There are already tens of thousands of unpaid carers with no formal training looking after family and relatives, so training is not essential to enable care to be given.
There are two types of Certificate in use at present. The National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) was awarded up until January 2011. After January 2011, the Level 2 and 3 Diplomas in Health and Social Care replace the Health and Social Care NVQs at level 2 and 3.
Workers who have already undertaken relevant NVQs have still got legitimate qualifications that demonstrate competency. NVQ qualifications will continue to be recognised now that the new qualifications are in place, but they are not available for new registrations.
Skills For Care is funded by the Department Of Health and is is the National Body responsible for ensuring that England's adult social care workforce has the appropriately skilled people in the right places working to deliver high quality social care. Their website explains all of it in detail.
Its obvious that home help is not rocket science. Not so obvious is the need for the carer have a careful regard for the feelings and sensibilities of the client. Formal training places emphasis on the need for respect, as well as issues related to hygiene, health and safety matters.
Since the qualifications that are most widely held at present are NVQ's, we provide some explanation here. NVQ1 in Health & Social Care does not seem to exist - if it does it very little mention is made of it.
NVQ2 in Health & Social Care is aimed at Care Assistants & Support Workers working within the care industry. The focus of the NVQ2 in Care, centres around person enabled care, in the development and maintenance of individual independence, in addition to direct care delivery to the patients. NVQ2 in care is the standards entry level care qualification.
NVQ3 in Health and Social care is for Senior Carers, Domiciliary Carers and Carers in a supervisory position or with some responsibility. The focus of NVQ3 in care is in delivering physical, emotional or enabling care to clients, whether they work in health or social care, or in the public, private or voluntary sectors. NVQ3 in care is designed to be applicable to candidates who will be delivering care. NVQ3 candidates work often without direct supervision, requiring a degree of responsibility and autonomy, making decisions within set boundries previously agreed with their team. NVQ3 in Care is typically a senior carer. qualification.
NVQ4 in care is aimed at Senior carers, Domiciliary Carers, Carers working within management and deputy management positions. It is focused toward the management and delivery of care with the support of others, and will be accountable in the area of practise. NVQ4 in care is designed to teach the techniques involved in management and delivery of physical, emotional or enabling care to service users. NVQ 4 in care is typically a care manager or senior carer qualification.