How to become an assessor for the Care Certificate

This Care Certificate is a valuable tool, illuminating the capabilities of health and social care workers. By adhering to a specific set of standards, these workers showcase their skills, knowledge, and compassionate behaviours. The Care Certificate is a key component of the overall induction an employer must provide legally to meet the essential standards set out by the Care Quality Commission. To obtain the Certificate, an assessor must evaluate the staff member's competency in their workplace. In this blog, we explore the role of an assessor in ensuring the attainment of these standards, highlighting the significance of their expertise and the rigorous assessment process.

To be an assessor, you must be skilled in the standards of The Care Certificate which are being assessed. For almost all assessors, this will be by holding a qualification related to the role, such as being a social worker, health professional, or employer.

How to assess

Assessments should be appropriate for the specific employment setting, so there is no one "best way" to assess. The assessor must consider various factors and may determine that the learner has met the standard after observing them perform one duty. However, additional observations may be necessary for the assessor to confidently make a judgment. As an assessor, you may also want to gather input from colleagues, patients, or service users when evaluating a person's performance, but ultimately, the assessor is responsible for deciding whether the worker has met the required outcome.

Assessment evidence can include but is not restricted to:

• Observation records
• Oral or written answers to questions
• Multiple-choice questions
• Record of simulated activity.

For example, under the standard of equality and diversity 4.2, staff are observed holistically, with an assessor viewing interactions to ensure workers are respecting the beliefs, culture, values and preferences of those in their care. Based on this observation, an assessor can determine if the staff is working inclusively. Conversely, other areas within this standard, such as standard 4.1, involve one on one discussions or group exercises to assess the understanding of the importance of equality and inclusion.

The Care Certificate can only be awarded when the assessor is satisfied that there is sufficient evidence that a worker meets the requirements of each standard. This is a rigorous process as you can’t have a staff member who is part skilled, they need to meet the Standards fully.

Recording assessment decisions

Documentation of assessment and evidence of practice is the worker's and their employer's responsibility. The evidence may record in a workbook, portfolio, or online. This document will be used in gathering evidence for the Care Certificate and can be used as evidence when changing roles or moving between employers.

With the need to document each standard, this amount of paperwork could quickly become overwhelming. With our train-the-trainer courses being delivered through our learning management system, you have a gateway to integrated compliance software. Our ComplyPlus CQC Compliance Software will assist you in auditing and storing all your training and compliance documents in one place. Easily accessible through a single sign-on portal, you will be able to manage all your learners, have access to reporting capabilities, and store staff evidence of capability. This repository of evidence serves well for gathering evidence for the Care Certificate, and information is easily located when staff are changing roles or moving between employers.

Evaluate the efficacy of your training and monitor the progress of your learners and increase the efficiency of your operations. Contact us for more information on compliance management solutions.

Conclusion

The Care Certificate serves as a valuable resource to ensure that health or social care workers who perform regulated activities are compassionate, caring, and highly proficient in their care. Becoming an assessor, you can determine whether your staff are trained in meeting the outcomes of the Skills for Care, Care Certificate Framework. The assessment process may involve various methods to gather evidence. Documentation of assessment decisions is essential and can be managed effectively through compliance software like ComplyPlus CQC Compliance Software. Assessors play a crucial role in evaluating the competency of health and social care workers, ensuring they meet the required standards set out by the Care Quality Commission.

If you wish to learn more about becoming an accredited CPD-UK Care Certificate assessor, click this link.

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