Working in Social Care

1. Working in Social Care CARE WORKER Amy Crawford, Serena Cullen, Charleen Ward-Wilkinson, Charlotte Dalton, Emma Clerkin, Lynn Hamilton, Rachel Stewart.

2. Education and training Requirements • To be a Care Worker you must hold the following qualifications; • NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Health and Social Care • Literacy • Numeracy • It can also help having experience in an health and social care organisation. • To be registered on NISCC (Northern Ireland Social Care Council) • To have An Access NI Check.

3. Practical Skills, Knowledge and Understanding Requirements Responsibilities for a Care Worker would be; Maintaining personal hygiene and providing meals to the service users. The Care Worker must make sure that the service user attends all appointments and help them with their exercises. They can also monitor blood pressure and follow medical plans careful and consistently. Can organize time and resources based on the individuals needs such as a service user getting to a hospital appointment. Being able to work quickly and efficiently in an emergency or difficult situations, such as a service user falling or being passive aggressive. To understand Policies and Procedures that will be in place and have to be followed A Care Worker should be able to assess the needs of an individual so that they can implement a care plan and document their care plan to meet their needs.

4. Personal Attribute RequirementsMain Qualities • Teamwork – A Care Worker is part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team and requires many skills including being motivated, caring and punctual. By using these skills the Care Worker ensures that the service users receive the right treatment and their needs are being met. • Communication Skills – Verbally and Non Verbally – A Care Worker must have good commination skills as they are in direct contact with the service users and staff. Verbally they need to pass on information to other members of staff about medication and any specific needs the service user may have. Non Verbally a Care Worker should be able to recognise body language such as the service user being upset. Also a Care Worker should document and record vital information about the service user in the care plan.

5. Advocate – A Care worker should let the service user feel that they can confide in them and feel that they can trust and open up to the Care Worker. An advocate is a person that’s speaks on behalf of the service user regarding their care but will also empower the service user. • Whilst working as a Care Worker it is very important to maintain confidentiality as a service user confides a lot of their information in the care worker. Breaking confidentiality will result in the service user not being able to trust the Care Worker or confide in them any more and vital information may be lost. By breaking confidentiality it can lead to disciplinary action taken against the Care Worker and sometimes the organisation

6. Other Qualities of Care Worker • Supportive • Friendly • Empathy • Confidence • Sense of Humour • Dependable • Presentable • Flexible • Empowerment • Caring • Patient • Hard Working • Active Listening • Problem Solving • Non-Judgemental