That’s correct! You don’t just need training to work in the social care sector, what you actually need is so much more than just training. In fact, to maintain the exceptionally high standards of care that is needed in social care, you actually need to evidence the learning that you have acquired through the training. As only by being able to evidence the learning, will workers meet the standards of care which the CQC looks for as part of their inspection framework.
But what does this evidence look like? Lots of organisations will try and collect evidence by implementing a professional development plan for their organisation. But is this really demonstrating evidence or just training?
Evidence plays a vital role in enabling a care professional (and their employer) to demonstrate to regulators and inspectors how they continue to meet the professional standards required. I am sure you would agree that we all care about the people we support and are committed to driving up standards of care within your own care setting and across the sector. Care workers can attend all the training in the world, but without evidence, they can’t truly demonstrate how the training and learning has transitioned into real-world practice.
Evidence of this learning can be seen through several real-world situations and captured through the likes of observations, peer mentoring or feedback from families and carers. It can be recorded using appraisals and supervisions, allowing staff and employers to evidence that they are fully competent and committed to quality standards.
Why is evidence so important?
Well, in a nutshell, without evidence and proof that staff are safe to practice, there are risks not only to the people we support , but also to the care provider themselves. It helps to ensure that individuals are receiving the level of care that meets their needs.
Training alone does not guarantee that workers understand what was taught or the standard of care that is required. So, it is the responsibility of employers to assess knowledge and competence just as Skills for Care outline in the core and mandatory training guidance. Evidence of competence is the foundation of safety to practice and person centred care.
In short, care businesses simply cannot exist without evidence that staff are safe to practice. We talked briefly about this in previous posts, Continuous Learning vs Mandatory Training and Continuous Learning = Continuous Competence. That is why you don’t need training, you actually need so much more than just training and we are here to help.
