The job of a home carer is to provide care at home to an individual or a couple, depending on their needs. They support independent living, helping with daily house-keeping tasks, meal preparation or running errands.
The duties of a carer include:
- personal care
- mobility support
- completing household duties
- collecting shopping and preparing meals
- general companionship
A carer will always put the person they are caring for first. Rather than just taking over and doing everything for them, it’s about enabling independence and assisting someone – especially if they are able to do things themselves.
Choice Care provides comprehensive training for new carers to achieve their Care Certificate, equipping them with the skills and confidence to excel in the role.
The Care Certificate is an agreed set of 15 standards that define the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected of specific job roles in the health and social care sectors.
The standards:
- Understand your role You must know what is and isn’t expected of you as well as the codes of conduct relating to the role
- Your personal development To excel in their career, carers must continue to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding.
- Duty of care You have a duty of care to all those receiving care and support in your workplace. This means promoting wellbeing and making sure that people are kept safe.
- Equality and diversity You must understand the importance of equality and inclusion, and will be taught how to work inclusively.
- Work in a person-centred way Home carers work in a partnership with the individual to plan for their care and support. This promotes their independence and helps maintain their self-esteem, which is fundamental to a person’s emotional well-being.
- Communication Effective communication is of vital importance whilst at work. Home carers must understand how to meet the communication needs and preferences of the individuals they care for to be of maximum service and excel in the role.
- Privacy and dignity Two important values when providing home care are: Privacy – giving someone space as and when they need it. Dignity – focusing on the value of the individual.
- Fluids and nutrition It’s important that people have a diet that is safe to eat and has all the nutrients they need. Therefore, food safety is essential when preparing and handling food.
- Awareness of mental health, dementia and learning disabilities While you may not be working directly with people with mental ill-health, dementia or learning disabilities all the time, it’s important to be aware of these conditions. This is to help you notice any signs and symptoms of conditions developing and to respond with compassion when you experience challenging behaviour.
- Safeguarding adults Safeguarding is about preventing and stopping both the risks and the actual experience of abuse or neglect.
- Safeguarding children When you come into contact with children in any way in your day-to-day work, it’s your duty to ensure their well-being is safeguarded.
- Basic life support You’ll be provided with practical training in order to competently carry out basic life support.
- Health and safety To protect people at work you must understand legislation regarding health and safety in health and social care.
- Handling information Confidentiality is a very important right of individuals who receive care and support. It is part of the relationship of trust that individuals have with their carer.
- Infection prevention and control By understanding and following agreed ways of working we can help to prevent and control the spread of infection.
Choice Care also supports carers in developing their careers through further qualifications. This includes diplomas in:
- care
- adult care
- leadership management.
If you’re interested in a career as a carer or would like more information about care jobs in Blackburn, please contact us on 01254 504905.