Understanding the Fundamental Standards and Care Certificate
The Fundamental Standards were brought into place in 2015 with the aim that all Health and Social Care Organizations would have replaced the standard induction programme for new employees with the Care Certificate induction by September 2015.
We all know this has been a much slower process than was first anticipated and that a large number of companies are still struggling with the reorganization, extra manpower and costs this is creating.
There are huge amounts of information, templates and downloads available from the Skills for Care website but many organizations are still trying to identify what needs to be done for them to comply with the Care Certificate training requirements and as part of that are looking at outsourcing all or part of the training process.
The Care Certificate training process is complex and there is no possible way that any person can attend a one day top up training and come out with a Care Certificate at the end.
There are two parts to the Care Certificate training:
- Initial Induction training and assessment– a variation on the standard induction that came before the Care Certificate was introduced and is based on the new Fundamental Standards.
- Assessment on the job – someone assesses the trainee in action in the workplace. This can be one or more assessment sessions.
What else needs to happen to achieve the Care Certificate?
To comply with Standard 2, before receiving the Care Certificate the trainee must provide evidence of meeting all the Fundamental Standards through both of the above methods. A personal development plan must be agreed with the trainee and the person or company coordinating the training. This needs to involve looking back and reflecting on the knowledge, skills and understanding they have achieved during the training and look at learning opportunities in the future that will continue their on –going development and learning.
There is a substantial amount of documentation required to evidence that the trainee has achieved the above and templates and information sheets for these are available as part of our tailored approach.
Once all of the above has been achieved and the relevant documentation assembled, the trainee will be awarded the Skills for Care Care Certificate. If all the evidence is given to the trainer at the close of the training, this will be sent out as soon as it has been collated, if it is sent in later it will be at that time.
What is meant by Evidence?
Under the Fundamental Standards you are told what the standard is and then the way in which the trainee must evidence their learning. The standards use a variety of different instructions which mean that the trainee must use a variety of different methods to evidence the standards:
- ‘Demonstrate’ or ‘ensure’ or ‘complete’– Some sections; such as Moving and Handling and First Aid can be completely assessed during the training through practical sessions. Others will need to be assessed in the workplace.
- ‘Explain’ or ‘define’ or ’describe’ – this can be through witnessed discussion or written tests.
- ‘Agree’ – this can be discussed and signed for in training or during an assessment.
- ‘Meet’ – this is demonstrated through assessment either in the workplace or in training.
- ‘Identify’ or ‘recognize’ or ‘raise concerns’ or ‘reflect’ – this can be demonstrated through role play, assessment on the job or essay.
All of our courses are formatted to meet the requirements for evidencing the learning in the above ways.
How do you know what Evidence is required?
The Fundamental Standards are laid out so that you can meet part of a Standard through completing several different training sessions and are not numbered in the order in which they should be undertaken.
It can be difficult to see how far a trainee has come in achieving the Standards, especially when you are just looking for the necessary training to fill the gaps in your company’s existing training. To simplify the training we have restructured the Induction so as to be able to meet between 1 and 4 Standards completely during each module and we have ensured that Standard 2: Your Personal Development is the last module to be completed.
What happens about Assessment?
If you are attending the whole course, we will assess compliance with all 15 Fundamental Standards as part of that course.
If you are attending an individual module we will assess compliance with the Fundamental Standards covered by that module.
Where you are using our company to fill in gaps in your existing in-house training we will provide you with an assessment sheet to confirm that the content of your in-house course meets the evidence requirements. The trainee can then bring this to our training module and it will be used as part of the personal development plan as well as proof of compliance with Fundamental Standards.
If we are providing the additional Workplace Based Assessment we will make arrangements to send an assessor to the trainee’s workplace to complete the Workplace Based Assessment and gather the required evidence.
Where you have chosen to carry out the Workplace Based Assessment in-house, we can provide a proforma for use and return to us that will identify the required evidence to achieve the Care Certificate.
How can we simplify the training and ensure as many trainees as possible achieve the Care Certificate?
Our courses are designed to:
- Minimise writing
- Provide learning aids to enable trainees to remember
- Provide checks to identify and fix gaps in knowledge
- Present information in a way that is easy to understand
- Clearly demonstrate compliance with the Fundamental Standards
- Present information in a range of learning styles
- Use language that is appropriate but not overly technical
- Give the trainee opportunities to relate their training to their own experiences
- Extra help is given to trainees who struggle
How can we simplify the assessment process to ensure that all companies have the means to achieve the Care Certificate for their trainees?
Our assessments are designed to:
- Be simple to complete
- Identify and match training to the relevant Fundamental Standard
- Allow for confirmation that training outside of our modules complies with the Fundamental Standard requirements
- Be tailored to the individual needs of each company
When is the Care Certificate Issued?
Once evidence is gathered that a trainee has complied with all 15 Fundamental Standards and they have completed a Workplace Based Assessment the Care Certificate can be issued.
What could stop a Care Certificate being issued?
The Care Certificate cannot be issued if:
- There has been no Workplace Based Assessment
- The trainee failed to meet the standard required for any part of the training
- There is not enough evidence to prove they have attended the required training
- Where we are only providing training for the gaps in your existing training, the forms confirming that in-house training meets the evidence requirement have not been returned.
How do you know what training your staff should attend?
If you email or telephone us we will be happy to discuss your training needs. Where you do not need to attend the whole course or where it would be more appropriate for you to complete elements in-house within your own organization we will tell you so. If we see gaps we will advise you on the training you need to fill them.
What are the costs?
There is no charge for email or telephone consultation with us about your individual or organization needs.
If you want us to undertake a complete review of your existing training by coming to your office, there is a charge and this will be agreed before we attend.
If we are carrying out a trainee Workplace Based Assessment there is a charge per assessment session.
If we are providing forms, processing evidence including Processing your In-house Assessments and Training there is a charge per person.
There is a charge for each module per person but discounts are available for group bookings or where it is possible to run a training session on your premises.
There is no charge for the issuing of Care Certificates
For more information on the charges look at each individual Courses and Services section.