Domiciliary Care Services Progression Pathway
LEAD ORGANISATION
Dynamic Training UK Ltd
ADDITIONAL ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED
Reading, Bracknell and Slough Local Authorities, Skills for Care, UKHCA (UK Home Care Association), Bracknell and Wokingham College
DATE
Completed April 2010
PROJECT SUMMARY
This project aimed to develop a progression pathway specific to the Domiciliary Care Sector, commencing with induction and leading to level 3, with a progression pathway to HE. The project was regionally-focused, covering Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey.
Following consultation with Skills for Care, research was carried out to obtain an accurate picture of the training and development needs of the domiciliary care workforce in the current climate. As part of the research phase of the project, 158 questionnaires were distributed to Domiciliary Care agencies across the region. Additionally, all Local Authorities in the region were consulted, as well as Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey Care Associations, the UKHCA (UK Home Care Association), the National Skills Academy, Skills for Care and Skills for Health. Additionally, working groups were held across the region attended by a number of external agencies.
Skills for Care's Sector Qualifications Strategy highlights the expected increase over the next 20 years in users of publicly-funded social care and addresses the issue of how the social care workforce could be remodelled to meet the increased demand. As of April 2010, all domiciliary care workers are required to complete the level 2 NVQ in Health and Social Care, but these are being replaced with the new QCF (Qualifications and Credit Framework) level 2 qualification in Health and Social Care. The current project clarified the role of domiciliary care workers and the skills required for them to be competent in the tasks of the role. The project team also mapped the units for the draft Health and Social Care QCF at levels 2 and 3 to the findings from the qualitative research, to identify and highlight any gaps.
IMPACT
The mapping exercise identified a number of gaps in the draft units for the new QCF Level 2 qualification in Health and Social Care, but it is anticipated that these will be filled sufficiently once the rules of combination are finalised. The results of the project suggest that some units at Level 3 might be desirable in order for domiciliary care workers to fully demonstrate their competence for autonomous, lone working. Some of the agencies consulted did feel that a level 3 qualification would benefit staff, but also noted that budgetary considerations were likely to preclude non-essential training. However, the QCF does offer an individual the option of undertaking a percentage of their qualification at another level, meaning that conceivably a Domiciliary Carer could undertake a full level 2 qualification with some level 3 units included.
Recommendations were identified for both commissioners and employers.
The UK Home Care Association (UKHCA) have identified that they would like to continue this work with their members, which is likely to be of considerable benefit to the domiciliary care sector.
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