Care services
Adult care worker
Adult Care Workers are the frontline staff who help adults with care and support needs to live as independently and safely as possible.
Summary
This occupation is found in residential, nursing homes, domiciliary care, day centres, clinical settings, personal assistance or a person’s own home.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to enhance the well-being, independence, and dignity of individuals requiring care and support. Adult care workers play a crucial role in helping people overcome challenges and lead fulfilling lives. Their duties vary based on the services provided and the specific needs of each individual. These duties can include practical support, such as meal preparation and personal care, as well as emotional and social support. The aim is to help individuals achieve their personal goals and live as independently and safely as possible, ensuring they have control and choice in their lives, which is central to person-centered care.
Adult care workers often work shift systems. Depending on the size of the organisation, they may be required to work on their own, or they may work as part of a wider team. The 24 hour nature of the sector, often demands overnight and flexible working patterns.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with a range of colleagues including multi disciplinary teams, families, clinical practitioners, social workers, regulators, advocates and other professionals they usually report to a supervisor or shift team leader. They will be able to work with minimum supervision.
An employee in this role is responsible for adhering to company procedures, processes, and priorities. They support adults with personal care, promote independence, monitor health, prepare meals, assist with mobility, provide emotional support, and encourage social engagement. They also implement person-centered approaches and maintain accurate records. Employees must comply with health, safety, safeguarding, and environmental regulations and guidelines. They are required to use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), tools, and equipment. All tasks must be completed safely and efficiently, following the directions of supervisory staff.
Typical job titles include
- Adult care worker | Adult carer | Care assistant | Care worker | Carer | Home care support worker | Key worker in day services | Key worker in domiciliary services | Key worker in residential settings | Learning disability support worker | Personal assistant | Relief team worker | Support worker - supported living
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
National standards, organisational policies and procedures, codes of conduct and ways of working that relate to own role.
K2:
National legislation, policies and guidance in adult social care relating to health and safety within the scope of own role.
K3:
Human rights, equality legislation, organisational policies relating to equity, diversity and inclusion, where those with lived experience and colleagues are treated with dignity, respect and the impact on own role.
K4:
Principles of a ‘duty of candour’ and ‘duty of care’.
K5:
Local safeguarding board policies and procedures relating to safeguarding of adults in social care settings and how to escalate safeguarding concerns, including disclosures involving children and young people.
K6:
The signs and types of abuse and neglect and ways to reduce the risk of abuse or neglect of individuals in adult social care settings.
K7:
Person-centred, co-produced approaches to develop relationships with individuals that support their health and wellbeing.
K8:
Principles of positive risk-taking, including taking a person-centred approach to safety and contributing to risk assessments.
K9:
Principles of positive and proactive care and support for those with lived experience, including techniques to proactively avoid or reduce escalation, de-escalate and manage conflict, and when and how to report concerns.
K10:
Information, advice, and guidance activities which assist individuals being supported or their legally designated individual to make independent and informed choices from options available to them.
K11:
The needs of those with lived experience and associated cognitive and physical conditions that impact their care and wellbeing.
K12:
Meaning of ‘capacity’ and how an individual’s capacity determines their ability to make informed decisions about their needs.
K13:
Signs and symptoms of changes in the physical, mental capacity, mental health and wellbeing of individuals with lived experience and ways to monitor, record and report changes.
K14:
How to communicate using verbal, written, non-verbal and digital methods to convey information responding to the needs of individuals, stakeholders and family members using person-centred approaches that are adaptable.
K15:
Sources of internal and external support to help develop personal resilience and maintain wellbeing.
K16:
Legal and organisational guidelines and policies for maintaining the security of information and data.
K17:
Developments in digital working, communication and software.
K18:
Sustainable working practices, including the efficient use of resources and how to recycle, reuse and safely dispose of waste in line with organisational policies.
K19:
The Importance of continuous professional development, the benefits of lifelong learning and the links to relevant standards.
K20:
The process for agreeing a personal development plan incorporating goal setting and career opportunities, feedback from supervision and other sources of support.
