keeping Training
• Epilepsy Awareness
• Epilepsy Medication Training
• Equality & Diversity Awareness
• Fire Safety Awareness Training
• Infection Control Level 1
• Learning Disability Awareness
• Managing Challenging Behaviour Training
• Nutrition & Hydration Awareness
• Pressure Sore Prevention Training
• Risk Assessment Course
• Safeguarding At-Risk Adults
• Safeguarding At-Risk Children
• Safer Handling of Medication
• Safer People Moving & Handling 1 Day
• Safer People Moving & Handling 2 Day
• Safer People Moving & Handling Refresher
• Stroke Awareness

The best place to start if you want to move into a career in health and social care would be to complete The Care Certificate e-learning course.

This will give you a solid foundation of knowledge to begin a new carer.

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Click to Buy – The Care Certificate – Full Package

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Alternatively, we offer a huge range of courses for individuals to help you get started, both face to face and E-learning.

Why not check them out.

For Face to Face courses, held at our head office in Stoke on Trent – visit our public course section

For e-Learning courses, you can complete anywhere – visit our online course page

You can check out our post on the importance of e-learning in developing careers in Health and social care.

Carer Career Progression

So now you know what you need in terms of training, what are your prospects like? When you start out as a junior care worker, you’re likely to be on a salary of up £19,000.

Although the national average salary in 2024 based on 23 salaries is £22,638 in United Kingdom according to Glassdor.

UK Talent puts the salary at £24,375 per year and £35,544 per year for the most experienced. This was based on 10,000 job posted.

This can progress to £21,000 and even £25,000 if you progress to a specialist support worker.

Good luck in whatever area you choose and if you require more help then please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01782 563333 for a friendly chat.

Additionally, familiarise yourself with the seven (7) essential aspects to be aware of regarding the Care Certificate.

How to get a sponsored Carer job in the UK

FAQs on Post

References

A Career Change – http://www.acareerchange.co.uk/changing-career-becoming-carer.html

NVCO – https://www.ncvo.org.uk/ncvo-volunteering

National Careers Service – Careers advice – job profiles, information and resources | National Careers Service

Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/carer-salary-SRCH_KO0,5.htm

UK Talent: https://uk.talent.com/salary?job=carer