The Learning and Development Officer Also Assesses Competency for the Following
Avalon Care Certificate – Case Study
The Avalon Induction Programme consists of 6 days classroom training. The 6 days training covers the knowledge requirements of the 15 Care Certificate standards, the standards are delivered and assessed holistically rather than on a ‘module by module’ basis. In addition the training also covers additional elements of learning which have been identified by Avalon as mandatory for all new employees.
Each day includes a range of approaches to assessment in line with the Care Certificate requirements, for example group work, making posters, case studies and scenarios and a workbook. There is a workbook for each day, each work book includes a short reflective log. The Learning and Development Officer assesses the delegate throughout the day and also by assessing the workbook. As part of the group and poster work all delegates are asked to present information to others.
In addition, a customer receiving support from Avalon attends day 2 of Induction, they discuss with the group what person centred approaches means to them, the different types of support they receive, and how they are enabled to be independent and so on.
The Learning and Development Officer also assesses competency for the following:
- Moving and handling a load.Supporting a ‘sit to stand’ transfer.Use of a wheelchair (day 3)
- First Aid, including Basic Life Support (day 4)
Avalon Induction / Summary of content / Links to Care Certificate Standards – KNOWLEDGE ELEMENTS
Day 1 / Introduction to Avalon, understanding your role, values, attitudes and beliefs, privacy and dignity and working relationships. The importance of your learning and development. Awareness of learning disability, mental health and dementia. Legislation, confidentiality, complaints and handling information. Duty of Care. / Standards 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 14
Day 2 / Person Centred Approaches and communication. Duty of care, choice, risks and responsibilities and mental capacity. Safeguarding adults. Legislation, confidentiality and handling information.
Homework – workbook Safeguarding Children. / Standards 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14 (2)
Day 3 / Health and Safety legislation, employee and employer responsibilities. Principles of safe moving and handling of loads and people (includes competency assessment). Principles of safe food preparation, storage, disposal and what comprises of a healthy diet. How to promote fire safety. How to promote safety in your setting (including safe storage of product, disposal of waste, PPE and hazardous substances, principles of hand washing, routes of infection, visitors etc.). Taking care of yourself and indicators of stress. / Standards 8, 13, 15
Day 4 / Emergency First Aid at work, including competency assessment of Primary Survey, CPR and recovery position. / Standard 12
Day 5 / Positive Behaviour Support (NAPPI Generic) – this is NAPPI accredited training to enable delegates assess, manage and reduce behaviours that challenge; to understand and implement primary and secondary behaviour support strategies; to develop an empathy and understanding of the function of behaviour; to understand the underlying principles of positive behaviour support and how this differs from other methods of behaviour management. / This is in addition to the Care Certificate, it builds upon, for example, person centred approaches, communication, duty of care, privacy and dignity and safeguarding.
Itlinks to Standards 3, 5, 6, 7, 10
Day 6 / Safe Handling of Medicines, including use of the MAR chart. Mental capacity, risk and dilemmas. Personal development and moving forwards. / Standards 2, 13, 14
Safe Handling of Medicines training is over and above the Care Certificate requirements.
Following the classroom sessions, the Learning and Development Officer updates both the delegate and their manager on their progress and the knowledge competencies achieved are recorded.
The line manager undertakes a workplace induction, probation meetings, shadowing (including observation) and competencies are signed off at a pace appropriate to the progress of each individual.Currently all new front line staff are undertaking the Care Certificate, this was a decision the organisation made when it was introduced. We will review this as and when we begin to employ staff who join the organisation with the certificate.
The Care Certificate has been challenging as we have many employees who do not support customers to meet all the required Care Certificate competencies, therefore we take the approach (which Skills for Care suggest in their documents) of ensuring the competencies required for the workerto support the customer are signed off before they work unsupervised.
Once all the competencies have been achieved the line manager discusses with the Registered Manager and both managers and the member of staff sign the document. This is then forwarded to the Learning and Development Manager who has a sampling process to ensure fairness across the organisation, this has been really helpful to enable us to learn about the care certificate and share with less experienced managers as part of their development.
Carole Whiles Learning and Development Manager
EM - TEL – 01423 530053
Avalon Group