K21:
How literacy, numeracy and communication skills impact on own role and sources of support to check own levels.
K22:
Principles of safe and effective administration of medicines in accordance with national and organisational policies and the limitations of own role.
Technical Educational Products
Warning: Undefined array key "statusName" in /home/awtg-dev-bemore/htdocs/dev-bemore.awtg.net/wp-content/plugins/occupational-maps-klsp/plugin.php on line 1031
- ST0005: Adult care worker (Level 2) Approved for delivery
Technical education progression
- Reference:
- OCC0005
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £23,398 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6135 Care workers and home carers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6135/03 Residential care workers
- 6135/02 Home care workers
S1:
Apply national standards, organisational policies and procedures, codes of conduct and ways of working that apply to own role.
S2:
Follow national legislation, policies and guidance in adult social care settings, relating to health and safety within the scope of own role.
S3:
Consider the human rights of individuals in adult social care settings, in line with organisational policies relating to equity, diversity and inclusion to support an open culture.
S4:
Demonstrate a duty of candour, and duty of care acting in the best interest of individuals to ensure they do not come to harm.
S5:
Apply a person-centred, co-produced approach when developing relationships with individuals to support their health and wellbeing.
S6:
Assist with conducting risk assessments, which focus on positive risk taking, to ensure the safety of yourself and others.
S7:
Apply the principles of positive and proactive care and support for those with lived experience to proactively avoid or reduce escalation, de-escalate, and manage conflict.
S8:
Customise information, advice and guidance to individuals with or without capacity or their representative to make informed, independent choices and decisions.
S9:
Adapt approach to care and support for individuals with lived experience to meet their current and evolving cognitive and physical needs and conditions.
S10:
Recognise and respect how an individuals capacity determines their ability to make informed decisions about their needs.
S11:
Identify and respond to signs and symptoms of changes in the physical and mental capacity, mental health and wellbeing of those with lived experience, and monitor, record and report changes.
S12:
Use appropriate communication methods that are adapted to respond to the needs of individuals, stakeholders and family members in adult social care settings, including verbal, written, non-verbal and digital communication.
S13:
Develop personal resilience and access support to maintain wellbeing of self.
S14:
Use record keeping systems to maintain clear and accurate records of interactions with individuals, and others ensuring security of information and data.
S15:
Apply methods of digital working and communication and new care technologies to support improvements in own work setting.
S16:
Record learning opportunities in line with organisational policies that support lifelong learning and meet the relevant standards.
S17:
Record, use feedback and supervision to improve own practice to identify and support the development of individual goals and career opportunities.
S18:
Contribute and agree to the personal development plan demonstrating support required for new learning goals and reflection on actual practice.
S19:
Monitors safe and effective administration of medicines in accordance with national and organisational policies and the limitations of own role.
Technical Educational Products
Warning: Undefined array key "statusName" in /home/awtg-dev-bemore/htdocs/dev-bemore.awtg.net/wp-content/plugins/occupational-maps-klsp/plugin.php on line 1114
- ST0005: Adult care worker (Level 2) Approved for delivery Technical education progression
- Reference:
- OCC0005
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £23,398 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6135 Care workers and home carers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6135/03 Residential care workers
- 6135/02 Home care workers
B1:
Act in a person-centred, ethical and professional manner in the workplace.
B2:
Build and maintain positive relationships with the individual and those important to them, colleagues and other professionals.
B3:
Take an organised and situational approach to complete tasks in a timely manner.
B4:
Take personal responsibility to develop knowledge and skills, resilience and wellbeing, and continually seek to improve performance.
Technical Educational Products
Warning: Undefined array key "statusName" in /home/awtg-dev-bemore/htdocs/dev-bemore.awtg.net/wp-content/plugins/occupational-maps-klsp/plugin.php on line 1186
- ST0005: Adult care worker (Level 2) Approved for delivery Technical education progression
- Reference:
- OCC0005
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £23,398 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6135 Care workers and home carers
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6135/03 Residential care workers
- 6135/02 Home care workers