Proud to Care Doncaster - Frequently Asked Questions about Care Roles

Adult social care is all about providing personalised, practical support for people over 18. It supports them to live their lives the way they want, in a place they call home, with the people and things they love. It preserves dignity and keeps people independent and is one of the most rewarding roles you could choose. People who need care should have the choice, flexibility and control to live their lives the way they want, and you would enabling them in that.

If you are a kind and caring person, it is likely working in adult social care will be a good fit for you. Many of you without realising will have experienced providing care in some way such as growing your family and caring for children, providing care and support for a family member or neighbour, or even looking after a sibling. We can understand if you feel a bit nervous about potentially moving into care and there are ways to try a care role beforehand. Many care providers will offer shadow shifts where you will follow a trained member of staff while they work to give you an idea of what the role is like. Many services also need volunteers to help with activities or offer companionship to individuals. If this is something you would be interested in contact the Proud to Care support team and we can put you in touch with local care providers.

If you’re passionate about helping people there are lots of different roles to choose from. There are also plenty of opportunities to progress or specialise in a particular area. Depending on your skills and interests, you could choose to focus on a career pathway that takes you into: - Direct work supporting people to live the life they want and do the things that matter to them - Team leader and management roles - Regulated roles like Social Worker, Occupational Therapy or Counselling - Support areas, for example as a trainer or adviser, activity coordinator, catering and administration roles - Self-employment as a Personal Assistant for someone Find more information about the range of care roles HERE

All care providers offer full training and you will shadow experienced staff too. You will be fully supported during your induction and beyond. If you have life experience of looking after someone, it’s easy to transfer these skills into working in care. To ensure that all new starters into care meet the nationally agreed Care Certificate standards which new employees across Health & Social Care are required to complete within their first 12 weeks of employment the Social Care Academy – Care Certificate Induction was set up and developed. This induction programme is available for any new recruit and lasts for 12 weeks. It can also be used to refresh and upskill existing staff which is proving extremely successful. This programme consists of 12 days of training in the first 6 weeks covering all the modules within the Care Certificate. The second 6 weeks is dedicated to working within the workplace to grow and gain the expected knowledge and skills to continually develop within your role and the sector. You will be supported by two mentors throughout the training programme, one from the Doncaster training team and one within your workplace setting, who will offer help and guidance throughout your 12 week induction period. After completion you will gain the Care Certificate which is a recognised qualification. After the induction training you will be offered a number of training courses to help you develop in your chosen role. These can be in the form of classroom/e-learning setting or with a specific training provider.

f you are a kind and caring person, it is likely working in adult social care will be a good fit for you. If you are a bit nervous about changing career there are ways you can test the water. Many care providers will offer shadow shifts where you will follow a trained member of staff while they work to give you an idea of what the role is like. You could also consider volunteering. Many services need volunteers to help with activities or offer companionship to individuals. If this is something you would be interested in contact the Proud to Care support team and we can put you in touch with local care providers.

Pay can range depending on which employer you choose to work for and your experience, like any other sector. Rates in care are very competitive and come with many other benefits such as training and gaining new skills. Some settings even cover your meals while you are on shift.

Social Care providers across Doncaster will pay in a variety of different ways. The frequency varies between weekly, monthly and 4 weekly.

A company uniform, where it is company policy to require their wearing, should be worn in a clean and presentable fashion. Staff should have access to a spare uniform in case one becomes unfit for immediate use. Uniforms should not be worn outside of working hours. Many employers will insist on their care staff wearing specialist uniforms as they help to promote a positive message about good practice in terms of infection control.

Care staff must still wear all protective clothing, including protective footwear, when and where this is required for health and safety and infection control reasons. This is to protect the health and safety of the people you care for and yourself. If individuals are unsure about these requirements, we would recommend speaking to the employer directly.

As we are recruiting on behalf of employers across Doncaster, there are many different types of shift patterns available, both full and part-time. If there is something specific you are looking for then we can try and match you to this.

Each employer will offer different company benefits. The company benefits should be included as part of the job advert or could be discussed at interview. Some examples of the benefits that some care employers may include things such as: Paid mileage allowance Paid DBS and renewal Service Annual leave Full uniform provided Mobile phone Employer contributed pension scheme Flexible working hours Joining bonus Refer a Friend Scheme Birthday bonus FREE Blue Light card – national discount card for hundreds of retailers Paid hours for your COVID vaccination Access to an Employee Assistance Program supporting them in times of need

Any role in the adult social care sector where the individual is a regulated health care professional and their normal duties include providing health care to adults is eligible for an Enhanced DBS check with an Adults' Barred List check. It is a criminal offence to allow someone to work in Regulated Activity without carrying out the required checks. This is a check of your criminal record which will show details of all spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings held on central police records (apart from protected convictions and cautions). This is also a check to confirm you are not on the barred list for Adults and Children.

Any information included will be accurate at the time the check was carried out. On receipt of your DBS certificate there will be instructions on how to add your new DBS certificate to the update service. By registering your DBS on the update service for £13.50 per year, this will enable employers to accept your current DBS and you will not have to apply for a new one as long as it’s on the update service.

Information coming soon

There is no legal requirement for employers to pay a DBS check fee. Sometimes, the applicant is responsible. Usually, the employer specifies who is accountable in the job description. Most employers who require several DBS checks will usually have an account with the DBS, so will front the cost.

You don’t necessarily need your own transport and for some roles you can rely on walking or public transport, however some roles do require you to have access to a vehicle due to the nature of the job. This is particularly for roles such as home/domiciliary care. If you don’t have access to a vehicle, please still get in touch with us as we may still be able to match you to a suitable role that doesn't require this.

If you work in domiciliary care (homecare) you will often work alone once you are fully trained and confident – you will start shadowing another member of staff until you are ready. In residential/nursing homes/supported living/day and respite services, you work as part of a team whose size will depend on the size of the service. Social Care providers across Doncaster will have specific policies, procedures and training in place to keep you safe at work. This should be covered as part of your induction training package.

Social care provides a whole range of services to support adults of all ages, including older people, adults with learning disabilities or physical disabilities and/or mental health. If you work in social care, you could help people in their own homes, in residential homes or in a number of other places such as day centres or supported housing.

Personal care is care that is provided by trained carers and nurses. Providing personal care can sometimes feel a bit daunting, especially if you have never provided care before. Not all roles or people you care for will require personal care, however where it is needed you will be provided with plenty of support and training until you feel comfortable and confident. Each individual person will have their own abilities and limitations in terms of their daily living activities, therefore, the care that is provided to each individual will be very personal to them. This could include assisting with tasks such as: dressing, feeding, washing and toileting, as well as advice, encouragement and emotional and psychological support. When providing personal care, you need to take the individuals lifestyle choices into consideration and respect their choices. You need to remember to take cultural factors into consideration when assessing their needs. It is also important to treat your client in a respectful way and ask for permission before delivering personal care and talking about what you are doing.

Personal care is usually required as part of some job roles. The degree of support offered will vary from person to person, support could be just a verbal prompt or they may require full support with washing and dressing. Helping someone to feel fresh and comfortable can be extremely rewarding and you will receive training and support in all aspects of the role to help you. Not all roles require this and if this is something you feel you will be unable to do then please still get in touch with us, as we could match you with a role you will be more comfortable with.