Category: Health & Social Care

Level 2

Adult Care Worker

Apprenticeship

Providing frontline care for vulnerable adults.

Key apprenticeship information

Title of embedded diploma/qualification:

Level 2 Diploma in Care

Additional Functional Skills:

Level 1 English and maths

Awarding Organisation:

Training Qualifications UK

Qualification duration:

12 months and 12 weeks End Point Assessment

Who is suitable:

Anybody working as a frontline care professional

Non-levy employer contribution (5%) - £200 Levy paying employer contribution - £4000

Funding value and cost:

About your course

Frontline staff members known as adult care workers assist adults with care and support needs in achieving their individual objectives and living as independently and safely as they can, giving them power and choice over their life.

To work in care is to make a positive difference to someone’s life when they are faced with physical, practical, social, emotional or intellectual challenges. Adult Care Workers need to have the right values and behaviours developing competences and skills to provide high quality compassionate care and support. They are the frontline staff who help adults with care and support needs to achieve their personal goals and live as independently and safely as possible, enabling them to have control and choice in their lives which is at the heart of person centred care. Job roles are varied and determined by and relevant to the type of the service being provided and the person supported. Adult Care Workers may work in residential or nursing homes, domiciliary care, day centres, a person’s own home or some clinical healthcare settings.

What is included in the Standard?

  • A. The job they have to do, their main tasks and responsibilities

    The tasks and responsibilities of the job role 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

    Professional boundaries and limits of their training and expertise

    Relevant statutory standards and codes of practice for their role

    What the ‘duty of care’ is in practice

    How to contribute towards the development and creation of a care plan underpinned by the individuals preferences in regard to the way they want to be supported

    How to identify, respond to and escalate changes to physical, social, and emotional needs of individuals

    How to access, follow and be compliant with regulations and organisational policies and procedures

    B. The importance of having the right values and behaviours

    How to support and enable individuals to achieve their personal aims and goals

    What dignity means in how to work with individuals and others

    The importance of respecting diversity and treating everyone equally

    C. The importance of communication

    The barriers to communication

    The impact of non-verbal communication

    The importance of active listening

    How the way they communicate can affect others

    About different forms of communication e.g. signing, communication boards

    How to find out the best way to communicate with the individual they are supporting

    How to make sure 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

    How to recognise unsafe practices in the workplace

    The importance and process of whistleblowing

    How to address any dilemmas they may face between a person’s rights and their safety

    E. How to promote 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

    What to do with hazardous substances

    How to promote fire safety

    How to reduce the spread of infection

    What a risk assessment is and how it can be used to promote person-centred care safely

    F. How to work professionally, including their own professional development

    What a professional relationship is with the person being supported and colleagues

    How to work together with other people and organisations in the interest of the person being supported

    How to be actively involved in their personal development plan

    The importance of excellent core skills in writing, numbers and information technology

    What to do to develop, sustain and exhibit a positive attitude and personal resilience

    Where and how to access specialist knowledge when needed to support performance of the job role

  • A: The main tasks and responsibilities according to their job role

    Support individuals they are working with according to their personal care/support plan

    Ask for help from an appropriate person when not confident or skilled in any aspect of their role

    Provide individuals with information to enable them to have a choice about the way they are supported

    Encourage individuals to participate in the way their care and support is delivered

    Ensure the individual knows what they are agreeing to regarding the way in which they are supported

    Contribute to the on-going development of care/support plans for the individual they support

    Support individuals with cognitive, physical or sensory impairments

    B. Treating people with respect and dignity and honouring their human rights

    Ensure dignity is at the centre of all work with the individuals they support, their families, carers and advocates

    Demonstrate all work is person centred, accommodating the individual’s needs, wishes and preferences

    Demonstrate empathy (understanding and compassion) for individuals they support

    Demonstrate courage in supporting people in ways that may challenge their personal/cultural beliefs

    C. Communicating clearly and responsibly

    Speak clearly and exhibit positive non-verbal communication to individuals, families, carers and advocates

    Use the preferred methods of communication of the individual they support according to their language, culture, sensory needs and their wishes

    Identify and take steps to reduce environmental barriers to communication

    Demonstrate they can check for understanding

    Write clearly and concisely in records and reports

    Keep information safe and confidential according to agreed ways of working

    D. Supporting individuals to remain safe from harm (Safeguarding)

    Recognise potential signs of different forms of abuse

    Respond to concerns of abuse according to agreed ways of working

    Recognise, report and challenge unsafe practices

    E. Championing health and wellbeing for the individuals they support and for work colleagues

    Promote the health and wellbeing of the individual they support

    Move people and objects safely

    Demonstrate how to reduce the spread of infection, including use of best practice in hand hygiene

    Demonstrate the promotion of healthy eating and wellbeing by ensuring individuals have access to fluids, food and nutrition

    Demonstrate how to keep people, buildings and themselves safe and secure

    Carry out fire safety procedures when required

    Use risk assessments to support individuals safely

    Recognise symptoms of cognitive impairment, e.g. Dementia, learning disabilities and mental health

    Monitor and report changes in health and wellbeing for individuals they support

    F. Working professionally and seeking to develop their own professional development

    Reflect on your own work practices

    Demonstrate the development of their own skills and knowledge, including core skills in writing, numbers and information technology

    Demonstrate their contribution to their development plan

    Demonstrate ability to work in partnership with others to support the individual

    Identify sources of support when conflicts arise with other people or organisations

    Demonstrate they can work within safe, clear professional boundaries

    Show they can access and apply additional skills required to perform the specific job role competently

You will develop a range of essential skills so that you’re skilled and able to make a positive difference to the lives of the adults in your care. You’ll be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to help adults achieve their personal goals and live as independently and safely as possible, enabling them to have control and choice in their lives.

How will your qualification be delivered

Our sector expert staff will support you to achieve the apprenticeship. We have highly skilled and knowledgeable staff with significant experience of working in the industry who will be able to share their experiences and support you. All learning is either on a 1-2-1 basis or small group webinars so you have the best experience possible with Phoenix 4 Training. You will have an eportfolio to gather and store all your evidence to support your apprenticeship.

End Point Assessment

There will be an external assessment at the end of the programme once the apprentice has achieved the ‘gateway’ requirements. This includes achieving the Level 2 Diploma in Adult Care and Level 1 Functional Skills in English and Maths.

The EPA for the Level 2 Adult Care Worker apprenticeship includes

  • Situational judgement test

  • Professional Discussion.

The end-point assessment must be completed over a maximum total assessment time of two days, within an EPA period lasting typically for three months after the apprentice has met the EPA gateway requirements.

What you can do next

Having successfully completed this qualification, learners will have the opportunity to progress to the following:​​