LOCATIONS
Kent
Essex
London
All areas in the radius of the m25
KNOWLEDGE
A Lead Adult Care Worker must know and understand:
A. The job they have to do, their main tasks and responsibilities
Their job roles and other worker roles relevant to the context of the service in which they are working. This could include supporting with social activities, monitoring health, assisting with eating, mobility and personal care
Both their own and other workers professional boundaries and limits training and expertise
Relevant statutory Standards and Codes of Practice for their role
What the ‘Duty of Care’ is in practice
How to create and develop a care plan based on the person’s preferences in the way they want to be supported
How to monitor, plan, review a care plan in response to changing physical, social, and emotional needs of individuals
How to lead and support others to ensure compliance with regulations and organisational policies and procedures
B. The importance of having the right values and behaviours
How to ensure that dignity is at the centre of all work with individuals and their support circles
The importance of respecting diversity, the principles of inclusion and treating everyone fairly
The importance of communication
The barriers to communication and be able to both identify, and determine, the best solutions to achieve success when communicating with the individual they are supporting
How to communicate clearly both verbally and non-verbally and able to influence others to maximise the quality of interaction
The role of advocates and when they might be involved
Their own, and other workers’ responsibilities for ensuring confidential information is kept safe
D. How to support individuals to remain safe from harm (Safeguarding)
What abuse is and what to do when they have concerns someone is being abused
The national and local strategies for safeguarding and protection from abuse
What to do when receiving comments and complaints ensuring appropriate and timely actions takes place
How to recognise and prevent unsafe practices in the workplace
The importance and process of whistleblowing, being able to facilitate timely intervention
How to address and resolve any dilemmas they may face between a person’s rights and their safety
E. How to champion health and wellbeing for the individuals they support and work colleagues
The health and safety responsibilities of self, employer and workers
How to keep safe in the work environment
What to do when there is an accident or sudden illness and take appropriate action
What to do with hazardous substances
How to promote fire safety and how to support others to so
How to reduce the spread of infection and support others in infection prevention and control
How to use and promote with others where relevant, risk assessments to enable a person centred approach to delivering care
F. How to work professionally, including their own professional development of those they support and work colleagues
What a professional relationship is with the person being supported and colleagues
How to work with other people and organisations in the interest of the person being supported
How to be actively involved in their own personal development plan and, where appropriate, other worker’s personal development plans
How to demonstrate the importance of excellent core skills in writing, numbers and information technology
How to develop and sustain a positive attitude and address signs and symptoms of stress in self and other colleagues
How to carry out research relevant to individuals’ support needs and share with others
How to access and apply good practice relating to their role
How to access and apply specialist knowledge when needed to support performance in the job role
SKILLS
A Lead Adult Care Worker must be able to:
A. The main tasks and responsibilities according to their job role
Support individuals they are working with according to their personal care/support plan
Take the initiative when working outside normal duties and responsibilities
Recognise and access help when not confident or skilled in any aspect of the role that they are undertaking
Implement/facilitate the specialist assessment of social, physical, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals with cognitive, sensory and physical impairments
Contribute to the development and ongoing review of care/support plans for the individuals they support
Provide individuals with information to enable them to exercise choice on how they are supported
Encourage individuals to actively participate in the way their care and support is delivered
Ensure that individuals know what they are agreeing to regarding the way in which they are supported
Lead and support colleagues to understand how to establish informed consent when providing care and support
Guide, mentor and contribute to the development of colleagues in the execution of their duties and responsibilities
B. Treat people with respect and dignity and honour their human rights
Demonstrate dignity in their working role with individuals they support, their families, carers and other professionals
Support others to understand the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion in social care
Exhibit empathy for individuals they support, i.e. understanding and compassion
Exhibit courage in supporting individuals in ways that may challenge their own cultural and belief systems
C. Communicate clearly and responsibly
Demonstrate and promote to other workers excellent communication skills including confirmation of understanding to individuals, their families, carers and professionals
Use and facilitate methods of communication preferred by the individual they support according to the individual’s language, cultural and sensory needs, wishes and preferences
Take the initiative and reduce environmental barriers to communication
Demonstrate and ensure that records and reports are written clearly and concisely
Lead and support others to keep information safe, preserve confidentiality in accordance with agreed ways of working
D. Support individuals to remain safe from harm (Safeguarding)
Support others, to recognise and respond to potential signs of abuse according to agreed ways of working
Work in partnership with external agencies to respond to concerns of abuse
Lead and support others to address conflicts or dilemmas that may arise between an individual’s rights and duty of care
Recognise, report, respond to and record unsafe practices and encourage others to do so
E. Champion health and wellbeing for the individuals they support
Lead and mentor others where appropriate to promote the wellbeing of the individuals they support
Demonstrate the management of the reduction of infection, including use of best practice in hand hygiene
Promote healthy eating and wellbeing by supporting individuals to have access to fluids, food and nutrition
Carry out fire safety procedures and manage others to do so
Develop risk assessments and use in a person centred way to support individuals safely including moving and assisting people and objects
Manage, monitor, report and respond to changes in the health and wellbeing of the individuals they support
F. Work professionally and seek to develop their own professional development
Take the initiative to identify and form professional relationships with other people and organisations
Demonstrate, manage and support self and others to work within safe, clear professional boundaries
Take the initiative to evaluate and improve own skills and knowledge through reflective practice, supervision, feedback and learning opportunities
Demonstrate continuous professional development
Carry out research relevant to individuals’ support needs and share with others
Demonstrate where necessary mentoring and supervision to others in the workplace
Demonstrate good team/partnership working skills
Demonstrate their contribution to robust recruitment and induction processes
BEHAVIOUR AND ATTRIBUTES
These are the personal attributes and behaviours expected of all Lead Adult Care Workers carrying out their roles:
Care – is caring consistently and enough about individuals to make a positive difference to their lives
Compassion – is delivering care and support with kindness, consideration, dignity, empathy and respect
Courage – is doing the right thing for people and speaking up if the individual they support is at risk
Communication – good communication is central to successful caring relationships and effective team working
Competence – is applying knowledge and skills to provide high quality care and support
Commitment – to improving the experience of people who need care and support ensuring it is person centred
ELIGIBILITY
Undertake the Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service process and provide the result prior to starting.
The individual must meet the 15 standards as set out in the Care Certificate. The Care Quality Commission expect that providers that employ healthcare assistants and social care support workers follow these standards to make sure new staff are supported, skilled and assessed as competent to carry out their roles.
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LEARNERS
Company number 06646330