Training
All Live-in Care Agencies will encourage you to undertake training but the amount they offer varies considerably. Obviously, the more training you have had, the more confident you will be and the wider the range of assignments you will be willing to accept.
Some Agencies require you to complete an in-house induction course covering, for example, administrative matters, First Aid, good caring practice, moving and lifting (including the use of specialised equipment), and the relevant legislation. Others organise occasional courses at their premises and yet other Agencies offer no training themselves but will advise you where courses are held and encourage you to attend. Courses are usually not too expensive and they offer an opportunity to meet other Carers and widen your knowledge.
Within reason, you cannot have too much training! Where training is not a prerequisite, you should be very clear about your limitations so that you do not feel obliged to accept inappropriate assignments because of pressure from the Agency.
Once you have had several assignments and recognise the range of skills that you use, you may wish to consider undertaking a course leading to a formal qualification. National Vocational Qualifications, “NVQs”, are work-related qualifications which prove that you have the skills necessary to carry out a particular job to a high standard and, for Carers, the NVQ in Health and Social Care is the most relevant, see OCR website. It possible to achieve the NVQ, Level 2, by distance learning (i.e. without attending a college) for £800 to £900.