Specialist induction training programme
We believe that empowering our team with the skills you need to make a genuine difference to your clients’ daily lives is not only key to delivering the highest quality home care service, but also enables you to enjoy your role, fulfill your potential and be recognised as the best at what you do.
Everybody who joins our award-winning team completes a comprehensive induction programme which includes:
- A 4-day course with our in-house training team delivered both at your local office and online
- Some online e-learning training where you will evidence your knowledge
- ‘On-the-job’ shadowing of experienced members of our team in the community
We use a blend of training techniques to ensure our training is enjoyable and effective. You’ll not only learn all about how to support someone at home, including specialist aspects such as personal care, medication management, moving & handling and dementia care, but you’ll also cover everything to ensure you achieve the national health and social care qualification – The Care Certificate.
4-day induction course
Our 4-day induction course provides a great introduction to the company and your role and empowers you with the right skills and approach to provide the best care possible, regardless of your previous experience. It helps experienced carers refresh and expand their knowledge and ensures that people new to care are ready for their role.
The training comprises 1 day of face-to-face training at your local office followed by 3 days of face-to-face training online (over video call). Investing in you is hugely important to us so you are paid to complete this training.
Our 4-day induction course covers:
- Introduction to Ethicare – introduction to the Company, how we work and what we expect of you
- Technology & Tools – understanding the systems we use
- Handling Information – how we manage and communicate information and documentation
- Health & Safety – our approach to risk assessment and health and safety including fire safety, and the how to support clients with moving and handling including the use of specialist equipment (e.g. hoists)
- Ways of Working – important policies such as pay, benefits and annual leave
- Communication – our communication systems and how to communicate effectively with everybody involved in the ‘circle of care’
- Your Journey – the support available to you and how we help you to develop and improve your skills, knowledge and understanding
- Your Wellbeing – how we look after ourselves and remain resilient
- Caring For Your Client – includes infection control, personal care, skin care, continence management, nutrition & hydration and health conditions such as Parkinson’s, MND, stroke and palliative care
- Dementia – dementia awareness training covering introduction to dementia, living with dementia and communication
- Safeguarding, Mental Capacity & DOLS – how to recognise abuse, prevent harm, act in people’s best interests and avoid depriving people of their liberty
- Basic Life Support – how to deal with accidents and incidents, deliver first aid and basic life support
- Managing COVID-19 – how to work safely during COVID-19 including our infection control protocols and how and where to use PPE
- Contented Dementia Trust – SPECAL Photograph Album – specialist training in association with the Contented Dementia Trust introducing staff to the SPECAL Photograph Album and the Three Golden Rules
- Administering & Managing Medicines in the Community – accredited course qualifying you to administer and manage medications to clients in the community
Online training
We use our online e-learning system to help you easily evidence your knowledge and understanding to meet the requirements of The Care Certificate. This can be completed before attending induction to keep things as efficient as possible for you.
We have invested heavily in our online e-learning training to ensure that it is not only engaging and easily accessible to all on any device (desktop, tablet or phone), but also focused on assessing your knowledge and filling the gaps. This means that experienced carers are able to utilise their previous learning and experience and move swiftly, whilst people who are new to care can spend additional time gaining confidence.
Shadowing
Once you have completed our induction course you are required to shadow members of our home care team in the community to enable you to put your learning into practice and demonstrate that you are competent to work alone.
Following this, you will attend a safe to leave meeting with your Registered Branch Manager where all of your training assessments and evidence is reviewed and signed-off and you will be awarded your training certificates. You will only progress to supporting clients alone once you and your Registered Branch Manager are happy and comfortable that you are sufficiently competent and ready.
Ongoing support and supervision
Your training and support does not stop once you have completed your induction programme. All staff members receive additional review meetings during their first few weeks with us. You will also attend Supervision Meetings with your supervisor every 3 months and Appraisal Meetings with your Registered Branch Manager every 12 months.
We pride ourselves on being a local, specialist company which offers marketing leading support to its staff – you will receive constant input and support from your local care management team which includes 24/7 access to our local, on-call team.
Continuing professional and career development
We support and encourage all of our staff to develop a personal training plan following their graduation from our induction programme and we will help you to improve your skills to enable you to deliver better care to your clients and achieve your long-term career goals.
We offer and support everybody in our team the opportunity to progress to a Level 2 Diploma in Working in Care Services after 6 months with the Company. There are also a host of other additional courses available including in specialist areas such as dementia and Parkinson’s, or even more advanced health & social care diplomas from level 3 up to level 5. All members of our team also receive annual refresher training.
We seek to offer many career opportunities and we always celebrate members of our team who are promoted into more senior roles including senior care, coordination, management and training roles.