Introduction to Working in the Adult Social Care Sector Level 1 VESAUFS2118 Colin Gardiner
Weekly outline
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Welcome to Islington ACL's introductory course for those interested in working n the adult social care sector. This has become one of our most popular vocational courses over the past few years and many previous learners have moved into employment quite rapidly after completing it.
The course mainly attracts people who have some experience of what is often called 'informal' care, that is caring for a family member, relative, friend or neighbour. Having sometimes spent many years caring for a loved one, they have developed a real understanding of the skills and qualities needed to be a good carer and are now looking at the possibility of turning that experience into a new career.
The course is divided into 2 main parts. Firstly we provide an overview of what care is, who needs it, where it takes place and who provides that care. Then we look at the different (job) roles in the sector and what their responsibilities are. You will also learn the 'language' of care and you will come into contact with some of the main themes of care, including safeguarding, dignity and personalisation of care.
By the end of the course, you will have a much better understanding of the care sector as a whole and the kind of work you might want to do within it.
Below are some really useful websites which we will be using throughout the course. If you have the time, take a look at them before you start the course to give yourselves an idea of some of the topics we'll be covering in the coming weeks.
I look forward to working with you.
Colin
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In this first session you will be welcomed onto the course by your Tutor, who will give you a detailed outline of what you can expect over the coming 10 sessions. You will also receive an induction to the learning centre and be given important information to help you feel safe so that you can enjoy and get the most out of your learning.
In preparation for this session, it would be useful if you could give some thought as to why you have chosen to do this care course. There will be an opportunity for everyone to share their reasons in the first session.
We usually encourage our students to set some SMART goals at this stage. If you don't know what SMART stands for, see if you can find out. Each letter of the word S.M.A.R.T. stands for the first letter of a new word. Altogether, a SMART goal will help you plan to get things done!
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This week we roll up our sleeves and really get to grips with the question 'what exactly is adult social care'?
We'll also be asking questions about the purpose of adult social care and thinking about the many different types of care that there are.
How many different types of care can you think of?
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This week we'll be looking at different groups of people in need of care. Many people only think of care of the elderly. Of course, this is an important group, but it's not the only one. What other groups of people can you think of who use care services?
If you are on this course, chances are you have been an 'informal' care giver. In this session we also look at the role of the informal care giver and the contribution they make to the care sector as a whole.
If you have been an 'informal' care giver, think about the contribution you have made and be prepared to discuss it with your classmates. Who has benefitted from your contribution besides the person you've been caring for? In what way? What are the differences between an 'informal' care giver and a 'formal' care giver?
These are the main questions we will be trying to answer in this week's session.
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Another interesting website that will help you think about the work you would like to do in care. Islington ACL have very good links with Proud To Care, so do talk to me if you are interested in learning more!
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This week we begin to look at some of the different job roles you will find in the adult social care sector.
We'll also be looking at some of the settings where care takes place. A lot of people think only about 'care in the home'. Can you remember the other name for this type of care?
At this stage of the course I want you to be open to exploring the kind of work you would like to do in care. You might be surprised to learn that there are many more job roles than you previously thought.
Take a look at the resources below, they will really help you to learn more about some of the fantastic opportunities that are out there.
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In this video, 8 different care workers talk about their jobs and what it means to them to be a care worker. They are all different, but there are some common themes that emerge. Could you see yourself sharing in their conversation one day?
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This is one of my favourite videos. Listen to Nilom talk about her work as a Community Support Worker. I think she embodies so many of the best qualities of a care worker. Pay particular attention to her communication skills!
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You have been researching and learning about a wide variety of care worker roles. In this section, you need to choose 4 different care roles - including at least one you can see yourself doing - and identify the daily tasks that care worker would be involved with.
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We continue our look at some of the many different job roles there are in the adult social care sector, in particular, you'll be asked to think more closely about the kind of work you would like to do; the kind of setting where you would like to work and, of course, the kind of care needs you would like to support people with.
You are on a journey of discovery. Try and find a job description and person specification for a job that you could see yourself doing either now or some time on the future. What sort of experience, skills and qualities are they looking for? What kind of setting is this job role in? What do you need to do to get there?
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This is a general job search website, but it is comprehensive and there are many different care roles advertised across the sector here regularly. You can also set up job alerts. Check it out for the variety of posts out there!
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This is one of my favourite websites for anyone looking for a job in the public sector. You can search for public sector jobs anywhere in the UK, so if you fancy moving out of London, here's where to start looking for the job to go with it. But if you are planning on staying in London, it's a great site for that too!
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Now that we are looking at different care roles, this is the first of a number of videos I will be adding which will give you an insight into some of the different opportunities in the care sector. If you do watch this video, please remember to share your thoughts in our 'show and tell' sessions.
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No 2 days are the same and if you really want to make a difference to someone's life, it just may be that a Support Worker role could be right for you! Take a look at this video which shares the experiences of several Support Workers. Remember to share your thoughts with your colleagues in the Show and Tell session next week!
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Many of you will be familiar with Mencap, the learning disabilities charity. As we have discussed before, there are a number of charities these days that provide social care support and there are a wide variety of opportunities for work. Had you thought of that before?
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In this session we start to look at some the wider responsibilities of the adult social care worker.
We'll also be exploring the limits of the relationship between the care worker and the person they are caring for.
In preparation for this class, think about what some of those limits or boundaries might be. Who might be involved? Are we only talking about the person receiving care or might there be others we need to be concerned about?
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Use this space to identify at least 4 main responsibilities of an adult social care worker and demonstrating that you understand what they mean in practice.
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We have discussed in class that as a care worker you must take care to maintain your professional responsibilities and to be aware of the boundaries and limits to your relationship with those you care for. Use this space to outline at least 4 boundaries to be maintained.
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Over the past weeks we have touched on the importance of safeguarding awareness in your role as a care worker. We first introduced the term when you joined the course and we recognised that you were potentially 'vulnerable adults' because you are in an adult education setting. Well, in today's session we take an even closer look at the importance of safeguarding and use the horrific case of Stephen Hoskin to see how a failure for different agencies to 'talk to each other' led to important changes in adult social care safeguarding.
In the second part of the session we will examine the meaning of the term 'duty of care' in social care work. What does it look like, how can we ensure we deliver high level duty of care? Another interesting session to look forward to. It won't be easy, you may even find aspects of it upsetting; I suspect you will. But we need to be alert to the dangers that those in your care may be subject to and, more importantly, know what to do if you suspect that a vulnerable adult is being mistreated or worse.
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Adult Safeguarding is the way of working and thinking that protects adults with care and support needs from abuse, harm or neglect. Safeguarding balances the right to be safe with the right to make informed choices.
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By now you should be putting together quite a picture of some of the different roles involved in care and the different kinds of work those roles entail. In this class you will be encouraged to focus on those roles that have interested you the most and to research in more detail the nature of the work they do on a day to day basis. So, for example, if you can see yourself working as a Support Worker, what are the sorts of things you would expect to be doing in that job role.
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We continue our look at personalisation in this class and take a closer look at what it means to put the cared for person at the centre of all decision making and the impact that personalisation can have on the control and independence experienced by the cared for person.
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Now you have reached the end of your course it is time to assess yourself and see how you have done!
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This section contains all teaching resources for the course and is only available to tutors and staff. Learners do not have access to this section.
