What qualifications should a carer have?

Level 1, 2 and 3 qualifications

There are a variety of Health and Social Care qualifications available that are designed to provide the learner with the training and skills they need to care for others.
The most common of these are the Level 1, 2 and 3 qualifications. These provide an introductory background in care work and are flexible enough to cover care in a wide range of health and social care settings.

The level of a qualification indicates the complexity of the content. So, Level 1 Health and Social Care qualifications teach the basic foundations of care work. Level 2 and 3 qualifications build on this prior knowledge and help the learner apply it in specialist contexts, such as working with young people or in dementia care.

The type of qualification indicates the amount of content; with an award being the smallest type, a certificate being a larger qualification than that, and a diploma having the most content of them all.

While these qualifications provide a sound foundation, it is important to note that they do not prove that the learner is ready to care for someone without further training and guidance.

Level 2 and 3 diploma

Level 2 and 3 diplomas (or the equivalent NVQ if studied before 2010) are the core qualifications for caregivers. They demonstrate that the recipient has superior levels of competence and knowledge about care work.

These diplomas are often undertaken by those already working in the care industry that wish to expand their knowledge and receive formal recognition of their skills.

With certain 2 and 3 diplomas, the learner can specialise in specific areas of interest to them, such as:

• Dementia care
• Learning disability services
• Residential care
• Domiciliary care
• End-of-life care

The level 3 diploma also involves certain mandatory and options units, including:

• Duty of care in care settings
• Promoting health, safety and wellbeing in care settings
• Promoting person-centred approaches in care settings
• Safeguarding and protection in care settings

Nursing care

When providing care for people with neurological conditions, dementia or other complex care needs, a nursing qualification can be beneficial. Registered nurses provide technical and clinical care that goes beyond the support provided by non-registered care professionals. They have the expertise to handle more challenging issues such as tracheostomies, support tube feeding and monitoring ventilation.

If you are already working as a carer and you wish to take on more technical or clinical duties, the new NHS-created role of Nursing Associate may be of interest to you. A Nursing Associate provides carers with the expertise and knowledge required to undertake additional clinical responsibilities, such as performing venepuncture and ECGs and performing and recording clinical observations.

Qualified nursing associates can become registered nurses by pursuing a shortened nursing degree or through an apprenticeship program.

Developing care skills

Developing your skills is just as important as any diploma or care worker qualification. There are a number of courses and additional certifications available that can help you develop new and specialist skills as a carer. This can include learning about proper nutrition and food safety, safe mobility and handling or dementia care.