Occupational Profile
Adult Care Workers 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.
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. You will learn the skills and knowledge required in a range of topics, including:
- The importance of having the right values and behaviours
- The importance of communication
- How to support individuals to remain safe from harm (Safeguarding)
- How to promote health and wellbeing for the individuals they support
- How to work professionally, including their own professional development
This qualification is perfect if you are working in a relevant job role within a variety of settings, such as a; residential home, nursing home, domiciliary care, day centre, a person’s own home or a clinical healthcare setting. All employees working in the Health and Social Care sector will have to undergo basic security checks, including a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service). It is advised that an intermediate apprentice will already have little or some experience.
Working with people, feeling passionate about supporting and enabling them to live a more independent and fulfilling life is a rewarding and worthwhile job that provides excellent career opportunities.
Duration
12 months (this does not include EPA period)
Options
Care Assistant, Care Worker, Support Worker, Personal Assistant, Relief Team Worker, Support Worker – Supported Living, Key Worker in Residential Settings, Key Worker in Domiciliary Services, Key Worker in Day Services, Home Care Support Worker, Substance Misuse Worker, Learning Disability Support Worker, Mental Health Support Worker, Mental Health Outreach Worker and Re-enablement Worker.
Delivery
The delivery will be done mainly at the workplace, with the off-the-job training accounting for at least 6 hours a week. The assessor will regularly visit you at work to observe you performing relevant tasks and to carry out professional discussions. You will receive a login to an online portfolio. The apprentice must complete an induction which meets the 15 standards as set out in the Care Certificate.
You will complete a Level 2 Adult Care Worker prior to taking the end-point assessment.
Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the end-point assessment.
Upon completion you can progress onto an advanced or higher apprenticeship at level 3, 4 or 5.
After a period of working and gaining experience, you may be able to work towards an Assistant Practitioner or Nursing Associate post or, providing you meet the entry requirements, apply to university to become a registered healthcare practitioner.
End Point Assessment
The end-point assessment (EPA) for Adult Care Worker contains 3 methods of assessment which will be graded as Fail, Pass or Distinction:
- Situational Judgement Test
- Professional Discussion
The Sector Skills Council for Health and Social Care is https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/
Candidates for this course should be working in a related sector.
All applications will be reviewed on an individual basis. If you have experience or previous knowledge that will support your application please remember to include it. Individuals without level 1 English and maths will need to achieve this level and take the test for level 2 English and maths prior to taking the end-point assessment.
Maximum funding: £4000
As an employer that doesn’t pay the apprenticeship levy, you pay just 5% towards the cost of training and assessing an apprentice.
The government will pay the rest up to the funding band maximum.
You’ll pay the training provider directly and agree on a payment schedule.
If you employ fewer than 50 employees, the government will pay 100% of the apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for apprentices aged:
- 16 to 21
- 19 to 24 with an education, health and care plan provided by their local authority or has been in the care of their local authority
Paying employer National Insurance contributions
Employers may not need to pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions for an apprentice, if the apprentice is:
- under 25 years old
- on an approved UK government apprenticeship standard or framework (these can differ depending on country)
- earns less than £967 a week (£50,270 a year)
The apprentice, as an employee, will continue to pay Class 1 insurance contributions through their salary, this will only benefit the employer.
Read HMRC’s guidance on paying National Insurance contributions.
